The cold spell we are having made me go out into the garden to gather up the remaining bell peppers as well as the red and green tomatoes. I rummaged through old recipes until I found 3 of my favorite relish and salsa recipes.
One is from my husband's grandmother. It basically has everything crunchy and green tossed into it along with vinegar and spices. It's not just the taste of this wonderful relish , that makes me love it so..........you can always find many varieties at local farmer's market stands......
it's the memory of this sweet elderly lady......the way she cooked....the way her kitchen smelt......and her bits and pieces of wisdom she handed down in everyday conversation. I have a "chow chow" recipe and a salsa recipe that conjure up similar memories of other sweet women I have known in my life time. I will be working on their recipes this week. How about you??? Do you have a favorite relish or salsa recipe that has been forever in your family? What do you like about it most?? I would love to hear!
18 comments:
Kathleen, one of my favorite relishes is 'green tomato relish' that I can only find in Texas stores. I have none now because I haven't been home for some time. This makes me think of that.
Debbie
Kathleen, just your post today brought back memories of cooking in the kitchen with my grandmother - pickles and jelly mostly, but her fried chicken was to DIE for. I've never been able to replicate her seasonings! I posted her spicy pickle recipe back in the summer if you're interested. Wow - you're still getting veggies! That's great! Glad you brought them in, looks like we're in for some cold stuff - FINALLY! Have a wonderful week!
I've never made any kind of relish or pickles but I have fond memories of being in the kitchen with grandma when she made them. She also loved to pickle beets. Enjoy the bounty of your garden and the precious memories of those recipes Kathleen.
Kathleen, The last of your garden bounty looks so good:) I'm a relish fan myself. In my canning days prior to publishing I loved making chow-chow which is a colorful relish you've probably heard of. Took hours to cut up everything but it always came out smelling and tasting divine - just like I imagine your relish to be:) And it looked so fine sitting on the shelf!
Amazing that you still have fresh items from the garden : ) I hope your Thanksgiving was lovely!
We are brown, frozen and blah here! Thanks for the summer memories..and the spring dreams!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/
Yes! I have memories of a special auntie who made wonderful things in her kitchen. She made chow-chow and now I must find the recipe!
Your post brought that memory to me! Thanks!
Relish and pickles just top off a meal with that extra something!!
How wonderful, God has blessed you with a wonderful fall bounty. Even the memories you cherish of the relish is important.
God Bless!
No fair (o: My Mom was not a cook... so me not so much either.
I would say Pace Pecante (o:
I lived in an Italian town (my Mother was a transplant) so I always had friends with 'cookin' Mamas. You know, I don't remember that they canned stuff though.
Doesn't it make you feel good to gather up the last bits of the garden and make good use of them? How I love those reminders of warmer weather when it's cold and nothing much growing.
I have several pickling recipes for chow chow, picalilli, etc. in my great=grandmothers's handwritten little journal book. Unfortunately, they are for large quantities, and I don't know how to cut them down. For example, a bushel of this, a peck of that--you get the idea! V.
That's so wonderful that you've been able to harvest until now! I wish I had planted some fall things, but I never did. I don't remember any relish type things that my mama made, we lived in the city and she had to work, so we didn't have a big garden.
The relishes are so pretty in the jars and probably every bit as tasty as they are pretty.
I think I am the only one in my side of the family who bothers to can.My husband's aunts and older sister do too and are always willing to pass on their skills in the kitchen though. Thinking about this I realized I have pretty much had to teach myself most skills many of you learned from family...I hope my grandchildren learn them from me before I forget how to do them.So all you who have been meaning to learn from a knowledgeable mom or grandma ~do it before it is too late~
This is a very sweet post, Kathleen. Isn't it amazing how certain foods and recipes will always remind us of someone who shared them with us. It seems especially true around the holidays, that there are foods that remind me of loved ones. Hugs to you for sharing your thoughts on this.
"the way her kitchen smelled"
love to you
Kathleen, Thank you so much for posting on your blog... I havent commented for awhile but want you to know how much I love visitng it. |Cheryl
Kathleen,
Your pepper and relishes look so delicious. Your posting brought back childhood memories of helping Mama make pickles in the kitchen over a wood stove. What wonderful memories. Have a blessed week.
I do things the way my Mom taught me for sure, she didn't use recipes though and I do the same mostly! I have a salsa I do too..love it! (Loved your Thankfull's here too)
Come say hi :D
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