Classic Strawberry Preserves

My first foray into canning began many summers ago. I used to make huge batches of applesauce to freeze but received complaints that I was hogging up the limited space in the freezer.

The initial research into canning was overwhelming: so many equipments to use! The fear of botulism if everything is not heated and sealed properly!

Most of the recipes I encountered used large quantities of sugar (i.e. a 1:1 cup ratio of fruit to sugar), which, no thank you. I want to be able to distinguish the fruits that I'm preserving rather than eating spoonfuls of sugar.

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Crushed Tomatoes

Another item checked off my canning bucket list: tomatoes.


My friends and I got our hands on a bushel (53-ish pounds) of San Marzano-type tomatoes and spent six hours blanching, peeling, de-seeding, cooking and processing them.


By the end of the night, we admitted defeat. We only had several pounds to go but could not bare to look at another tomato. Canning is exhausting on such a large scale, and I am sure tomato remains coated every surface of the kitchen.



However, it was all worth it. After five batches, we ended up with nineteen 1L (quart) jars of crushed tomatoes / tomato sauce / tomato juice.

Pro tip: having company and drinking wine helps with the canning process.

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Peach Butter

Let's not beat around the bush: I've had this recipe bookmarked for three years, ever since it was first posted. I love apple butter (it was one of the items I requested in the care package my parents sent me when I was living in Japan), I love peaches, so what could be better than the delicate, fragrant flavour of peaches concentrated into peach butter? Nothing.


When peach season hits, I find myself eyeing this recipe, wondering if I have the time to commit to the whole process. Unfortunately, my summers tend to be hectic and I end up telling myself, "Maybe next summer."

Not this year.

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