One of the very few days where my "lol I'm a hearth witch, I know how to make that" routine doesn't feel super pretentious or like crunchy prepper shit.
Tbf I think we need more crunchy pepper shit...? My suburban backyard chickens have been one of the better investments I've made last few years. I'm good at gardening but bad at using/preserving what I grow so that's the next step.
Pickling is pretty easy and can be done pretty quickly. Pickled onions slap on just about any food you could think of. I'm not actually a big fan of pickled cucumbers, but I know I'm on my own there.
And if you make your own vinegar, you can start to experiment with flavor combos.
Jams and syrups are another good way to preserve foods. Milk makes cream, butter, buttermilk, and cheese. A pasta maker was one of the better investments I've ever made. Olive oil isn't like... *hard* to render, but I find it's rarely worth the effort.
Preserving does require care and scrupulous adherence to sanitation practices, but there's plenty of other ways.
I make my own hot sauce that kinda slaps, it's just my special pepper blend, shallots, garlic, and my proprietary blend of vinegars. Real simple. Nothing too fancy.
I have a half dozen books on pickling/fermenting/drying/canning etc but I find once the growing part is done I lose interest. It feels more existential right now though. Like this is the first year I've spent more energy on food seed starts than flowers. And the flowers I'm growing are dual use.
I didn't stock cans of food so much as learned how to make mildly effective home remedies (not medicine), cleaning and self-care supplies, clothes, paper, ink, how to stretch inexpensive staples like flour, casting cruel hexes on the people who destroyed society, weaving, sewing, that sort of thing.
Reading weather signs, nurturing a healthy, nutritionally dense garden, smiting my foe and casting down his ruin upon the earth with lightning I borrowed from my sister the storm, y'know, normal stuff that is important for society to rebuild itself.
I am Mohammed from Gaza. I am collecting donations to buy food for my family. Please donate and share.I am Mohammed from Gaza. I am collecting donations to buy food for my family. Please donate and share.🚨❤️🇵🇸🥺
Hello, I am Asem from Gaza. I hope you help me survive death on my support site. Please donate and participate because I am collecting money to help my family live. I pay for the entire house. Please donate
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And if you make your own vinegar, you can start to experiment with flavor combos.
I make my own hot sauce that kinda slaps, it's just my special pepper blend, shallots, garlic, and my proprietary blend of vinegars. Real simple. Nothing too fancy.
My parents through we were overreacting... but the writing was on the wall.
Because yeah... lot of people are going to need those tips.
😭😫