Monday, May 4, 2009

Funnel Fundamentals

Moving food from the bowl or the cooking pot to the jar can be a messy affair. Drips and spills are inevitable, and having boiling hot food running down the jar while you’re trying to handle it isn’t fun. Sticky syrups are the worst. So, what do you do?

Enter the canning funnel. This remarkable adaptation of the traditional cooking funnel has a wider opening at the base and thanks to the marvels of scientific engineering, it fits beautifully in pint or quart jars. Here’s a picture of my green canning funnel. A few posts down the road you’ll get to see it in action.

Older canning funnels were made of aluminum with a little handle at the side. The handle heated up and was difficult to grasp. Newer ones are made from space-age plastics and have a handle a linebacker could hang onto.

You need a canning funnel to make the job easier and safer. Check the canning section of your local hardware store. I bought mine locally, and this is a good time to do that- Become a locavore!

17 comments:

  1. Your blog has a nice look, Karen. I like the background being all one color clear across the screen as it helps highlight your excellent photos. My question: will you be writing any blogs about drying fruits and vegetables?

    Pat
    http://www.patriciastoltey.blogspot.com

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  2. Thanks. Yes, but that's a ways down the road. I'm more or less sticking to the structure of my book.

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  3. I'm so loving this site and I don't even can. But the gadgets - the gadgets! Must go out and buy shiny plastic things!

    Seriously, I'm going to tell my hubby about this. He cans fig preserves and makes cane syrup, every year.

    Gayle
    http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com

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  4. Your interesting blog makes me wish I cooked more! The picture illustrations are nice, too.

    Elizabeth
    http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/

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  5. Testing. (smile) - Just making sure you're OK over here, Karen - LOL

    Another good post. Nice look to the blog, too. :)

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  6. Hi, Karen, So, I tired using my google account and it looks like it will work, though no one knows who spartan20 is...except the guys I flew with in Viet Nam...but that's not why I'm here!

    Just Saturday, I bought a funnel. Really. Got tired of sloshing everything everywhere. So, got three of them--all different sizes--and bingo, kitchen work magically made easy.
    Well, easier.

    Galen
    http://www.galenkindley.com

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  7. Your blog looks great, and the photos really do pop.

    And I'll let you know if I have any trouble posting here.

    Elle Parker
    http://elleparkerbooks.blogspot.com/

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  8. It said it couldn't process the first time, but when I reclicked, it went through

    Elle

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  9. Nice blog, Karen. I just learned today playing Trivial Pursuit that the Brits invented canning in 1813. Useless info, but hey.

    --
    Bob Sanchez
    Author, Getting Lucky http://tinyurl.com/gettinglucky
    http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com

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  10. The Brits huh? Nope, the French!

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  11. What I really enjoy about your posts, Karen, are the concise directions and the visual that helps you grasp it quicker. No pun intended!

    Excellent job.
    Jina
    http://tinyurl.com/BerlinSexDiary

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  12. Very nice looking blog. Easy to read and nice color combinations.

    As for content, when I cook food generally goes from the open refrigerator to my mouth, although I did help my mother can 48 quarts of pickled green beans last year. Love em.

    All the best,
    alan chin
    http://alanchin.net

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  13. Although I don't do much canning anymore, I used to do quite a bit, and I enjoy all your helpful information here. It's quite a nice blog you have, Karen.

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  14. I'm so thrilled to have read this post. I make my own handmade cleaners, and most funnels are too narrow for baking soda. Now I know what to look for to use!

    Jennifer Taggart
    Smart Mama's Green Guide to Reduce Your Child's Toxic Chemical Exposure (due 6/09)
    www.thesmartmama.com

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  15. You mean Trivial Pursuit has a wrong answer? Say it isn't so!

    Pickled green beans? That's a new one to me. Of course, if no one delivers it ready to eat, it isn't on my menu:-).

    ReplyDelete

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I've been dabbling in learning German most of my adult life. Now it's crunch time. Fluency by December 31,2020. Come join me on my Final Approach to Learning German.