Friday, October 17, 2014

Got Leaves? Preserving Summer~











Better get this post in before the snow falls:)
The day before yesterday every leaf had been blown..tarped and carried away..
We had green grass..Yesterday it rained all day..the first photo is how it looks this morning..

I enjoy  putting up preserves for the long winter months..
Summer and Fall are ephemeral..To be able to put something in the fridge , freezer , cold room or pantry is a treat~
I made Chases' Dill Pickles again.They are our very favorite..You can find the recipe at the link..I found Chase and her pickles on Gardenweb..the Cooking forum.
Ever since she spoke of these I have made them..
I even read a book..I forget the name..by an author..and her pickles were in the book.
Too much controversy for me to put the recipe here.
Go see..and if you wish to make them do.
I have never been concerned about eating them..but apparently some of the proportions could be different..
We are happy with these:)

We also BBQ'd  roasted our bushel of peppers like we do every year..I like doing that with Jacques..on the back deck..this year we made them late in the afternoon ..almost 5..so we had a nice glass of wine while they were roasting..So easy to do on a BBQ
We  wash them.. split them..remove the seeds..and char almost..place in a closed paper bag for a while..then peel off the skin..they go in a big bowl that has quality extra virgin olive oil..garlic and a LOT of basil..they kind of marinate in that delicious bath..until we bag  in ind Baggies and freeze.
Nothing like the brined roasted peppers.Flavor PLUS.
On pizzas..in sauces..soups .So good.

I made Val's adorable pickled cherry tomatoes..they are so easy..and cute..just one jar to see..I will be making more:)
Go see and try them:)
After a couple of weeks in the fridge ..they just pop open with a burst of flavor in your mouth~


At the garlic farm I went to..they had sold out of their pickled garlic/lavender garlic scapes.
I found garlic scapes au marché and made a jar..
I based myself on this recipe..but added some garlic..the buds ..nasturtium.. mustard seeds..etc..
Nice to serve with baguette and cheese etc..though a tad crunchy/toughy..but good!
I have a feeling I will make again..but will blanch to soften first..
The rest I chopped up fine and froze in baggies to add to sauces as the man at the market says he does.
The weather has been inclement here..from sun to dark foreboding clouds and gusts of wind with rain..
Too hot and humid and then sun..the pouring rain..
No frost yet though..so the dahlias are like loners in the garden..
My beds are near done..
My neighbor will get my hanging ferns..a friend of Caroline's..The girl with a most beautiful smile~
I have no room for hanging plants and I cannot just compost them.They need a home..



This is really what it looks like around here right now..
A neighbor's driveway entrance..Lucas has started riding his two wheeler up and around with Adrian who lives there and Ava and Lauren..Be still my worried ♥..
So many homes are so cutely decorated..:)

Bon Weekend~
We will be blowing leaves..

34 comments:

  1. Our leaves are still colorfully clinging to the trees. Soon, our garden will look like yours. The canning looks like works of art.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. Our yard looks just like that today after three days of wind and rain. Blowing leaves this weekend, aussi! What wonderful ways you have preserved summer, Monique! I would love to try Val's picked cherry tomatoes also but, alas, mine are all gone :( We had our last BLT with the big tomatoes early this week and I just put the last of the San Marzanos in the freezer to use in soups and stews this winter. Herb pots are mostly all cut, washed,dried and frozen for winter cooking. Even most of my dahlia tubers have been dug, washed and wrapped. I still have a few to cut and they have huge blooms coming - I think I'll wait until the first frost to dig those. I know what you mean about worried ♥!

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    1. I should do the dahlias...Sunday I will:)
      They still are blooming like yours..a lady and her husband ..
      I knew you would understand..about the worry:)
      It doesn't stop at our daughters:)

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  3. None have started to fall here yet, but they are the bane of my existence. We built our home in an open spot wreathed with oak and other trees and have trillions. In the nearby woods, they are feet deep. I worry about wild fires, but there is no way to get rid of them but burning, which we fear will get over onto the neighbors land and get us in trouble. It will be spring before we get them raked up. I do they'd all fall at once. Love to put up and can. Never had garlic scapes.

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    1. They are baney for sure:)

      The garlic scapes..I will blanch next time..too hard for me this way~

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  4. I think I am in love with the idea of BBQ red peppers and sitting on the porch with a glass of wine. Now that's my kind of evening. We're in south Florida now and a little front moved through and the air is crisp and dry. Everyone I saw today was raving about the pretty weather. It was even cool this morning. We don't really experience fall, but this morning was as close as it gets.

    Have a nice weekend Monique and don't overdo it raking leaves.
    Sam

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    Replies
    1. You are there already?
      :)
      How nice!
      You know how I love it there..
      A glass of wine is nice there too:)

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  5. I'm in love with that first picture. We're just starting to get color here but nothing like that - so lovely. And those peppers! Wow, what a treat to pull them out on a cold winter day.

