I found myself with an unexpectedly free weekend, with covid cancelling a few plans. So, I turned it into a slow-cooking, home-making retreat. I made slow cooker bone broth, fresh bread, blonde brownies, kefir yogurt and started a peach shrub. This last is a drinking vinegar that promises to be the last word in summer drinks. It has inspired me to write an ode to making things in jars.
It’s not the jar so much as what you put in it.
Pickling, fermenting, slow-cooking and soaking are wonderfully good for your digestion. The process brings you a wealth of pro and prebiotics, those good bacteria that are so amazing for you gut. Then there’s the benefit of being easier to digest, making them more nutritious. Why buy collagen pills when you can sip a cup of broth that has that wonder protein in spades?
Of course, all these things take time. My broth is finishing its 36th hour of cooking today. The peach shrub won’t be ready for a week. Sure, bread is relatively fast but even that takes a few hours. Anything fermented or pickled will take you many weeks or even months to reach perfection. But they do say that good things come to those who wait and I firmly believe that to be true in the food department.
Making these jar-stored items is as reflective as it gets
I was pretty tired at the end of the day after my jar-filling endeavours. But my brain was calm. The slow progress of each item, the glowing colours of the peach jars, the soft yeasty smell through the house. It was a retreat from the bustle of the week. Working with my hands, making physical things gave me such a connection to the moment. Filling jars with yogurt, shrub and broth gives me such a sense of accomplishment. This slow cooking is about as reflective as it gets in the kitchen. I honestly think we’d be better off mentally as well as digestively if we could set aside some time to make things from scratch.
Things in jars just look adorable
Okay, maybe not the most philosophical reason but I’m going to own my love of the jar aesthetic. Things in jars just look adorable. And more appetising. When I open my fridge these homely foods look lovely, making me want to use the broth, the yogurt or whatever straight away. It’s a small way to reduce food waste. But mainly I just like looking at it. Seeing my handiwork in pretty mason jars is satisfying.
There’s also a pretty reminder that doing this helps me use all my food, like bones and off-cuts of veggies. It means I’m using less plastic in the kitchen. I’m making healthy food for my little family, which is especially important when Crohn’s Disease is part of the equation. It’s also just a fun way to spend a quiet weekend, setting you up for the week ahead with wholesome food and a sense of achievement.
