Ping, Ping, Ping: The Sound of Canned Cherries!
It’s after 10 pm on a Sunday night, and as I’m writing this I’m hearing a “ping, ping” sound coming from the kitchen.
This sound is very exciting to a canner! This sound means my jars are sealing tight. It’s music to my ears and soon I’ll be putting these beautiful jars on my shelves for the winter, or even a year or two. Did you know that your canned goods can last as long as a couple of years?
I purchased my canning jars years ago for $1 a box at a yard sale, and then the canner for $3 a few years later. Every canning season when I pull these boxes out of my garage, to wash the jars, I can’t help but think of how old they are, and the history behind them. Whose hands handled these jars in the past and what did they can? What is their story? Were the canned goods as loved in their home, as they are in ours?
Although tonight was my first time for canning cherries, my fondest memories go back to over 40 years ago where my mom canned “Bing” cherries. We ate them like candy in our household. They were sweet and we’d have a separate little dish that we’d spit the seeds into. My sisters and I would sit down in one sitting and eat an entire jar.
As my kids were helping me out, and having a great time (splattering cherry juice all over the floor and cupboards), they were experiencing something different than when I was a kid. This last winter I had purchased a “cherry stoner” from a kitchen store up the street. It’s a device used to separate the cherry from its seed. I had never heard of a cherry stoner because my mom canned cherries with the seeds in.
My kids took turns, popping the cherry in and pulling down on the handle. Immediately the seed goes straight down into a dish, and the cherry rolls out into a bowl. They were getting into it. It was so easy!
I scrubbed the kitchen down, floor to cupboards, from splattered juice. I lined up my pretty jars in the window to seal and to cool. Yes, I took a picture, but really I couldn’t help but think of my mom. I know if she could have joined me last night, she would have.
Together we would have enjoyed the sounds of the “pings” coming from the canned jars.
Have you ventured into the canning world, and if so, what’s your favorite food to can?
(Partial reposting from 2 summers ago. Do you recognize my old kitchen?)
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I love canning in general. I have canned all of the following: tomatoes, spagetti sauce, salsa, ketchup, cucumber and zucchini relish, mock pineapple, sweet cherries, sour cherries, peaches, pears, applesauce, lemon rosemary beans, dilly beans, pickled peppers and BBQ pepper. I just love to can, call it a hobbie and enter something in our local fair every year. We also use most of it in the year with little hold over. I try something new every year and think I might pickle peaches this year.
Also I noticed someone say they are afraid to can. Start by getting the most current Ball Blue Book. It is an excellent source. I think the easiest things to can are pickles and jelly. You might start there.
I love that you ponder the history of your second-hand cans & pot. I enjoy imagining the previous “lives” of my thrift store finds, hand-me-downs, rummage sale goodies, etc. It’s fun to think about how our lives intersect with others via those objects.
My neighbor recently gave my kids a box of costume jewelry that belonged to his mother who died several years ago. I was immediately drawn to a gold square locket which is engraved with a date from 1905 and initials. My neighbor claims he has no idea whose this was, but somehow it was there with his mother’s jewelry. I get a kick out of making up names to go with the initials and figuring out what that date was: a graduate, a wedding, an anniversary.
Hearing the pings when canning makes me smile every time! I’ve not done veggies yet…mostly jellies and jams. Those cherries look great!
What fun!! My parents grew up canning as kids but never taught me. I have convinced dad to pass on his farming knowledge this year to me and the boys. I don’t have cherries but I have loads of tomatoes and homemade sauce on the horizon :)
PS: Have I told you how gorgeous you are! Great photo.
I have not canned anything, ever. I bought the jars and the rings and the lids, and that’s where it stopped. I’m scared to death I won’t do it right and we’ll all die of botchulism or something. :)
It’s on my list of things to do this summer, though. I’m going to try some kind of berry jam. Wish me luck!!!
