ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, July 10, 1996               TAG: 9607100017
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 8    EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES FOOD EDITOR 

PRESERVE SUMMER FREEZING, CANNING ALLOW YOU TO RECALL THE SEASON

Oh sure, it's swelter weather now, and markets and home gardens are flush with fresh produce. But before we know it, cool weather will come, leaving us longing for a taste of summer.

By all means, take immediate advantage of the current abundance by creating wonderful fresh dishes, like chilled fruit soup or microwave-made fruit spread. But also set aside a bit of the bounty in the freezer or in canning jars for those dreary days ahead when sunshine is sorely needed.

Kraft Foods' new Fresh Blends is being promoted as quickly and easily turning fresh or frozen fruits into spreads. All that is required is a blender, fruit, boiling water and the product. Each package yields 3 cups of spread with 25 calories and no fat per tablespoon. The overall process is simple enough for even a novice cook to handle. More advanced or adventurous preservers may find ideas and recipes in several publications.

"Newsline" and "Home Canning Basics" from Alltrista Corp. are attractive, informative, free and offer money-saving coupons and a hot line to help with questions about preservation. To order, call (800)240-3340.

"Fresh, Fast and Fit California Summer Fruits" is free for the asking from California Tree Fruit Agreement, 975 I St., Reedley, Calif. 93654.

Washington State University has compiled a cookbooklet of seven salsa recipes safety-tested for canning. Botulism poisoning isn't a problem with fresh, refrigerated or frozen salsa, although the quality of frozen salsa may suffer, a WSU home economist explained. However, because salsa is a mixture of high-acid and low-acid foods, and foods canned with the water-bath method need to be high in acidity, it's safer to follow tested recipes to ensure correct acid levels.

"The pressure canner method is the only safe way to can low-acid food such as asparagus, shelled beans, snap beans, beets, carrots, corn, hominy, mushrooms, okra, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach and other greens that contain too little acid to prevent the growth of bacteria," said Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension foods and nutrition specialist Denise Brochetti.

Preservation methods based on U.S. Department of Agriculture research are available from USDA or Virginia Cooperative Extension services, she said.

To order "Salsa Recipes for Canning," send $2.50 for book PNW0395 payable to WSU Cooperative Extension Publications, Cooper Publications Building, WSU, Department S, Pullman, Wash. 99164-5912.

recipes for:

GARDEN-FRESH VEGETABLE SPREADS

SPICED TOMATO SPREAD

RED ONION JAM

LOTSA PEPPERS RELISH

CARROT CUCUMBER RELISH

STRAWBERRY-LEMON-POPPY SEED PRESERVES

SUNRISE SPREAD

LENGTH: Medium:   63 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Strawberry-Lemon-Poppy Seed Preserves will revive your 
          spirits come winter. color.