Preserving the Flavors of Late Summer
As the days grow shorter and the air hints at autumn, our community farm enters one of its most bountiful times of the year. The post-summer harvest is here, and with it comes an abundance of vegetables and fruits — cabbages, beans, apples, and tomatoes, all in generous quantities.
This is the season not only of harvesting, but also of preserving. Freezing, fermenting, making sweet-sour pickles, marmalades, juices, or simply cooking for the moment — it’s all about finding ways to make the harvest last through the colder months ahead.
This week, I rolled up my sleeves and tried a few preservation recipes from our bounty:
1. Red Cabbage with Apple
Slice the cabbage finely (about 2 mm).
In a large pot, combine with one apple (cubed), 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup red wine, 1 cup red vinegar, sugar to taste, and a cinnamon stick.
Cook for 30–45 minutes until tender and flavorful.
Once done, transfer to Weck jars and process for 120 minutes at 90–100°C.
2. Tomato Sauce
Chop one onion, halve cherry tomatoes, and sauté the onion for 5–7 minutes.
Add chopped garlic and cook briefly, then stir in the tomatoes.
Let simmer until thick, adding water if needed for the right consistency.
Season with pepper or chili, puree until smooth, then store in Weck jars.
Process for 60 minutes at 90°C.
3. Applesauce
Cut apples into pieces, discarding cores and blemishes.
Simmer with a few cups of water, a cinnamon stick, and sugar to taste.
Once soft, remove the cinnamon stick and puree into a sauce.
Adjust with water if too thick, then fill Weck jars.
Process for 30–40 minutes at 90°C.
Preserving food is more than just storage — it’s about carrying the taste of summer forward into autumn and winter. It’s about care, tradition, and gratitude for what the land has given us.
And let’s be honest: nothing beats opening a jar of homemade red cabbage or applesauce in January, when the world outside feels gray and cold, and being reminded of the warmth and richness of late summer.
