Fowler's Vacola Preserving With Mason Jars Part 1

This beautiful selection of local produce inspired a two-day preserving festival this week. As I had decided to use the smaller jars Paul gave me for Christmas for my chutneys, jams and relishes, I decided to purchase some Mason jars from Big W. My replacement lids for my recycled supermarket jars were not due to arrive until next week...and I was keen to do some more preserving. Warning, it is an addiction. If you missed my first attempt at preserving here is the link Fowlers Vacola Preserving.

I had purchased the Blue Book Guide to Preserving some time ago. Although it is printed in America and they do some things differently in terms of preserving, this book is full of recipes and knowledge with regards to preserving in a water bath. I came across several sites in my research who had used the above Mason jars in their Fowler's Vacola, and as they are about half the price, I thought I would give it a go. Twelve jars cost $30, and the lids which need to be replaced each time, are only $4 for a set of twelve. The lid sits on top of the jar and the ring is then screwed on.

This is my selection of jars pre-preserving. A beautiful array of colour...shame they don't stay as vibrant when heated.

My first selection was to bottle some of the amazing lychees available at the moment. These are locally grown and about $5 a kilo at the moment - enough to fill two jars except we ate a few too many for that.

If you have never tried them before I urge you to give them a go. They are very unusual and hard to describe but the flesh is sweet and juicy, underneath an easy to peel crusty red shell.

They look a little like pickled onions or grotesque eyeballs prior to going into the Vacola.

I preserved them in a light sugar syrup and this is the end result. 

One of the recipes in the Vacola manual was for fruit salad so I combined peaches, nectarines, grapes, orange and banana as suggested. Once again I used a light sugar syrup.

This is the end result. Reminds me of the canned fruit salads where the grapes are firm and the bananas are mushy...but still yummy.

This is my first attempt at pickling vegetables. This is called an antipasto selection and the liquid used is 50% water and 50% vinegar (you can use any vinegar you like). I added some cracked black pepper and a sprig of rosemary for extra flavour.

The end result has stripped alot of the beautiful colour but I am sure it will be tasty. The squash, Zucchini and Rosemary and spring onions were all sourced from my garden.

The green grapes are lovely and sweet at the moment. This is a preserve called Honey Grapes which has a little brandy and honey added to the light syrup. Will be interesting to see what it tastes like.

This photo makes them look a little yellow. They are more like a faded green.

Finally, one of my favourite fruits...cherries! They are very expensive up here ($15 a kilo) so I only did one jar. But they will be appreciated in winter. Once again I used a light syrup.

The cherries still look beautiful and red.

I processed all of the jars in the Vacola for the recommended one hour, starting with cold water. I could have fit a couple more but I have six more jars left to fill which is another even batch. The trick with these jars is to not tighten the rings too tight so that air can escape to create the vacuum. The instructions say 'finger-tight only'.

Once cooled for at least 12-18 hours you remove the rings to check the seals. These lids do not budge and also require a tool to remove. You can store them with or without the rings. 

The feeling of sitting back and admiring your colourful jars is one that I have heard many people talk about. It is taking what you have grown (or in this case bought farm local) and taking it to the next step. Sure, I could have frozen some of these things instead, but this way they can remain on the shelf for at least a year, maybe longer. It did not take alot of time to do and once I have a surplus in my garden...I now have another way of storing it for later use.

Tomorrow I will show you what I did with the other six jars...I got a little more creative.

Simple Living Sunday 11

Well, what a week it has been at the farm. Sadly it's my last week of holidays and I start back at work tomorrow. It feels a bit surreal, knowing that I will have to let go of my homemaking endeavours and go back to wearing heels and makeup. The shining light at the end of the tunnel is a four night cruise we have planned for the 28th January. I just need to get through the next three weeks and then I get to spend some quality time with my beautiful husband...we really need it. Fingers crossed the weather will permit us to go.

This was yesterday afternoon on our verandah. What a scorcher! Today has been very humid and there are severe storms predicted this week...with some cooler weather thank goodness.

This is our one and only beautiful rockmelon. I don't think the others will survive but you never know. It is beautifully sweet and darker in colour than what you buy in the stores...plus it has very little rind.

I set off early to the markets this morning and came home with an interesting selection of vegetables. I couldn't resist the purple carrots which I was told are excellent for juicing. Looking forward to trying them out. The tray of peeled garlic was also appealing (and only $2). The stall owner advised storing them long term in jars of oil in the fridge.

This was the main thing I went to market for. Five kilos of beautiful fleshy farm fresh tomatoes. A steal at $3 per kilo.

A few hours later and voila...my own homemade pasta sauce. I used Green Living Australia's recipe (with the addition of garlic) and it made seven jars of sauce. Will post the details later this week.

I sorted, cleaned and removed sticky labels from my assorted collection of jars...and matched them with new lids.

I cleaned out a drawer specifically for all my new preserving bits and bobs.

I was pleased to see this plant blooming again this week. I had to cut it right back as the leaves rotted after the floods. Not sure what it is called but I love the colours.

