Okay, no, this pic was not taken at the canning club meeting, but I'm having technical difficulties (which is no new thing since I've switched blogging platforms) and hated to put up a post without a pic. She's the cutest little gravy-maker I've ever seen, though!

Down to business . . .

At this past month's canning club meeting, we learned some of the basics of judging preserved foods at the fair. I've never entered a jar of food (or anything, for that matter) in the fair, and don't really intend to. But, it never fails, I always have good take-aways from our meetings. Here are some from this month's meeting:

1. The Walmart's Mainstays brand of canning jars are causing folks lots of problems. I've definitely not liked the way their lids work but have luckily not had any jars break on me, like others have reported.

2. In pickling, cut off the blossom end of the cucumber to keep the pickles form being soft. Who knew? Not me.

3. Long-time canners prefer powdered pectin to liquid. Most recipes can be used with either.

4. Canned goods at the fair are judged solely on how they are presented. They are not even tasted. And, more difficult recipes do not receive special consideration. So, my ketchup made entirely from scratch would be competing on a level playing field with the ones made from prepared tomato sauce and will be judged based only on how they look in the jar. This doesn't seem quite right to me.

5. **This is the most life-changing take-away, by far.** Put a cup of vinegar in the pressure canner or water bath along with the water to keep canner and jars free of the white calcium film that I'm always having to clean off my jars.