Check the Water Supply

One thing everyone can do is to check their water supplies. A map provided by the EPA shows the location of all of the perchlorate releases as of April 2003. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) also provides a table of where top soil or ground water is contaminated by perchlorate and a table that shows sites of known perchlorate use in 36 states. As previously noted, many who live near the Colorado River are affected (about 20 million people).

[kjm note: The 20 million figure is “only” the total from lower Colorado River users in California and the Southwest. The figure doesn’t include the rest of the country.]

and on Sunny and all our bakers….

Harrvest time

Yum.

Since the action of perchlorate is to bind iodide, women may wish to discuss their exposure risk with their physicians and consider increasing their iodide intake through switching to iodized salt or consuming a supplement.

Re: acid. I try to stick to the local organic farmer who does heirlooms.

Yes, canning is work, but worthwhile. Don’t think I’ll try pressure canning though. Too potentially dangerous. I live alone.

Thanks for the tips.

One important thing to check, though, could be the acid content of that particular variety of tomato. I’d look in recent-issue, good books on canning (Ball, Ortho Books, HP Books, etc,); maybe even on the seed packet, if you started them from seed; local Cooperative Extension Service – if Boosh hasn’t destroyed them all yet; internet – Martha Stewart???, etc.).

Lots of modern varieties of tomatoes don’t have the acid zip that the old favorites did, and the Ball Co. now recommends adding a bit of citric acid (available in most grocery stores in the canning supplies aisle) when canning them using a water bath boiling system to make sure they’re safe from potential spoilage (we’re talking botulism – no joke; tasteless and can be fatal even from a single small taste). I assume the citric acid also would probably help preserve the original green color.

If determined to can, and not wanting to add citric acid, for safety’s sake, your only option may very well be to use a pressure canner, which can reach a hotter temperature. Ahem, pressure canning can be exciting, if you’ve never done it before. E.g., the lady who taught me most of what I know about canning (i.e., an expert with LOTS of experience) once thought she’d stabilized the temperature/pressure just so and could take the luxury of leaving the kitchen for just a few minutes. She returned to find nice hot green beans glued all over her kitchen ceiling.

Canning is not for sissies! Be careful out there, intrepid gardener/cook.
But do have fun. There’s nothing like home made ;->

Freezing would be safe without using citric acid. My sister used to freeze the little cherry tomatoes whole, raw, only rinsed & not cooked at all. When she made a stew, she popped a few in to the bubbling brew toward the end of cooking. Said they tasted VERY fresh, and she loved them that way.