This is now the third generation of bok choi from the one root. I just keep cutting it off and it grows again.

This passionfruit has just sprung up in the front garden. I think I will leave it there and train it around the front verandah posts, rather than trying to relocate it.

I have some nice little roma tomatoes coming along in the shaded side garden...and can't avoid the wilt.

The grosse lisse tomatoes are doing well despite the heat, and the plants are huge.

My curled up cucumbers are now shaping into balls...what next?

A beautiful bottle blush bloom adding some welcome colour to the garden. Hopefully the bees like them.

I hope you have had a wonderful week at your place. How is your garden going in this heatwave?

Fowler's Vacola Preserving

Image Source

I had heard of a Fowler's Vacola before my husband gave me one for Christmas, but I am not sure where. I don't recall my mother or grandmother using one, and I don't think my reaction was the same as the lady above when I opened my gift. I thought it was a fantastic gift and so very thoughtful - a preserving kit...but I didn't really know what all that meant. Now that I have researched it, used it, and am building up a great collection of fresh, all natural preserves...I must admit that maybe I have always truly longed for one, without even knowing it! I know that when I bake bread I always have a sense of the 1950's housewife about me, picturing the flouncy skirt and frilly apron with my hair neatly coiffed, as I set about being the perfect housewife and mother...now there is no stopping that fantasy :)

There are a few different types of Vacola which you can check out on their website Fowlers Vacola if you are interested. This is the Simple Natural Preserving kit designed for home use. It has a big white urn which you place near a sink so that you can easily drain it afterwards ( I re-use the water, once it's cooled, for the plants on my verandah).

This is inside the Vacola where the jars sit. Underneath is an element that heats the water when the power is turned on. You can achieve the same effect by heating a large pan of water on a stovetop and using a cake rack on the bottom, to create a water bath. The benefit of the Vacola is that after an hour the temperature is a correct 90 degrees or so and has not reached boiling point which is important...and your kitchen is not heated up by having the stove on.

This set comes with three jars, which come with a rubber ring, lid and clip. These are expensive to buy but once you have them you only need to buy new rings each time as the lids and clips can be reused if looked after. I have heard of families which have passed their Vacola jars down through generations, and a quick search of Ebay reveals the older jars are well sought after.

This is a selection of produce I purchased from the market for my first experiment with preserving.

The jars are prepared by washing and rinsing. The rubber seals are soaked in warm water for fifteen minutes and then placed on the bottles. As the liquid and fruit you are putting in for this type of preserving is cold, the jars do not need to be heated. If I were doing jams or chutneys where the liquid is hot then the jars would also need to be hot to avoid breakage.

The first fruit I chose to preserve was nectarines. I absolutely love them and they aren't around for very long up here, plus they look very colourful. Unlike peaches, you can preserve them with their skins on. You add some of your liquid to the jar (about a quarter full) before adding the fruit, which reduces the air pockets. I used a light sugar syrup - about 1/2 cup sugar boiled with 4 cups of water (and cooled). You can also use fruit juice or add a drop of raspberry cordial for colour. There is a packing stick which doesn't come with the kit, which helps you push the fruit down and remove air pockets - I used a small wooden spoon which seemed to do the job.

I love the look of bottled kiwi fruit.  These are also preserved in the light syrup. You fill the jars, leaving 12mm of headspace.

Lastly, I bottled some local mangoes. These are under $1 each at the moment so I will be bottling some more, while they last. As they are not as acidic as the other fruits, the recipe book states to add citric acid or lemon juice to the bottle before sealing. I chose lemon juice as I had a few in the basket.

The jars are sealed and clipped (which was a little tricky), and then covered with cold water. This Vacola holds six jars but I only had three at the time. You then turn the Vacola on and set the timer for one hour.

This is an action shot (haha) showing that after one hour the water was just starting to bubble. They do suggest checking the Vacola to be sure the water does not boil before the hour. Five minutes of boiling is okay but not ideal, any longer and I think you need to start again...they are not specific about that one.

This is my finished product, taken out of the Vacola once the water was drained. I did not have a jar lifter so I used tea towels - they were mega hot! You can see the nectarines and kiwi fruit have risen to the top which is acceptable. They will settle down in time. Once the jars have sat and cooled undisturbed for 12-18 hours, you then remove the clips and test the seals. You can feel that the lid is depressed in the middle and you check that the sides of the lids cannot be lifted. If you don't get a good seal you can put the lids back on and try again. The good news was...my lids would not budge! Apparently to get them open you need a special tool.

The instructions recommend leaving them for 60 days before using, and storing them in a cool dark place - not the top shelf of your pantry, because hot air rises. Due to the heat at the moment I have them in an esky to make sure.

This is what they look like after a week:

The Kiwi Fruit have settled down and the nectarines are almost there. I just need to check them every now and then to make sure there is no mould and that the seals remain tight. Apart from that...I can't wait to enjoy my summer fruits in winter - preservative free.

