My newsgroup server's running amok again, with the result that only about
half my posts actually make it to RFC/other groups. Be that as it may . . .

Nexis, I'm up here in Santa Cruz County; the vendors at our markets come
from coastal farms (cool weather crops such as artichokes and leafy greens)
as well as the warm-to-hot valley areas (strawberries, stone fruit,
tomatoes, etc.), so we get the best of both worlds. I imagine San Diego
County has some terrific markets as well.

Andy, I'm not the melon fan you appear to be. On the other hand, his
cucumbers were enormous. :-P

Melba's Jammin', I'm sorry you hate me; I'd send you some fruit if shipping
weren't so difficult! Anyhow, I confess that I'm woefully ignorant when it
comes to canning/preserving, although the thought of apricot butter might
compel me to acquire some skills (I'll check out the newsgroup you
mentioned). I've done quickie freezer-type jams and such, but never the
full-bore, sterilized-jar deal. I don't know why, but it intimidates me --
as does pie dough and pressure cooking! Those are my three culinary
bugaboos. :-[

Spitz

--
Mind the runner beans!

In article ,
"Spitzmaus" wrote:
Melba's Jammin', I'm sorry you hate me; I'd send you some fruit if shipping
weren't so difficult! Anyhow, I confess that I'm woefully ignorant when it
comes to canning/preserving, although the thought of apricot butter might
compel me to acquire some skills (I'll check out the newsgroup you
mentioned). I've done quickie freezer-type jams and such, but never the
full-bore, sterilized-jar deal. I don't know why, but it intimidates me --
as does pie dough and pressure cooking! Those are my three culinary
bugaboos. :-[

Spitz

Yes, well, you SHOULD be sorry I hate you. g I'm trying to remember
-- someone from SoCal sent me a box of something from his tree. Took
some work but was mostly successful. "Freezer-type jam" is really
"frozen jam-like spread." Gack. I understand about being intimidated
by canning but, as I've said many a time, you won't kill anybody with
homemade jam. Home canned green beans, maybe, but not home-canned jam.
You can jerry-rig some of the equipment - don't HAVE to go out and buy a
Bigass� waterbath canner. Yeah, stop in at r.f.preserving. Good
people. Better behaved than some here. "-) And AFA Apricot Butter
goes, I'll betcha you could freeze it instead of canning it. I suppose
I should try that sometime. Can't store it on a shelf, though. :-(
--
-Barb
http://jamlady.eboard.com Updated 5/29/2006, What They Did For Love
"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

Spitzmaus wrote on June 1, 2006:

snip

Nexis, I'm up here in Santa Cruz County; the vendors at our markets come
from coastal farms (cool weather crops such as artichokes and leafy greens)
as well as the warm-to-hot valley areas (strawberries, stone fruit,
tomatoes, etc.), so we get the best of both worlds. I imagine San Diego
County has some terrific markets as well.

Santa Clara County. I usually go to the Sunday market in Campbell.
Tomorrow I'll
go to the San Jose market (San Pedro Square - I think). I haven't been
to the Santana
Row market, but I'll get there soon. I would think Santana Row would
get decent
traffic, meaning more vendors, etc.

more snip

Melba's Jammin', I'm sorry you hate me; I'd send you some fruit if shipping
weren't so difficult! Anyhow, I confess that I'm woefully ignorant when it
comes to canning/preserving,

Canning (the process, not necessarily the recipes) is easier than you
think. I've
done it a few times (peaches, pears, pickles and plum and peach
chutney). I got a
book at the library and a brochure from the local extension service. I
thought the
various things turned out just fine.

My bugaboo is pressure cookers.

final snip

KevinS sez:

Santa Clara County. I usually go to the Sunday market in Campbell.
Tomorrow I'll
go to the San Jose market (San Pedro Square - I think). I haven't been
to the Santana
Row market, but I'll get there soon. I would think Santana Row would
get decent
traffic, meaning more vendors, etc.

You've got some great markets in that area. Santa Clara County extends from
San Jose to Palo Alto, if I recall, so you could probably go a market each
day of the week. Back when Santana Row was the old Town and Country
shopping center, I'd often come over the hill just to attend the Friday
morning market there. As unique to that part of San Jose as the downtown
market is to Santa Cruz


Canning (the process, not necessarily the recipes) is easier than you
think. I've
done it a few times (peaches, pears, pickles and plum and peach
chutney). I got a
book at the library and a brochure from the local extension service. I
thought the
various things turned out just fine.

