Friday, July 10, 2009

Pickled Green Beans - do it for Elvis


I am doing a canning demo tomorrow (Saturday, July 11) at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market from 8 - 10 am. I'll be making pickled green beans - if you are new to canning, pickled green beans are ridiculously easy and a great way to learn how to can. If you can boil water, you can make 'em! They go great on an antipasto tray or in a martini or Bloody Mary. You can make them slightly spiced or smokin' hot (I like mine really spicy).

If you are on a budget, green beans are cheap at the farmer's market, even cheaper when you pick them yourself. Green beans are probably the easiest U pick item on the planet to pick for yourself. I can still remember the date Elvis died when I was a kid, because I was picking green beans on that day. I did it when I was in 6th grade! Whenever I pickle green beans now, I think of "the King". Actually, in 6th grade, I have to admit that I much preferred the Bay City Rollers to Elvis the Pelvis. I have never canned anything in their honor, though.

Imagine yourself at your favorite December celebration (Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Yule, Festivus, etc.) and you opening up a jar of these beauties that you made yourself! Your friends and family will be amazed! When you open that jar, you will be transported back to that day in July when you put them up. Or maybe you will just think of Elvis Presley, and that's okay too.
You don't need any special equipment except for 4 pint canning jars and some lids and lid rings.

Hope to see you there!

2 comments:

Kitchen Chick said...

Zingerman's and Whole Foods sell these really amazing spicy pickled green beans called "Mean Beans". They're pricy (though cheaper at Whole Foods -- how often do you get to say that?) but sooo good. Recreating them on my own has become one of my goals this year.

Sandy said...

I think of Elvis when I eat green beans too. Was that an S - A - T - U - R - D - A - Y, night? so many years ago when we were green bean picking with the Princes? Sa Sa Sa Saturday Niii-ightttt.