Page 64 - Fall2011

Growing Wise Kids

mAking the most oF Autumn AbundAnce
simple Ways to Preserve nature's garden bounty
by Jen Allbritton, cn

As leaves begin to flitter from the trees, the it may be helpful to keep a copy of a book on the
brisk breeze and waning sunshine remind us that subject handy in your kitchen, such as Keeping
colder, snuggle-up weather is on its way. Now it Fresh by Janet Bailey.
is the moment to make plans to stock up your Making frozen foods taste as good as fresh
freezer, fridge and pantry with the bumper crops takes a bit of finagling. There are two factors
from your home garden, overflow from Com- to contend with when freezing your harvest:
munity Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, enzymes and water. Blanching is usually nec-
green grocer sales or case discounts at the farm- essary to destroy the vegetable’s enzymes that
ers market. Not only will you be preserving the cause foods to grow and mature, which, if not
freshest, most nutrient-rich foods, you will save deactivated, will continue to do their job, causing
some hard-earned income too. frozen vegetables to become tough, off-flavored
Depending on your food supply, energy level and discolored. The second issue is the water
and storage capacity, you could potentially enjoy that makes up a vast proportion of your produce;
your stash through winter’s end. While there in fact, this water within the plant cells is really
are many methods of preserving produce, we what we are freezing. Commercial food is flash
will focus on the three time-honored traditional frozen, a faster process than can be achieved
methods of freezing, dehydrating and ferment- with the typical home freezer; however, there
ing as they apply to a handful of the most used are some tricks to make home freezing as close
and best loved ingredients. These will make the as possible to the more desirable flash freezing.
biggest difference to your family in time and When food is frozen slowly, bulky, jagged-
money savings. edged ice crystals form inside the food. When
thawed, these large ice crystals rupture the cell
THREE GREAT WAYS TO PRESERVE walls, leaving a mushy mess. Freezing quickly,
Freezing is a quick and nutrient-protective to as low a temperature as possible, makes for
technique to preserve foods. As Carol Hupping smaller ice crystals, less cell wall damage, and
Freezing explains in her classic work Stocking Up, “a a firmer, more flavorful end product. To freeze
quickly, in as general rule to remember is that those vegetables foods as quickly as possible, try one or all of

low a most suited for freezing are those that are usu- these steps: freeze goods on a flat baking sheet
ally cooked before serving.” Vegetables that before storing in a bag or container; turn down
temperature fall into this category include asparagus, beets, the thermostat in your freezer for a few hours
as possible, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, carrots, spinach and before storing your new harvest; and package in
makes for other greens. Many fruits freeze well too—if smaller portions. To keep frozen foods at their
done correctly, that is, by processing foods as best, store at 0° F or lower.
smaller ice soon as possible after harvest or purchase, steam
crystals, less blanching instead of immersing in boiling water, DEHYDRATION
cell wall and, at serving time, thawing frozen foods in the Drying, similar to freezing in nutrient-
fridge instead of on the kitchen counter. With preservation, offers more variety in food texture
damage, and these measures to reduce cellular breakdown, and portability. Removing the moisture from

a firmer, more freezing will do the best job of maintaining food also discourages the growth of germs and
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flavorful end nutrient levels, such as vitamin C. As a general molds, lending itself to long-term storage for both
rule, most fruits and vegetables last up to twelve veggies and fruits. On average, four pounds of
product. months in the freezer, but for specific vegetables, fresh food yields one pound dried. Drying raw
64 Wise Traditions FALL 2011 FALL 2011 Wise Traditions

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