well done

Canning is not for the weak and faint-of-heart. Ten hours of cleaning, cutting, cooking, and canning has produced thirty-three pints of corn relish and a very full compost bin. My worms are having a feast.



The recipe is from my mother-in-law, given to me over the phone so many years ago. Well, good cooks--cooks that have been making dishes for years and years--know by volume, taste, and feel whether a recipe is correct. Her "recipe" went something like: "a couple bags of corn, a half bag of peppers, several baskets of onions, cabbage, a handful or palmful of (various) spices, half a gallon of vinegar". We have long since written down more exact amounts for the corn relish (after many practice batches), although it's still not "precise". No cook worth their weight in salt or flour would stick exactly to a recipe, but would tweak it from time to time.

This relish is a favorite in the family. My grandma used to eat it right out of the jar as a snack (I believe my mom does this too). It's wonderful on a sandwich, something hearty like a meatloaf sandwich or as a topper to a baked potato. Yesterday, my husband discovered that toasted cracked black peppercorn and asiago cheese bread smeared with fresh, hot corn relish is a new delight. Hum. I wonder if thirty-three pints will be enough.