My bugaboo is pressure cookers.

Thanks for the encouragement. I've got to get over my perceived notion of
what canning/preserving involves; I picture something akin to a mad
scientist's lab, with bubbling admixtures, Tesla coils, and a misshapen
assistant name Igor hovering in the background! I've got a vivid
imagination.

I'm with you on the pressure cookers, dude.

Spitz
--
Mind the runner beans!

Melba's Jammin' sez:

Yes, well, you SHOULD be sorry I hate you. g I'm trying to remember
-- someone from SoCal sent me a box of something from his tree. Took
some work but was mostly successful. "Freezer-type jam" is really
"frozen jam-like spread." Gack. I understand about being intimidated
by canning but, as I've said many a time, you won't kill anybody with
homemade jam. Home canned green beans, maybe, but not home-canned jam.
You can jerry-rig some of the equipment - don't HAVE to go out and buy a
Bigass� waterbath canner. Yeah, stop in at r.f.preserving. Good
people. Better behaved than some here. "-) And AFA Apricot Butter
goes, I'll betcha you could freeze it instead of canning it. I suppose
I should try that sometime. Can't store it on a shelf, though. :-(
--
-Barb
http://jamlady.eboard.com Updated 5/29/2006, What They Did For Love
"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

You're really helping to ease my canning angst, and I appreciate the
encouragement; matter of fact, I'll dedicate my first batch of Apricot
Butter to you! Maybe I'll even get brave enough to try to replicate the
knock-'em-dead fig/apricot chutney I recently finished. The clean jar, with
ingredient label intact, is sitting on my kitchen counter at this very
moment. I'm inspired, thanks to you and KevinS.

Spitz
--
Mind the runner beans!

Nexis, I'm up here in Santa Cruz County

Wow..Kimberly is still around? Neat!!!

And I'm just over the hills in the south bay, and *I* envy you - you
have the Saturn Cafe!

Annie

--
I am: Mom, Attorney, Professor, and - yes - *that* She Devil
Personal: http://www.SheDevilsBlog.com | Fathers Rights:
http://www.DadsRights.org
Raw Food: http://www.AdventuresInRawFood.com | The Internet:
http://www.TheInternetPatrol.com
Indignation: http://www.Indignation.org | Irony: http://www.ThatsIronic.com
Parenting: http://www.IntuitiveParenting.org | Everything Else:
http://www.AllAboutAllAbout.com

"Spitzmaus" wrote in message
. ..
My newsgroup server's running amok again, with the result that only about
half my posts actually make it to RFC/other groups. Be that as it may . . .

Nexis, I'm up here in Santa Cruz County; the vendors at our markets come
from coastal farms (cool weather crops such as artichokes and leafy greens)
as well as the warm-to-hot valley areas (strawberries, stone fruit,
tomatoes, etc.), so we get the best of both worlds. I imagine San Diego
County has some terrific markets as well.

Andy, I'm not the melon fan you appear to be. On the other hand, his
cucumbers were enormous. :-P

Melba's Jammin', I'm sorry you hate me; I'd send you some fruit if shipping
weren't so difficult! Anyhow, I confess that I'm woefully ignorant when it
comes to canning/preserving, although the thought of apricot butter might
compel me to acquire some skills (I'll check out the newsgroup you
mentioned). I've done quickie freezer-type jams and such, but never the
full-bore, sterilized-jar deal. I don't know why, but it intimidates me --
as does pie dough and pressure cooking! Those are my three culinary
bugaboos. :-[

Spitz

I love that area! I would like to move north some day. Getting my husband to admit
San Diego isn't what it used to be isn't an easy task, however. He was born & raised
here, so we always end up back here. This house we live in now, we moved into in
1997, and have been here since. My biggest worry with leaving it would be finding a
kitchen this big and a floor plan this open.
Ah well.
Farmer's Markets:
I went to the Oceanside market yesterday, and was happy to see a few more produce
vendors. Last time I was there it seemed the craft/non-food vendors had taken over. I
bought some lovely spring garlic (looks like a leek kinda), spring onions, salad
greens (wonderful ones too! had them last night), tomatoes, blueberries, nectarines,
avocados, red onions, and a crepe with nutella
Later we went to a strawberry stand off Vista Way and bought a 1/2 flat of
strawberries and 2 watermelons. Leaving there, I noticed a small sign across the road
for an exotic fruit farm, so we wandered around there for a bit too. I'm going to see
if I can talk my husband into us planting some pineapple guavas, I think

kimberly

"Anne Mitchell Young" shedevil @ aloss.net wrote in message
...
Nexis, I'm up here in Santa Cruz County

Wow..Kimberly is still around? Neat!!!

