Anyway, can any of you recommend where to get a really good preserving kit, what to get, what to look out for? Is it better to get an electric preserving unit or one you put on the stove?

Fowlers Vacola Australia 23-25 Racecourse Rd,North Melbourne,(03) 93297799.

Although you'll end up with lots of bottles etc, home preserves are well worth the time and effort - but only if you use your home produce. Done properly, and stored properly, the preserved food will keep for years.If you don't eat it all first! I miss mine.

I watched the Quokka for *months* for a secondhand set, I made lots of phone calls and missed out on quite a few. They do sell quick. The one I eventually bought came from an elderly couple that simply didn't want to use it any more. It has gone to a good and appreciative home :)

It is electric and came with *hundreds* of bottles, books and gizmos. I found a hardware store locally that stocks the lids and clips.

I like the electric rather than stove top version. The built in thermostat takes all the guessing out of it. When I'm bottling I set it up on my laundry bench so I can keep my kitchen relatively cool for the cleaning, chopping, bottle stuffing part. Given that it's dang hot at that time of the year every little bit helps.

Go for it!

Amanda

Sorry about the poor pun. Couldn't resist!

I have seen quite a few Fowlers Vacola preserving units in op shops and second-hand shops, but they were pretty grotty and I do tend to be a bit fussy with my cooking utensils. I like them clean. :) One unit was sold on ebay yesterday, but I was too late.

Anyway, I think I'll try to get an electric one. Hundreds of jars will never go astray. We'll probably have another glut of plums this season, and we still have plenty of jam, plenty in the freezer, plenty of pickled/spiced ones (yummy with ice cream). But I like them best preserved.

So if you have any other leads to get the elusive preserving unit - let me know.

It is encouraging to read that people still enjoy preserving. :)

Another tip with bottling tomatoes. I roughly chop mine up into a HUGE saucepan, add a little bit of water and bring it to the boil, then bottle it using the juice and water mix and the appropriate amount of citric acid (that's in the book!). The reason is that tomatoes have quite a bit of air in them and would float up in the bottle no matter how hard I tried to squish them in. The quick boil gets rid of the air and makes a good juice to pack them in. Lovely...

pep, Amanda has supplied the basic technique for preserving them whole or in halves. You can use citric acid or lemon juice. It's to lower the pH for health and safety reasons. You can either add it to the tomatoes or to the sterilised jars before you add the tomatoes. I think you can even use mild vinegar. You can add some sugar to counter the bitterness, too, if you like.

To preserve tomato sauce, cook the tomatoes down and puree them. I like clean sauces I can use for anything I like later on, so I don't add anything to the tomatoes when they're cooking down. Sometimes I add one fresh basil leaf to the sauce in the sterilised jar before I seal it.

*Grimacing*

Grub, fueling up the flat-top truck in readiness for a load of tomato sauce, an unwanted kaffir lime tree and a bite of the first ripe tomato of the season.

*grub, who would like some acreage very much indeedy yes*

Amanda *who has been attacking the orchard with the Victa this week and would really like a ride-on to go with the acreage. Unfortunately only those who live cities can afford such things!!!*

Spatz, go out and get one! Remember how you went out and got the pasta machine? Remember how this forum is such a drain on your bank balance?

Usually do a picking and bottling run once a week when it gets to that time in the season when there are far too many to eat. I send the kids out with boxes and baskets to pick anything red. We never fussed about variety, they all just go into together. I know, total neophytes.

Then one child washes them, passing to several people with chopping boards cutting them up and all tossed into HUGE pan on the stove.

When it's full, add a bit of water to get it started, shove on the lids and bring it to the boil. It gets the air out and makes plenty of juice to pack them in.

Then ladle into clean bottles. Add the citric acid.

When nine bottles are full, off to the Vacola plugged in in the laundry. Process them for the right amount of time (that's in the book too). Haul them out when done and line up to cool.

Meanwhile the next nine bottles have been lined up to go etc until the days pickings are done.

Pack it all away til next week.

They get used thru the year in all the same ways as tinned tomatoes do, except these taste like tomatoes. The bestest part is popping the Vacola lid, you need a special lid lifter gizmo to get the lid off so it can be re-used and it makes a special woooshh and click sound as the air goes in. Then the fragrance. Oh my! Summer in the middle of winter. It is so special, even if they are the skanky neophyte version...