I should note that I have followed the directions from Fowler's but there may be other ways of doing this, and I am certainly not an expert...this being my first time and all. If you have any suggestions or tips please share them. I am really keen to learn.

My next post will be about preserving in the Vacola with Mason jars.

Cheese Making Kit

I was so excited to receive my Cheese Making Kit it the post today, that I just had to share it with you. It is a late Christmas present bought from Green Living Australia with money my Dad gifted to me. I was very impressed with the presentation and thought it would make a lovely gift for anyone who is a little enterprising in the kitchen. The above image is the front label of the box...

 ...which is made from recycled cardboard and includes a list of contents pasted on the outside, together with a list of common items you will need from your kitchen.

In a separate package and very clearly labelled, were the items requiring refrigeration. Luckily my hubbie was mowing near the front gate and brought the parcel inside as it would have perished in the 40+ degree heat today. I only received notification it was posted yesterday so express post from Gold Coast to here was overnight which is awesome!

The cold pack contains the Rennet tablets and Mesophillic Cultures...heaven knows what they are :)

This is what came inside the box, including cheese wax, brush, thermometer, cheese salt, two sterile specimen jars (interesting), cheesecloth, basket, calcium chloride and...

 ...a very comprehensive instruction book which I cannot wait to get stuck into.

If I lived on the Gold Coast I would love to take advantage of this course. 

This is the product that led me to find the cheesemaking kit - replacement lids so that I can use the jars I have been saving for preserving. With Fowlers jars averaging over $6 each, and mason jars around $3 each, these only cost about 50c each and the glass jars are free. Now that's economical and environmental at the same time. Can't beat that.

The bags of lids each came with a set of preserving instructions and two recipes. Funnily enough the recipes are for salsa and pasta sauce - these two things make up the majority of my empty jars and are high on my list of items to make homemade and preserve. I will certainly try these recipes and there are heaps more on their site.

The funny thing on the left is a jar lifter. It is very tricky to handle boiling hot jars and you don't want to dislodge the lids and risk breaking your seal. The labels are designed to go on the top of the lids.

The jar lifter works like a pair of tongs with rubber rollers that apparently fit every jar. They will be handy because I have been using tea towels at the moment which is risky.

So, there you have it...a very professionally presented cheese making kit. They even supply you with a hotline number if you have any questions..or most likely in my case, problems. I thoroughly recommend checking out the Green Living Australia site, especially if you are stuck for a gift idea. You are sure to find something unusual for that person who has everything.

Will keep you updated on the progress of my cheese making and preserving efforts.

Are you planning to try anything unusual at the moment?

2014 in one word

Every new year Maxabella Loves invites everyone to set their 'theme' for the coming year using one word. It's actually a difficult task once you really think about it, choosing just one word from so many, but it is also very effective. Instead of making up dozens of New Years resolutions, or even just one, the right word can encompass so many areas of your life...just like that. Short, sharp and simple. I was not part of the blogosphere for the 2013 word but I know that in retrospect my word was 'simple'. This one word encompasses everything I have been working towards over the past year and has enriched my life more than I ever thought was possible. Thank you Rhonda Hetzel from Down to Earth for introducing this way of life to me.

So, the word simple will still be with me in 2014 and for many years to come but I am now well on my way with this journey. In considering my word for this year I jokingly considered flood-free but that is not realistic and is certainly out of my control...a pipe dream.

Instead, the word that keeps coming at me with regards to 2014 is a word that has crossed my path many times this past year, and is always at the back of my consciousness:

Mindfulness

Yes, Mindfulness is my word for 2014. I posted about it earlier this year (What is Mindfulness). It is a practice, a way of thinking about things that makes it so much more than just a word. In summary mindfulness is all about slowing down, taking the time to live in the moment and making a conscious decision to live in the here and now. Doctors use mindfulness to treat anxiety and depression as it involves taking the focus away from the problem...and back to the individual - you, me, ourself. The important part of the concept is the conscious decision...it is all too easy to let things distract us from doing so.

I know this is an important word for me because my job completely took over me leading up to my Christmas break. It is only now, in the second week of my holidays, that I am coming to terms with how debilitating and stressful it was...and the toll it took on me. I love my job, but doing the work of two people takes possession of you, and you find it hard to get yourself back. I was too drained to do anything and let things go, like my fitness, in order to claw back valuable time.

Well, it won't be happening again. I will talk to my boss about getting some help in busy times. I started back at the gym on Monday, and commenced my diet today to lose the three kilos I have gained through lack of attention and care for myself. I have found me again, through embracing simple pleasures like preserving...

...and spending precious time with my family. I will keep mindfulness at the forefront of my mind, and not let it be squashed under the layers of job stress and commitment. I owe it to myself and to my family to be the best person I can be, to be happy and fulfilled...not washed out and drained.

So, there you have it...my focus for 2014 is on me and mindfulness is the key. Everything else will fall into place if I take care of myself first. I have a few ideas of how I can achieve this...and will share when I have sorted them out.

How would you sum up your past year in one word?