And I'm just over the hills in the south bay, and *I* envy you - you have the
Saturn Cafe!

Annie


Of course I am lol
How the heck are ya?

kimberly

On 2006-06-02 14:09:10 -0700, "Nexis" said:

Wow..Kimberly is still around? Neat!!!

Of course I am lol
How the heck are ya?

Great! You? Still turning out great cakes for your little one? (Who
probably isn't so little any more! :-) )

I did a barn for my son this year, as his theme was 'horses'. :-)

--
I am: Mom, Attorney, Professor, and - yes - *that* She Devil
Personal: http://www.SheDevilsBlog.com | Fathers Rights:
http://www.DadsRights.org
Raw Food: http://www.AdventuresInRawFood.com | The Internet:
http://www.TheInternetPatrol.com
Indignation: http://www.Indignation.org | Irony: http://www.ThatsIronic.com
Parenting: http://www.IntuitiveParenting.org | Everything Else:
http://www.AllAboutAllAbout.com

Nexis wrote:
"Spitzmaus" wrote in message
. ..
My newsgroup server's running amok again, with the result that only about
half my posts actually make it to RFC/other groups. Be that as it may . . .

Nexis, I'm up here in Santa Cruz County; the vendors at our markets come
from coastal farms (cool weather crops such as artichokes and leafy greens)
as well as the warm-to-hot valley areas (strawberries, stone fruit,
tomatoes, etc.), so we get the best of both worlds. I imagine San Diego
County has some terrific markets as well.

Andy, I'm not the melon fan you appear to be. On the other hand, his
cucumbers were enormous. :-P

Melba's Jammin', I'm sorry you hate me; I'd send you some fruit if shipping
weren't so difficult! Anyhow, I confess that I'm woefully ignorant when it
comes to canning/preserving, although the thought of apricot butter might
compel me to acquire some skills (I'll check out the newsgroup you
mentioned). I've done quickie freezer-type jams and such, but never the
full-bore, sterilized-jar deal. I don't know why, but it intimidates me --
as does pie dough and pressure cooking! Those are my three culinary
bugaboos. :-[

Spitz

I love that area! I would like to move north some day. Getting my husband to admit
San Diego isn't what it used to be isn't an easy task, however. He was born & raised
here, so we always end up back here. This house we live in now, we moved into in
1997, and have been here since. My biggest worry with leaving it would be finding a
kitchen this big and a floor plan this open.
Ah well.
Farmer's Markets:
I went to the Oceanside market yesterday, and was happy to see a few more produce
vendors. Last time I was there it seemed the craft/non-food vendors had taken over. I
bought some lovely spring garlic (looks like a leek kinda), spring onions, salad
greens (wonderful ones too! had them last night), tomatoes, blueberries, nectarines,
avocados, red onions, and a crepe with nutella
Later we went to a strawberry stand off Vista Way and bought a 1/2 flat of
strawberries and 2 watermelons. Leaving there, I noticed a small sign across the road
for an exotic fruit farm, so we wandered around there for a bit too. I'm going to see
if I can talk my husband into us planting some pineapple guavas, I think

kimberly

Nexis wrote:
"Spitzmaus" wrote in message
. ..
My newsgroup server's running amok again, with the result that only about
half my posts actually make it to RFC/other groups. Be that as it may . . .

Nexis, I'm up here in Santa Cruz County; the vendors at our markets come
from coastal farms (cool weather crops such as artichokes and leafy greens)
as well as the warm-to-hot valley areas (strawberries, stone fruit,
tomatoes, etc.), so we get the best of both worlds. I imagine San Diego
County has some terrific markets as well.

