Putnam
County is a gardener’s
paradise. The climate is moderate. Soils are generally good. Rainfall is adequate. Thus, our landscape is beautiful and our
vegetable gardens produce in abundance.
An old saying in the Upper Cumberland
is “we eat what we can and what we can’t we can.” In addition there is great gratification in “putting
up” fruits and vegetables in our own kitchens.
For most of us, food preservation has skipped a
generation. But we have fond memories of
grandma’s pickles and a favorite aunt’s jelly that were above and beyond that
off the grocery shelf. Thus, many of us
are rediscovering the art of preserving foods that has been such a rich tradition
in middle Tennessee.
This resurgence is not attributed simply to our wanting
cheap food, but because we want to control the quality and safety of the food
we eat. Also we want to eat local
produced foods picked fresh and ripe, not handled by whomever, shipped in
who-knows-what conditions, and chemicalized each step of the way. In addition, we can customize recipes to
accommodate our tastes and/or traditions of our region.
Home-preservation is easier and faster than we imagine. The flavors and textures are phenomenal. Quality is assured. And the compliments are
supreme!
Many people in Putnam
County are learning time
honored techniques under the tutorage of family and friends. Others are taking classes. Rosemary Ponte will be teaching an
introductory class on preserving pickles and jellies, as well as demonstrating
techniques for dehydrating fruits and vegetables, from 9:00 to 11:00 Saturday,
July 28 at the University
of Tennessee Extension.
Rosemary is an experienced veteran at food preservation who
began at the apron of her mother. In addition to a Power Point presentation, specific
techniques will be demonstrated.
Discussions and answers to questions will span the interests of
participants as well as instructors. All
procedures meet University
of Tennessee
specifications.
Enroll at the University
of Tennessee Extension
Office (900 South Walnut Avenue,
Cookeville) (526-4561). There will be a $5.00 fee to cover
expenses.
You will be on your way to place jars of your pickles,
chutneys, jellies, and jams on your table or on the table at your next
social. To say nothing of the fried
pies.
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