Evening star., 1943-06-10

which Uncle Sam says we need to
make us strong, four can be pre-
served at home. Not by any method
that strikes your fancy, however. Let
this be your guide:
l. Green and yellow vegetables
Use pressure cooker, dehydrate or
keep In quick freeze locker. Some
of these vegetables may also be
brined. Some of the fall varieties,
such as rutabagas and squash, may
be stored in pits and boxes. But
more about them when fall comes.
2. Tomatoes-Any one OF the four
recommended canning methods is
safe.
3. Other vegetables and fruits
Fruits can be canned by any meth
cd. dehydrated or placed in quick
freeze locker. With the vegetables,
however, you must use a pressure
cooker or else dehydrate or quick
freeze
T. Meat and meat alternates-Use
either pressure cooker or store in
a quick-freeze locker. Mature peas,
beans and peanuts are easily de-
hydrated
AS recently as last year, vegetables
were blanched by plunging them into
boiling water and cooking them for
5 or 10 minutes. Then the water was
used for filling the jars. Well, there's
been a change for the better, Mrs.
Kiene SAYS.
Vegetables still must be blanched,
regardless of how you put them up.
Blanching stops enzymatic action,
sets the flavor, improves the color
and saves vitamins But recent re-
search proves definitely that steam
ing is a far better way to blanch
vegetables. Why? Steaming saves
essential vitamins.
Blanching in steam is compara-
lively simple process: Put about an
deep utensil and bring to brisk
boil. If your range has a deep-weu
cooker. use thatD Then, place veg
etable to be blanched in wire bas-
ket or colander. Place that in the
utensil containing the rapidly boil
ing water. Cover tightly and steam.
Steam for 5 minutes when canning
or preparing vegetables for quick
freeze locker; when dehydrating or
brining, steam until vegetable feels
soft but isn't completely cooked.
One speaks Of blanching tomatoes
and such fruits as peaches and april
cots, but actually, as Mrs. Kiene
points out, all we really need to do
is scald them to make 1t easier to
remove their tough skins. Scalding
consists of: Put fruits in wire
basket, plunge them into boiling
water for l minute and then into
coM water.
Since very little new canning
equipment can be bought these days,
you may have to beg or borrow 1t
from a neighbor, or else improvise
your own. But the government as
sures us an ample supply of jars,
lids and rings.
Glass jars have been standard
lied. So have jar lids of the self
sealing type These may be used
on any jar that has screw top and
they will be available in sizes to fit
the jars you already own as well as
on the new standard jar.
Don't try to make old rings do"
They are not safe. Jars and lids
also must be in perfect condition
chips, hicks, dents and cracks spell
trouble because they prevent a tight
seal. In using self-sealing lids, be
especially careful to wipe rims of
jars perfectly clean.
Never invert after processing
an outdated practice. Set hot jars
upright on several thicknesses of
cloth or newspaper. Avoid drafts.
Don't move or handle jars for at
least "a hours after processing; 1t
takes that long to complete the seal.
Screw bands may then be removed
and reused.
To test the seal OF self-sealing
lids, take spoon and gently tap the
lids. II properly sealed, lids will
have a slight dip caused by the
vacuum inside and will sound a clear
ringing note. Should lid give OF
dull sound when slapped, the seal
is imperfect, and you have no choice
but to substitute new lid and re-
process for half of the original time
Canning is nothing to be afraid Of,
but, as Mrs. Kiene says. it is exact
ing. For example, you're wasting
your time and your food If you don't
sterilize containers thoroughly and
keep them sterile.
Wash and scald jars thoroughly,
then place them in the oven set at
$50 degrees for l hour. Turn jars
mouth-side down so that the heat
will circulate effectively. Or plunge
jars into boiling water and let them
boil for 30 minutes. Zinc or glass
caps may be sterilized by boiling
them in hot water for 80 min
utes. Boil rubber rings for 10 min
utes. Keep water boiling until you
are ready to use them Remember
that touching the inside of jar or
top will make it unsterile.
It is not necessary to sterilize the
metal screw bands used with self
sealing lids. Never boil metal self
sealing lids for long time before
using because that will loosen the
compound from the cap. Follow
the manufacturers directions and
then process the food after it is
packed in jars.
All commonly grown fruits and
vegetables can be stored safely by
the quick-freeze method. If you
live near quick freezer locker plant
this is what you should know in
advance:
Time is a vital factor in quick
freezing, Mrs. Kiene warns. Try to
arrange it 50 that no more than
one hour elapses between blanching
and freezing. Otherwise vegetables
lose both flavor and vitamins.
Blanch exactlv AS for canning