Andy, I'm not the melon fan you appear to be. On the other hand, his
cucumbers were enormous. :-P

Melba's Jammin', I'm sorry you hate me; I'd send you some fruit if shipping
weren't so difficult! Anyhow, I confess that I'm woefully ignorant when it
comes to canning/preserving, although the thought of apricot butter might
compel me to acquire some skills (I'll check out the newsgroup you
mentioned). I've done quickie freezer-type jams and such, but never the
full-bore, sterilized-jar deal. I don't know why, but it intimidates me --
as does pie dough and pressure cooking! Those are my three culinary
bugaboos. :-[

Spitz

I love that area! I would like to move north some day. Getting my husband to admit
San Diego isn't what it used to be isn't an easy task, however. He was born & raised
here, so we always end up back here. This house we live in now, we moved into in
1997, and have been here since. My biggest worry with leaving it would be finding a
kitchen this big and a floor plan this open.
Ah well.
Farmer's Markets:
I went to the Oceanside market yesterday, and was happy to see a few more produce
vendors. Last time I was there it seemed the craft/non-food vendors had taken over. I
bought some lovely spring garlic (looks like a leek kinda), spring onions, salad
greens (wonderful ones too! had them last night), tomatoes, blueberries, nectarines,
avocados, red onions, and a crepe with nutella
Later we went to a strawberry stand off Vista Way and bought a 1/2 flat of
strawberries and 2 watermelons. Leaving there, I noticed a small sign across the road
for an exotic fruit farm, so we wandered around there for a bit too. I'm going to see
if I can talk my husband into us planting some pineapple guavas, I think

kimberly
===================
Kimberly wrote"

Ah well.
Farmer's Markets:
I went to the Oceanside market yesterday, and was happy to see a few more produce
vendors. Last time I was there it seemed the craft/non-food vendors had taken over. I
bought some lovely spring garlic (looks like a leek kinda), spring onions, salad
greens (wonderful ones too! had them last night), tomatoes, blueberries, nectarines,
avocados, red onions, and a crepe with nutella
Later we went to a strawberry stand off Vista Way and bought a 1/2 flat of
strawberries and 2 watermelons. Leaving there, I noticed a small sign across the road
for an exotic fruit farm, so we wandered around there for a bit too. I'm going to see
if I can talk my husband into us planting some pineapple guavas, I think

kimberly
============
Kimberly, have you tried the Coronado Farmers Market on Tuesday
afternoons--2:30 to 5:30 ?? It's really nice--I got some gorgeous
roses there last Tuesday, they will last almost the full week, they are
so fresh. Bing cherries are back in season, and I always buy my citrus
fruit there.
Enjoy,
Nancree

"Anne Mitchell Young" shedevil @ aloss.net wrote in message
...
On 2006-06-02 14:09:10 -0700, "Nexis" said:

Wow..Kimberly is still around? Neat!!!

Of course I am lol
How the heck are ya?

Great! You? Still turning out great cakes for your little one? (Who probably
isn't so little any more! :-) )

I did a barn for my son this year, as his theme was 'horses'. :-)


I'm hanging in there She's 12 now, but she still appreciates a good cake! This
year we had an ice-skating party, so ice-cream cake seemed like a good choice.
Chocolate covered strawberry for the kids, and Coffee toffee almond for adults

I'm sure by next year, she'll be too cool for a homemade anything....

kimberly

"nancree" wrote in message Ah well.
Farmer's Markets:
I went to the Oceanside market yesterday, and was happy to see a few more produce
vendors. Last time I was there it seemed the craft/non-food vendors had taken
over. I
bought some lovely spring garlic (looks like a leek kinda), spring onions, salad
greens (wonderful ones too! had them last night), tomatoes, blueberries,
nectarines,
avocados, red onions, and a crepe with nutella
Later we went to a strawberry stand off Vista Way and bought a 1/2 flat of
strawberries and 2 watermelons. Leaving there, I noticed a small sign across the
road
for an exotic fruit farm, so we wandered around there for a bit too. I'm going to
see
if I can talk my husband into us planting some pineapple guavas, I think

kimberly
============
Kimberly, have you tried the Coronado Farmers Market on Tuesday
afternoons--2:30 to 5:30 ?? It's really nice--I got some gorgeous
roses there last Tuesday, they will last almost the full week, they are
so fresh. Bing cherries are back in season, and I always buy my citrus
fruit there.
Enjoy,
Nancree

Hey thanks for reminding me of that one! I haven't been there in ages. I'd like to
try to get there this week if I can. My usual market partner will not be available
though 6th grade camp this week. I went to a tiny market that's brand new near my
daughter's school (Creative Performing and Media Arts, off Clairmont Mesa Blvd) and
was able to get some good yellow beans for dinner. I prefer the kettle corn from
there too I've discovered. Ma & Pa's is good, but this lady there uses a different
corn, so there's more popcorn, less hulls. The tamale lady was there too. Oh, and we
picked up a gorgeous bouquet...I love it when they're just bursting with colors!

kimberly