Harvest

Autumn is here. And it has arrived later than usual; but then, the weather these past few years has been unusual and unpredictable. We have still not had that killer frost and it is October 15.

It was on a wild, misty, rainy mid-October day 24 years ago that we first set our eyes on this place we now call home. Love at first sight. Today is much warmer than that day however. The wind is strong but balmy.

I have just finished a morning of canning green tomato and pear chutney. The house is filled with the aroma of this intoxicating concoction. I did not have sufficient red wine vinegar; so I have supplemented it with fine red wine.

One of my pear trees has yielded an abundant crop of near perfect Bosc pears. I have already canned 16 litres of this delicious fruit plus filled several smaller jars with pear sauce. However my apples this year, unlike last year’s abundant and near perfect crop, are sparse, small and scarred. So, sadly I have not put away any of this fruit this year.

John has done up several litres of his annual nine day pickles. My brother has sent us home from Nova Scotia with many jars of both his delicious tomato sauce and tomato chile. So, I think we are in good shape for many winter evenings of culinary delight.