A confession: I am a canning fool. That is, a fool who regularly cans. I have lots of great memories of my mom canning in her cramped kitchen, scalding tomatoes and puting cooked apples through her moulinex. She made her own spaghetti sauce, apple sauce, lots of kinds of pickles, jams and whole fruits. My sisters and I never really helped, nor were we particularly enthused with the products of all her efforts. Only now, as adults, are we embracing the canning gene with which we were blessed and plunging headlong into the ancient art of food preservation.

One sister is addicted to pickled vegetables. She and her husband make jar after jar of dilled carrots and beans. My youngest sister produces excellent tomato salsa and dilled beans (she gave me a gift of the latter after my son was born and I was shameless enough in my post-partum state not to share it with anyone!). We are not competitive canners, but rather we encourage each other, somewhat mystified as to our canning choices. My mango jam is regarded as slightly odd, while I have my doubts about the pickled carrots.

So far this summer, I've produced the aforementioned mango jam, strawberry sauce, perserved whole cherries, black bean and corn salsa, pickled beans, pickled asparagus, pickled brussels sprouts and something else that I can't remember now. Tonight I'll be putting together a nice cranberry chutney. If I have time, I'll process it tonight. If not, I'll just keep it until tomorrow for when there's no where I have to be.

Cranberry Chutney:

- 3 bags of fresh cranberries
- 1 6 oz. can crushed pinapple
- 3 tablespoons of candied ginger, chopped
- the flesh of one medium orange, chopped
- 1 cup of chopped celery
- 1/2 cup of golden raisons, dried cherries, etc.
- Up to 1 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar (5% acidity)

Basically, you're going to put all of this into a pot and cook it down until the cranberries pop and the whole thing gets thick and somewhat jelled. Remember, this is a chutney, not a cranberry "jelly" so it doesn't have to be very solid or jam-like. Taste. If you think it's too sour, add more sugar. If you think it's too sweet, add a bit more vinegar. Fill hot, sterilized canning jars with the chutney, clean the jar rims with a paper towel dipped in hot water and seal. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling hot water bath (start counting after the water resumes boiling).

So, this is the grand chutney plan. I'll let you know how it works out.