Usually the canner is put away sometime in late October and doesn't make her appearance again until June or July.
Not so this year. Our local produce market ran a fantastic deal on beautiful pears. $2.97 for a 25 pound box!!! Wow!
Super Hubby went and picked up 2 boxes of this gorgeous fruit and we set about putting food by for the first time in 2010. Sweet and delicious vanilla bean pears, dehydrated pear slices, and sliced individually frozen pears for smoothies.
The Little goes through pears like nobody's business - and he was thrilled to munch on them all day and night, pear juice dribbling down his chin and onto his shirt. On days when he decides to be an extremely picky eater I can guarrentee he'll eat some vanilla pears.
As I was putting this food away I kept contemplating how incredible fortunate we are. I'm aware that these pears aren't local. I'm aware that they aren't organic. And we do try to eat local and organic when possible. But as I thought on all the poor souls in Haiti who are with out shelter, water, food, and medical care I counted my blessings that I have the option to feed my family fresh produce, even in the dead of winter.
I struggle with it a bit - the balance between eating in season and the need for frugality. The balance between eating local and preparing items I know my son will eat.
But still I count my blessings. Thankful for an infrastructure that allows food and produce to make it to my home when the gardens are long tucked away for their winter sleep.
Yours in thankfulness,
Simple Mama
This doesn't have anything to do with pears, but it does have to do with your heart ornaments. I just saw an ad in a recent edition of Piecework magazine that they're accepting submissions for needleworked heart ornaments for a contest. Not sure if your hearts are needlefelted or not, but I thought you might be interested in the contest. Details are here, if you're interested: http://www.interweave.com/needle/NWOY/default.asp
ReplyDeleteRia...thank you for the link! My hearts are needle felted! I think I'll take a look at the requirements. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great deal on the pears. Vanilla Pears sound delicious. I might make pear custard for tonight's dessert. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeletewow for 2.75 I woudl buy the pears and do all the work for my family to enjoy! even if I cant! to live in a larger town..........
ReplyDeleteIm trying to follow a goal of canning every month. with the joy of summer produce in my freezer that's been ok ;-) This month was *citrus month* and I couldnt think of what wanted- but even after my afternoon of canning I have enough strawberries leftover to can 7 quarts of strawberry lemonade!
And Im beginning my plans for the garden and canning that produce now!
What a great find! I just planted a pear tree last year and can't wait to reap the first harvest this year.
ReplyDeleteI love dehydrates pears! A year ago we were able to harvest local pears and I dried a bunch. This last summer I did tons and tons of dried plums. I decided I like them dried more than made into sauce. Your pears are lovely!
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