Canning / Afghanistan [General]
Jan 27
Properly canned foods can last 5 years.
You'll have to pressure-can that. If you like, I'd be happy to come over with my pressure canner and show you how to do it. Special offer given the circumstance :)
LMK ...
You'll have to pressure-can that. If you like, I'd be happy to come over with my pressure canner and show you how to do it. Special offer given the circumstance :)
LMK ...
Jan 27
Yan I was looking into getting a canner a couple of years ago (still saving my money). Some good suggestions were made in the thread I started at the time: ottawafoodies.com/forum/612
Feb 6
Great to meet you this morning Yan - the sauce is really yummy and I'm sure it will travel fine to Afghanistan. I'm glad my boys were well behaved for the duration of our stay :-)
I look forward to eating the little jar of sauce that you sent me away with. And hey, look at the clock, I think that Beau's beer should be cold by now on my side step - cheers!
I look forward to eating the little jar of sauce that you sent me away with. And hey, look at the clock, I think that Beau's beer should be cold by now on my side step - cheers!
Feb 6
Glad you enjoyed the sauce. I really appreciate the crash course on Canning 101. I am really grateful for your time and I am sure my SO will be delighted when she receives her care package.
If anyone has any other suggestions as to what to send, that would be amazing.
If anyone has any other suggestions as to what to send, that would be amazing.
Feb 8
My best friend was over there a few years ago, so I sent her an email asking for suggestions. This is what she came up with:
- things that are Canadian and not American
- trashy magazines, or any magazines for that matter
- books are always good
- chocolate, but only in the winter months as it melts otherwise
- photos of home....even photos of little things to remind them of places and people
- weirdly, Christmas lights has always something that I loved getting. It helps brighten up tents if you are living in one.
- hand written letters...far better than email in many ways
- little games or gadgets that could be shared in an office or with a couple of friends (one guy sent us hand held battery operated fans as a joke gift...kinda fun actually)
- DVDs are always good
- If she uses a particular brand of facial cream, or something she can't get there and might run out of over the course of 6 months
I sent off weekly envelopes of local/Canadian newspapers -- some from where she and I grew up, some from Ottawa, and stuff from elsewhere in Canada. She said it was great to be able to pass papers from other provinces on to other folks there who were a bit homesick. We also sent hand-written letters full of minutiae, drawings by the kids, Canadian candy (stuff that you can't buy in UK or US, as was harder to come by there), etc.
I hope this helps! :)
- things that are Canadian and not American
- trashy magazines, or any magazines for that matter
- books are always good
- chocolate, but only in the winter months as it melts otherwise
- photos of home....even photos of little things to remind them of places and people
- weirdly, Christmas lights has always something that I loved getting. It helps brighten up tents if you are living in one.
- hand written letters...far better than email in many ways
- little games or gadgets that could be shared in an office or with a couple of friends (one guy sent us hand held battery operated fans as a joke gift...kinda fun actually)
- DVDs are always good
- If she uses a particular brand of facial cream, or something she can't get there and might run out of over the course of 6 months
I sent off weekly envelopes of local/Canadian newspapers -- some from where she and I grew up, some from Ottawa, and stuff from elsewhere in Canada. She said it was great to be able to pass papers from other provinces on to other folks there who were a bit homesick. We also sent hand-written letters full of minutiae, drawings by the kids, Canadian candy (stuff that you can't buy in UK or US, as was harder to come by there), etc.
I hope this helps! :)
Yan
I’ve never canned anything before, but my SO just left on her first deployment to Afghanistan and I would like to send her some of my BBQ sauce, which she adores.
1/2 cup Chinese chilli paste
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cup tomato paste
2 cups Hoegaarden
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
5 teaspoons fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Would this sauce survive the 5 weeks cargo-boat trip to KAF? Where can I find a dummy guide to canning? And does anyone have other suggestion as to what type of food related goodies I could send over in a care package?
Thank you