The Massey Cannery

We had an busy week - we canned salsa. If you've ever canned before, I'm certain you understand this is no simple task. Well I'm a novice canner, (as my friend LaRae puts it!) but have been around enough canning when I was a child (Lots of canning fish coming from Alaska) to know that it is a daunting task, not even counting in caring for a 14 month old busy boy.

I purchased a pressure cooker for $5 at a tag sale (to which Reed rolled his eyes) The cooker is brand new and came complete with funnels, weighted gauge and tong lifter (not sure what you call that thing??) Anyways - we signed up for the task by purchasing our mators (tomatoes) at a the Local Boys produce stand about 4 miles from our house. As silly as it sounds, I bought the pressure cooker, but did not use it this time. I was quite afraid of it! I just remember my Grandma Hall putting the fear of God in me to never touch, much less go near the cooker when she was using it. Consequently, I'm still afraid of the thing. So afraid that the lid will dangerously blow off and create a horrible mess. But I still bought one!?? (Reed rolling his eyes once more) (side track- this is what true garage salers do- we see the great deal and without effectively thinking things through....slap down our money with such pride in accomplishing the deal of a lifetime) Anyways- I sent my cooker home with a friend who was also canning and agreed to try it out at her place first. So perhaps during my next attempt will I try the pressure cooker, but for now I used the boiling water method.

Well, an entire day later and a phone call to poison control......we have beautiful and delicious salsa canned and in our pantry. Yes really - poison control! After coring, de-seeding and slicing tomatoes, Anaheim and jalapeno peppers, my hands began to burn- real bad! So bad I called an RN- who then called Poison control. I spoke with a guy named "Reed" (coincidentally) Who told me I had a chemical burn from the peppers. He directed me to rub ice cream on my hands. Evidently the high dairy fat content in ice cream helps to seep out the chemicals that are found in peppers. He also said those same chemicals are what is in "pepper spray!" Ah ah .....guess I won't be doing that again.

Here are some pictures. Some of Christopher playing in the newspaper that wrapped the jars. (Thanks Mom for the jars!) And one of my hard work produced exclusively here at the Massey Cannery!