At our old house we had 2 cherry trees, one sweet and one tart—-nothing like pie made from tart cherries!! I had my kids help me pit them using paper clips! Sticky, messy, yummy!
I love to can everything! My best canning memory is my grandmothers pickles with grape leaves in them, always tasted better than store bought. And once my aunt and uncle gave me canned meat. It was odd and I admit I was a little grossed out by it. It took me several months, and an empty pantry, before I tried it and it was amazing! The pinging noise makes me happy too <3
~Kelli @ Smidgens
Hey Sandy,
LOVE seeing the cherries. I’d love to know how to can them. There’s just nothing better to me than a cherry cobbler. My grandmother made them the “southern” way. Making one crust letting it brown a little, pushing it down into the cherries and adding another crust on top.
I canned by myself for the first time a couple of years ago. I canned 24 quarts of tomatoes. I was so proud of myself. Can’t wait to do it again this year!
Blessed canning to you!
Julie
My favorite thing to can is my grandma Schleigh’s chili sauce. A batch of chili is just not the same with out that sweet peppery sauce. I haven’t made it for years…hmmm…maybe it’s time to do just that. :)
Interesting that when the economy went south, stock for Mason and Ball held strong. Here’s to hoping that just because better days might be around the corner, we don’t forget canning and other things that have been handed down through the ages.
I love to can but I have never done cherries. I can tomatoes…lots and lots! Also can homemade salsa, pickles and strawberry jam
I enjoy canning. I haven’t done cherries, but have tried a variety of veggies, and even peaches once. Not sure I’ll do any canning this year though.
My dad makes currant jelly and grape jelly.
I love canning. I hate canning. The cherries look lovely. Maybe I should get to it.
I’ve never canned before and didn’t know they made a sound as they were sealing tight. I’m sitting here laughing and thinking of how I’d be convinced that someone was breaking into my house if I’d heard them. Ha!
Growing up in the Pacific NW and living in the country, my Mom canned just about everything. It was amazing to go in our storage room and see shelves full of so many pretty jars of fruits and veggies. Your post today brought back many fond memories and how good those Bing cherries tasted!!!
Thanks Sandy!
I’m with Patti…I would LOVE to can, but no one in my family ever has done it so I would worry that I was doing something wrong and that my mistake would make my family sick. Sigh. I think it is great that you do it, though, and I’m sure you will enjoy your bounty for many months to come. Love your blog.
I have never canned but am planning to when all my tomatoes turn red this year. I can hardly wait! I’m a little nervous about making sure the seals are done correctly etc. so I won’t make anyone sick :( Any advice on that or am I just being paranoid? I loved the post yesterday on freezer jam and marked two of your other blog suggestions to come back to. My dad will have fresh peaches in a few weeks so it’s peach jam for us :)
I love your blog page (just found it last week} We live in sunny central Florida on a horse farm where wild black berries are abundant. I have made many jars of blackberry jam. I’ve also canned beans and tomotoes. I remember growing up and watching my mom, aunts and grandmother do all day canning projects.
If you love it, it’s a pleasure but I do have friends who think I’m crazy.
Blessings,
Lisa
Oh how I want to can. But I want to actually WATCH someone do it first and show me how to do it exactly! I don’t want any guess work. LOL!
I’m sure the pinging sound IS music to your ears.
HUGS!
First of all, i swear i feel like i stalk your blog. I don’t really. Well, maybe. But it’s because of these types of posts – it stirs up my own family memories. I remember standing on the kitchen chair up against the stove watching my grandmother pull the jars out of the canner one by one.
I made my Granny’s apple butter last fall and I felt a certain satisfaction hearing those pings, too!
They are so very pretty. My Mom and I used to can pickles. I remember hearing the ping…and loving it!
I don’t can now but admire those who do.
Becky K.
Cherries are finished in our area. This is one fruit that I haven’t canned, but need to plan for it next summer. Your look great!!
I’m getting ready to freeze some veggies from our gardent.