A repeat of the Zucchini Salsa that I made last year, that was gone before I knew it.
A slightly different consistency than last year, as we've made the switch to organic everything, so everything down to the sugar is different. However, it still has that delicious flavour, balanced between the sweetness of the tomatoes, the tangy-ness of the vinegar, the heat from the jalapeños, and smokiness of the cumin. Now that I think of it, I could have added in one of my smoked chipotle peppers...
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I don't know what it was this year that made me feel like I needed to learn these almost-lost skills of food preservation. Perhaps there is an impending zombie apocalypse that I don't know about yet (in which case you will want to come to my house). Perhaps there is a part of me that wanted to reconnect with my childhood memories of watching mom make jam. (Oddly enough, I only made three jars of jam this season.) Perhaps it was the switching to organic, homegrown, or natural foods, and knowing where what you are eating comes from, that was the biggest contributor.
There is an immense amount of satisfaction that I experienced every time I heard that magical "pop" that tells you a jar just sealed. Or looking at the pantry and seeing it lined with jars of foodstuffs that will (hopefully) see us through the winter. Or smelling the smoke from the smoker, and anticipating the mouth-watering bacon or ham or jerky or sausage that will come from it. Looking back, I think that this was a good choice for me to make, the philosophical shift from "I want..." (And purchasing) to "I can... " (and making). With my previous culinary experience, and willingness to try, I'm certain that I can create anything I put my mind to.
