Week 9/10 (a.k.a. The Forced Canning Hiatus)
Well, folks, I’ve done it this time. Apparently, my jar-lifting, lid-tightening, and produce-chopping escapades reached a whole new level of “extreme sports.” Let’s say that canning at the crack of dawn isn’t recommended—no matter how much you love tangy, spicy, sweet goodness.
Yes, you read that right. I, the once-fearless canning enthusiast, have managed to fracture my thumb bone during a kitchen mishap. Who knew my biggest canning battle would be with my own hand?
Now, for the next two weeks, my poor thumb and I are on the bench. No slicing, no dicing, and certainly no awkward jar-hoisting poses over a boiling water bath. My kitchen has turned into a lonely produce graveyard, with ingredients staring at me like, “Hey, what’s the holdup?” Meanwhile, my jars are practically crying in the cupboard—no fresh jams, no spicy salsas, no Christmas gifts for my loved ones.
A World Without Canning: The Struggle is Real
So, what does a canning fanatic do when said fanatic can’t actually can? I’ve considered a few options:
Telepathically Preserve Food: Sadly, no progress so far. The ingredients remain stubbornly unused, I hope they don’t spoil.
One-Handed Stirring: Let’s just say one hand is not as graceful as I hoped, and my kitchen towels are now sporting some suspicious stains and I am scared of slicing a finger off.
Binge-watching cooking fail Videos: Sure, it’s inspirational—and laughter is the best medicine. But there is also something oddly satisfying about seeing others fail in the kitchen too.
https://www.instagram.com/share/BATDA-HgZ_
If I weren’t a poor student, this would be a good investment to help me with one-handed food prep.
This would had come in handy for cutting up all those onions last week.
Two Weeks Later… Coming Soon
As frustrating as it is to be sidelined, I know it’s just a blip on the preserving timeline. In two weeks, I’ll be back at it, filling jars and stocking my pantry with edible treasures like some sort of harvest squirrel. And trust me, after this forced break, I’ll appreciate every ladle of hot brine and every “ping” of a sealing lid even more.
Until then, I’ll be over here icing my thumb and dreaming of the day I can safely wield a canning funnel again. If you have any tips for one-handed kitchen tricks or suggestions for what my first post-injury canning project should be, let me know in the comments.