The Perennial Plate

The end of summer is all about dealing with the huge bounty that the garden or farmer’s market dished up.   To answer the question of what to do with a hundred cucumbers, a giant bag of onions or a dozen head of cabbage, there is a very simple answer… preserve.

In the kitchen of France 44 (where I make charcuterie), I pickled my way through some of the farmers’ most common market goods.  Making the tastes of summer last into the days of wind chill.

The preserves I made will be available at France 44 and St. Paul Cheese shops, but I encourage you to make your own — It’s really simple and there’s still a little time.

For shelf stable pickles and preserves I would recommend buying a book and following the proportions of the recipes and timing.  Sugar, salt, acid and cooking time are all very important to prevent botulism.  For fermented pickles and sauerkraut its a lot easier, just make sure your ingredients and containers are clean and you follow the simple brine and salt ratios.  Some good books include: River Cottage Preserves, Putting Food By, Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, Wild Fermentation, and I’m sure there are a lot more.