Today I got to have the joyous experience of learning the art of Canning vegetables and fruits. And make no mistake, it is an art. From the proper way to process your produce to EASILY create delicious and delectable canned goods to the variety of choices you can make regarding what your final product will be, there is an artistry to canning. What I found the most intriguing, the part that I think will be most likely to influence my dreams tonight came from processing the tomatoes which were turned into stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and the most amazing tomato soup (this wasn’t canned – it was eaten for a feast-like lunch!). 
Initially, we threw the tomatoes into boiling water and then poked them with a knife in order to see when the skins “popped” showing they would be easy to skin once thrown into the sink full of cold water waiting for them next to the stove. After a couple of pot fulls done this way, I felt I was missing poking too many of the tomatoes leading them to be cooked for too long (we wanted the tomatoes to only cook enough to loosen the skins, not enough to actually cook the meat of the tomatoes). I began to prep the tomatoes by piercing them before I put them into the water. Again, if I pierced a tomato and threw it in, grabbed another tomato and repeated the process, the tomatoes would cook longer than desired. So I realized that the tomatoes were teaching me about the value of proper preparation. Taking the time to pierce a group of tomatoes before throwing the group into the boiling water allowed me to have a better result when it came to skinning them.
The actual process of skinning the tomatoes was another lesson in and of itself. The feeling of the still warm skins sliding off of the meat of the tomato was visceral. Maybe my background in anatomy and physiology has something to do with my way of describing and experiencing this. The way that the skins removed themselves with only the slightest of help from me, a slight pull at the point where the fruit had attached to the plant was a very sensuous (full of sensation) phenomenon. The beauty of the tomatoes themselves is incredible. Once the skins are removed you can see the veins and subtle shadings of the fruit. The differences in the varieties of the tomatoes became even more evident. Isis, Beefsteak, and more, all are lovely and delicious too! Deep red to orange-yellow streaked with white, squishy and firm all at the same time. Tomatoes are an amazing fruit!
Talking with plants may seem strange to many people, talking with the food you are processing may seem even stranger. However, I have found that when you treat plants and food with respect and take the time to listen and connect with them before mindlessly processing or consuming, you will learn much and feel more fulfilled by the nutrients which nourish not only your body but also your spirit. This is wisdom I have learned from teachers and plants themselves. Today, this lesson was made even more concrete in my life by tomatoes. Delicious, savory, sweet, juicy or dry, tomatoes are amazing and wise!
*Thank you to my friends who shared their Canning wisdom and artistry with me! I can’t wait to come and learn more with you!
My first time here. Nice blog and great post. Well done.