CANNING AND PRESERVES
So, I've gotten domestic. Sue me. But I've wanted to do this ever since I first tasted bullhead simmered in Aunt Faith's canned tomatoes when I was seventeen years old. Now that I've moved to the Mississippi Valley, and have a garden almost as big as my back yard in New York, I've finally been given the opportunity. And, guess what? It's fun! There's the additional benefit that it makes my mother-in-law believe that her son married a domestically oriented girl. That never hurts either.

A few tips... make sure your equipment is as sterile as you can get it. Never re-use lids, and wash all your equipment before you sterilize it, even if it's already clean. Pickles, tomatoes, and high acid foods such as fruits can be processed in a water bath canner. For vegetables, however, you're going to need a pressure canner. The cans themselves should be simmered (not boiled!) in your water bath canner for at least twenty minutes before you fill them - and make sure they're still hot when you do! Similarly, bring the lids and the bands to a simmer too to ensure sterility.

OK... now that I'm sure these recipes aren't going to kill anybody, let's move on to the recipes!
Apricot-Almond Conserve
Ripe Tomato Preserves
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