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  6. Your pictures put a smile on my face.
    No words required. :))

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  7. My leaves came down on one of our trees and so we too have an orange carpet under it. Doesn't it look so pretty? Do you compost them and use them for the garden beds? All your preserves are nice but how did you get those garden scapes into the jar? They seem to twist and turn in all directions and yours behaved so well as you tucked them into the jar. Your neighborhood sounds so nice, lots of children playing, it reminds me of our first house in Flushing, NY. Our daughter and her best friend Brian would play and ride there bike on the side walk at 3 amd 3 1/2 years old. Those were the days when you could do that. Enjoy the weekend!

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    Replies
    1. The garlic scapes easily fit just like that!Easy easy..but..I will blanch next time..I gave this jar to Fred and Caro..
      Too crunch for Jacques and I..
      It is a great kid neigbourhood..but different than most..it's old fashioned ..don't know how to express what I mean:)
      Ah..I know..many old people too!
      He's 9..just starting....
      You too have a great weekend.

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    2. A mix of young families, some with older children and then the grandparent set. That is ideal. Your neighborhood sounds like that. We have a freeze warning tonight. Will the daliahs come through the upper 20s or should I cut them and enjoy another small bouquet?

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  8. I remember getting a few fancy looking jars of roasted peppers for a shoot once and had the person tell me they were dangerous to do with oil... botulism, all kinds of spooky things. Scared me to death. I always smoked and froze them but NEVER with oil too. splendid idea. I can't wait to try. Lovely pictures.

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    Replies
    1. If frozen..I doubt the oil can be bad,they are just coated in it..
      Deana I did a post a few years ago about something I had preserved and was told it could be poisonous...We're fine..I forget what is was..a flavored oil of some kind I think..

      I would rather have that than counter chicken:)

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  9. Hi Monique, well we are back in AZ and it is in the nineties. It's funny that I long for the cold and many leaves. I guess I want what I cannot have. Love that you captured so much of summer in your jars. Looks amazing!

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    Replies
    1. You said it so well!!
      I have to remember that!
      I do love this time of year.. People that leave the city an smaller lots are surprised..actually shocked at all the leaves..
      :"Well..you moved here for the trees:)"

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  10. Oh my, that first photo! I do miss that. And I miss the way everyone in the north really gets into Halloween decorations outside. Not so much down here....for one thing, a real pumpkin rots in no time at all. Just not worth buying. I have a witch on my front porch, though. :)
    Love the scapes..what fun to to pickle them. They look marvelous! Will check out Val's cherry tomato recipe too.

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    Replies
    1. You are welcome to come help with the leaves:)
      Some pumpkins get ravaged by squirrels:(
      Many many decorate for Halloween..and I love the look in an old town..

      I'll never forget..One True Thing..love love love that movie..Meryl did Halloween..

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  11. WE are having a gorgeous day here today, but I hear a storm is coming and then autumn will definitely be upon us with the rain and the wind and cold temps that won't let up til spring. Thank goodness for the bejeweled jars and pots of preserved summer and early autumn goodness which will keep us going until next Spring! Everything looks so beautiful. The pickled scapes and tomatoes . . . the peppers, the leaves. Beautiful as always. xxoo

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    Replies
    1. I am certain you have preserved much more Marie..I have cut back..because w/ only 2 of us here everyday..it was too much:)

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  12. Bon Weekend to you too my friend! The leaves are falling here today like snow...it is pretty. Blowing them...not so pretty!
    I love all of your pickles...they look like little jars of art!
    Bisous xoxoxo

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  13. All these look lovely ! I love the pictures!:)

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  14. Oh, this is autumn at its best! Sooooo delicous and so wonderful!
    Happy time
    Elisabeth

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  15. Je ne connais pas du tout les "scapes" !
    Quel goût ça a ?

    Superbes conserves, parfait pour passer l'hiver :)

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  16. Certains disent Fleur d'ail..C'est joli comme tout..Quand les miennes jailliront de terre l'an prochain je vous montrerai..
    Nos marchés en vendent..
    Tout le reste..je l'ai haché finement et congelé..
    Un délicieux rajout pour sauces..soupes..etc:)

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    Replies
    1. Je ne connais pas du tout !
      Mais je dois dire que si cela a vraiment le goût d'ail je risque fortement de ne pas aimer :)

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  17. Your pictures are beautiful. I don't want the snow to come too quick. I already miss summer.

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  18. It certainly is getting chilly around here and starting to feel more and more like Thanksgiving weather. Your pictures are so nice. Blessings, Catherine

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  19. Thank you..just went to visit you:-)

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  20. We only start to get a chilly days, and our trees look so beautiful and full of leaves. This is my favorite season and I feel so romanic this time of year. I don't do a lot of preserves this year, but I love to bake lately. I am sure your cherry tomatoes would be an excellent addition to a Thanksgiving dinner.

    Hugs,

    Yelena

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