Pies and Drowning

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We spent almost all day inside yesterday.

It was strange! LOL

But nice. I worked in the kitchen mostly, but for a collapse on the couch and falling asleep while Michael continued to de-stem gooseberries.

It is so nice to have all the things you need for a project, because if you don't, you spend your day like I did, feeling vexed and not getting a lot done.

It showered off and on very lightly, most of the day, but then we got a real gully washer that dropped an inch and a half within about 1/2 hour. I have not gone down to check the garden for damage yet. I might be avoiding it....





So the idea was to process all the gooseberries yesterday into something or other.





I had pies to make and pie filling to can.









I make big pies, so I actually got those berries into 4 groups, rather than 6, but only made half. I don't know that I like the recipe, though I am not very familiar with gooseberry pie. I pretty much doubled the tapioca it called for and it was still too runny for me. It's also quite sour, though my dad says it is supposed to be. I'm thinking cornstarch added in would be good.

I never got any further.

Since I'm not supposed to can on my glass top stove, I was planning on canning outside on the camp stove, but it rained all day.

We brought in all the canning jars I had available and washed them. I guess I spent most of the day trying to just organize how I was going to approach this whole thing.

I believe I will have 2 half gallon jars of pie filling to do; we de-stemmed only about a gallon of berries to try to make a whole berry jam for about 6 pint jars, I think; If that works I may do the rest that way or I may even see about making jam with the stems on as well; I'm going to give away a couple of bags today; and all the bags in the freezer I will make into jelly as the berries are a little bland looking after being in the freezer for a year anyhow.

Sadly, today, I'll be gone all day long at sewing, visiting friends, and boy scouts. Not that those things are anything but fun, but my gooseberries are still on the counter! No room in the fridge due to lettuce. LOL

Maybe I better learn how to ferment the berries?

Faith

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