(there's another one for you, Spatz, and you'll find a thousand uses for it, too)

Skanky, indeed. *offended*

What really made my teeth hurt, though, when she described how they would dry the broad beans to store and in winter they would put the dried broad beans in a frying pan and roast them over the open fire till they were nearly black/burnt. Then they would munch on those in the evening. That was when she still lived in Italy as a young girl.

I just can't imagine eating those dried and roasted broad beans. Has anyone ever tried it?

Mmmm...preserved pears and peaches and vanilla ice cream.

I just remembered we have some preserved pears in an ex-CC's salsa jar. Still looks ok.

I was embellishing a little about the piano-accordianist coming on Pomodoro Day. He did make an appearance for the FIL's 50th a few years back though.

It's just so rewarding processing the produce from your own garden. Freezing, stewing, making jam and pickles, drying, bottling, preserving....

Finbar,
The FIL's from Sambiase in Calabria.

The MIL's from *cough* Tasmania

Spatz, I think I recall my dad saying they did the same thing with broad beans when he was younger. I can't imagine him doing it now and losing a tooth or two.

I have no trouble using a big bottle in one go mostly... but there are also plastic snap on lids too, so when a bottle is opened it can go in the fridge with one of those and keep for um... er.. a week?

I suppose that makes me stingy as well as skanky...

*****

Talking produce. Are you all making gingerbread houses with your homegrown eggs? They make lovely Christmas pressies and are really great for getting the kids thinking less commercial thoughts in the last days before the BIG ONE.

We *always* decorate the houses on Christmas Eve... and tag them "This house decorated by ...." (insert child's name). Lots of fun. Lollies everywhere!

Is there any other natural (type) product I may use instead of butter (dairy)? I am new to this processing part. I am thinking of one of the other natural oils. (Grape, olive, peanut etc).Would any of them do the same job?

I have another 24 tomato plants staring to fruit, (I can't bear to pull out the 'also can ups') the 'minister for home affairs' is about to resign from the cabinet now that she has caught up to the processing of all the extra cucumbers, zucs & beetroots. So I am looking for something to replace the butter to keep the 'minister for health' calm.

The kids are waiting for a heavy hail storm so they can go back to their fast food. (Is it?)

Denis.

Pepino in your list of requirements you said "Crusher/mincer with seed and skin separator" - where would one acquire such a thing? (See, I always knew I should have come from a good Italian family so I could know about such things and make better stuff first up rather than having to make all my own mistakes! Or at least make paste as well as chopped in juice.)

Hmmmm... I did a Google for "Vacola" and several sites came up that sell the kits online. Did you see those? Though I still think the newspaper classified are great even if just for building a collection of bottles.

Grub: While I was Googling for Vacola I saw they make a dehydrator. Is that what you have? Have you used it yet? Does it take forever?

Amanda

Re the mixer with the seed and skin separator - they are easily available here in Melb at places which sell kitchen goods, the Queen Victoria Market et al. You can get hand operated and those with an electric motor in all different sizes. If you can't get anything like that over there I will have a look around and get some prices if you like. I think the hand operated ones aren't too dear, plastic and around $80-$100 from memory but I know they can range up to $600 for a stainless steel motorised one. Let me know if you want me to check them out for you.

You still need to boil the tomatoes as that is how you separate the skins but no need to touch the hot buggers to do it.

BTW, fortunately or unfortunately, depending which way you look at it, I don't come from an Italian family. We come from a little group of islands about 100kms south of Sicily called Malta. Very close though!

The elongated cone to the left of the machine is perforated and the juice seeps through it with any seeds and skin travelling the length of it and coming out at the end, fairly dry - compost perhaps!

The hand operated one works on similar principles but smaller scale.

PS I tried to get the kids to take the Herald article in to school for news, Sam has, after all, met the owner of the tommies in the photo but all I got was the "what planet are you on Mum" look!!!

What are you bottling?

*jumps up and down excitedly*

I got my preserving kit. Bought the last one from our local Mitre10. Yes!
*wildy looking about for things to preserve*

Will now try to get more jars and then wait for the first bumper harvest of any kind.

