On 1/9/2012 10:50 AM, Ross@home wrote:
> On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 12:00:12 -0600, George Shirley
> > wrote:
>
>> On 1/8/2012 10:49 AM, Ross@home wrote:
>>> On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:57:35 -0600, George Shirley
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> We dug about ten lbs of sunchokes a couple of days ago and I am planning
>>>> on pickling a bunch of them today. The ones we pickled last year were
>>>> popular with the descendants so we will do it again.
>>>>
>>>> Note: Sunchokes used to be called Jerusalem artichokes, they're native
>>>> to the United States and were a staple food for Plains Indians. Be aware
>>>> that if you plant them they are very invasive.
>>>
>>> And, if you eat them they are very repulsive (to any of the folks
>>> around you) ;-).
>>>
>>> Ross.
>> Not when they're pickled Ross, no gas left in them then. Used as a food,
>> cooked from the raw state, yes - tremendous gastric problems, usually
>> gas. And very repulsive. I guess my First Nations ancestors didn't mind
>> that to much as they were out in the open a lot.<G>
>>
>> We've not had any problems with them once they're pickled though.
>
> We have several patches of them here on the farm and have tried them
> different ways, all with the same potent results. I think we might
> just try to pickle some next summer. Do you pickle them the same way
> as those most wonderful of vegetables, beets (sorry Barb)? Cook, peel,
> pickling liquid, BWB 30 min.?

This URL will take you to the recipe I use, worked fine last year so
using it again this year.
>>
>> How's the weather in the frozen North?
>
> Not very frozen. Warmest winter since record keeping began.
>>
>> Sunny and 70F here at the moment with scattered rain showers.
>
> We've had a few days with temperatures up near 50ºF. Less than an inch
> of snow total and none has stayed on the ground for more than a few
> days. Funny thing is, the area 50 miles west of us has had over 40cm
> of snow just in January. Right now here, it's 38ºF and sunny. Talking
> to my neighbour yesterday and he was thinking he might have to start
> cutting his lawn. The biggest problem with this weather is some of the
> plants think it's spring. The buds on our lilac bushes are swelling to
> bursting point and the needles on our tamarack trees have already
> burst their buds. That'll wreak havoc when a big freeze does come and
> I'm sure it will.
>
> Ross.
Right now we are receiving a lot of well-needed rainfall, about two
inches so far today and more to come. We are about 40 inches behind for
2010 and 2011, maybe this year we will catch up, I hope not all at once.

I despise cold weather, I am subject to angina due to lots of heart and
cardiac system problems going back to 1987. Cold makes me hurt so I
avoid it. I wanted to retire to Belize (former British Honduras) but DW
says no, no, got to be close to descendants. Shucks, it's only a
two-hour flight from Houston, I'm sure they would want to visit us there
in the winter. <G> Used to go down there back in sixties and seventies
with a friend/client who had dual citizenship. Good hunting and fishing,
nice people, a battalion of Royal Marines and an RAF squadron to look
after the bad guys next door. Watched an House Hunters International TV
show the other day about Belize and Jeez Louise! land prices have shot
through the roof. I wish I had bought some beachfront land back in the
sixties, I would be a millionaire now. Probably could have had a real
nice garden there too.