Unfortunately, we ate all the asparagus as soon as it came up. It's now sort of finishing - the asparagus. Artichokes? Hmm... Broad Beans? hmmm...

Before:

After:

Ignore the jar on the left hand side, this is a Dhal dip I preserved. Just to see whether I can do it.

Amanda
*thumbs up and big grin to Spatz*

I'm sooo excited! :)

Well done Spatz!!!

It'll be interesting to compare / swap recipes with you all come harvest time. I've got some great recipes for tomato sauce, tomato paste, zucchini pickles, etc. .

I have been canning for about 15 years and have just moved to Sydney from the States (I from Alabama and Texas) and am looking for canning jars like we use in the states. Does anyone know where I can purchase any? I am also researching the Vacola kit but am unfamiliar with this type of canning and the procedure for this type of jar. As soon as my stuff arrives I also have about 20 books on preserving/canning/freezing, etc. and do highly recommed 'Keeping the Harvest'. If anyone needs recipes and especially for tomatoes, sauces, etc. I am happy to share. Thanks in adavance for anyone information, direction and assistance.

Ryan
r_propst@hotmail.com or ryan@ryanscateredplate.com

Can I add that if a bottle comes out unsealed - I take the lid off, wash it, wipe the rim to make sure there's nothing there getting in the way (like a tomato seed *blushes*) and then run it again... shame to waste it!

I use citric acid when I bottle tomatoes, how much depends on the size of the jar, it should be in the Vacola book.

I haven't done any fruit or other veges yet, just tomatoes. Lots and lots of tomatoes...

Amanda

Woo hooo!

Has anyone else used one of these?

Amanda
*doing a Spatz - looking around for something to dry*

Cheers
Mantis

You'll be able to pick up small batches and eventually collect up what you need. Or get lucky with a big collection. The Vacola book has all the sizes so you'll know which ones you particularly want.

Collecting bottles is a bit of a project in itself but it does finish because once you have enough that's it - they do last forever!!!

Amanda

I'm after some advice..

I've been cutting the apricots in half, then very tightly packing them and covering with a light (1 cup sugar, 2 cups water) syrup then boiling in the preserver for about half an hour. I am getting a good seal, although the fruit is rising to the top of the jars leaving a gap of about 2cms from the bottom. I tried chopping the peaches into smaller pieces (I tried quarters, eighths and half) with no success either..

The fruit is also rising above the level of the syrup at the top - which will probably cause the fruit at the top to discolour?

I'd appreciate any advice relating to these two problems!

Ta.

Nick.

p.s. LynnH, I've got heaps of jars + lids if you're interested in a quantity...

Can someone give me the 'recipe' please? Do I HAVE to take the skins off - or, if I'm not as fussy as finbar, and don't mind the 'skanky' texture in the finished product (LOL) can I just leave the skin on - does it affect the keeping quality of the finished product at all?

I think Amandas photos of her tomatoes look FANTASTIC - I hope mine turn out as well!

Also, does someone have a recipe for mangoes or apricots? lots really cheap in the shops ATM.

Finally - does anyone know where in Brisbane I can get more jars, lids, rings etc? I did find a couple of internet sites - but they are in Vic and SA, and the freight was exhorbitant. Mitre 10 will order them in, but it will take 2-3 weeks, and I WANT TO DO IT NOW!!!!

When I was checking out Mitre 10 over here in WA, I found that some stores were better than others. It's probably worth getting on the phone first.

For any other WA people interested - as I recall - Inglewood and Forrestfield were good - Malaga had very little. There's also another place along Gt Northern Hwy that sells hardware, fruit and nuts (odd combo!) that had a pretty good range of lids and clips which is where I ended up getting mine.

My bottles were all secondhand. It was almost a hobby the first year: getting the papers, checking the classifieds, chasing adverts, stopping at op shops etc.

Amanda

I was looking in Kmart - I can buy Mason jars for $3-$4 each - would they be ok to use (until when/if Fowlers Vacola in Melbourne decide to return the 2 phone calls and 1 fax message I have sent them this week!)?

And, I'm worried that the instruction book is so old it probably has incorrect information. It certainly has quite different instructions to a couple of canning/preserving books I got from the library, that were published in 2002/2003. I'm not sure if this is just because they are US, and using mason jars - would that make the difference?

e.g.

"headspace" - newer books say to leave headspace at top of jar; old FV book says fill jar to brim

water level - newer books say to have water 3-5cm above top of jar; FV book says to have water THREE PARTS up side of bottle. Three parts of what? 3/4? 3/10?

time for processing - e.g. for precooked tomatoes, the newer books have times like 20mins (depending on size of jar etc) while the FV book has min 2 1/2 hours. that is a BIG difference! (even taking into consideration the other different instructions about starting temperature of water bath etc).

As I LOVE the picture of your tomatoes so much... would you mind telling me EXACTLY what you do???????? I'm worse than a child at Christmas... if I don't bottle something soon, I'll burst! ROFL!

If you have excess tomatoes that have to be dealt with *now* - you might be better off chopping them up for a quick simmer and freezing them. I bought a whole bunch of 500ml containers just for that. Even when I'm bottling there's often some stuff left in the pan - too much to eat - not enough for another run through the bottler - I freeze 'em!!! That's how I know that frozen skins go skanky and bottled ones don't. Still fine to eat either way!

I just follow the recipe in the FV book - the one I have is called _Australian Preserving with Fowlers Vacola_ published in 1980. Is there a newer book than that?

*********************

1. Put citric acid in the bottom of the bottle. The quantity varies with the size of the bottle. The No.36 I used in the picture needed 1 tsp.

2. Chop up the tomatoes into a big pot. Crush the first few to make a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pot or add a little water to just cover the bottom. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Allow to cool.

3. Soak the rubber rings in warm water for 15 minutes.

4. Fill the bottles, leaving 12mm head space. Wipe the rims. Put on the ring, lid and clip.

5. THERMOMETER CONTROL: Place the bottles in the preserver with enough water to come 3/4 of the way up the sides of the bottles. Bring temperature slowly up to boiling point - 100ēC - this will take at least 45 minutes and maintain at boiling point for 15 minutes. Then switch off heat source and allow bottles to stand with preserver lid on, undisturbed for another hour before taking out.

THERMOSTAT CONTROL: Turn thermostat dial to HOLD BOIL, switch on at power point and leave on this setting for 1 hour. Then switch off at power point and allow bottles to stand, with preserver lid on, undisturbed for another hour before taking out.

6. Take out the bottles. Press down firmly on the centre of cover and clip being careful not to disturb or knock either. Leave them on cake racks or folded towels etc to cool for at least 12-18 hours. Remove clips by sliding sideways.

7. Test for a vacuum by placing a pencil or rule across the top of each bottle. The cooling down process should have pulled down the centre of the cover. If the seal is faulty, take off the lid, clean the rim, check the rubber ring or fit a new one. Repeat all the above steps. If it's just one bottle, I would probably put a plastic lid on it and put it in the fridge to use!

***********

My instructions do not say to soak the rubber rings, they say to add salt instead of citric acid, fill to the brim (this I imagine would then overflow during processing, and interfere with the seal), and it also says to hold at boiling point for just 10 mintues, not 15. All these qould make a considerable difference, especially to the shelf life and probability of giving your family botulism!

pepino - thanks for the contact info - I have phoned twice (phone not answered, left message on machine) and faxed once in the last week - still have hd no response from them. I will try emailing.

I found your list tonight, after looking for somewhere to sell some FV bottles! I have never been so pleased to find a thread talking about preserving. I searched for something similar when I started and found nothing!

Anyway, I note that some of you are looking for cheap bottles, especially in South East Queensland. Well, you have had trouble finding them, since my parents have hunted down every bottle ever made and sent to this part of the world! Suffice to say I am sure they owe all potential FV bottle owners an apology for drying up the supply.

As a result, I have a distinct over supply of every size and am looking to downsize.

I live on the Gold Coast, but am often in Brisbane. I am not looking to make a profit or exploit, just move them on to a person who will use them as well – say $1 a bottle.

If you are interested, please call (0409841272) or email me.

Cheers,
Annie