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Do Not Poke the Pies

Canning Spaghetti Sauce in a Pressure Canner

My love for fresh, local tomatoes cannot be overstated. But (and I feel I'm making a bit of a canning confession here), I think preserving tomatoes in a way that captures their sweet, in-season taste can be a struggle. Preparing tomatoes for canning is always a process, no matter what method or recipe you use. In years past, I've canned crushed tomatoes ; whole, peeled tomatoes; and basil-garlic tomato sauce , all in a boiling water bath canner. This method requires the addition of bottled lemon juice for safety, which (as much as I've tried to convince myself it doesn't) imparts a tart flavor. So if you're going to go all out - peeling tens of pounds of tomatoes, scooping hot tomatoes through a food mill, lots and lots (and lots) of dripping tomato juice - you'd better be sure that when you're finished, you have jars of something you're excited to use. So this year, I pressure canned spaghetti sauce. The peeling process is still necessar

First Look at Bar Futo in Portland, Maine

Happy 2023! Plenty of new restaurants are opening in Portland, including Bar Futo , the latest from the owners of Mr. Tuna and Crispy Gai , with chef Ian Driscoll (Central Provisions, Duckfat, Hugo's) at the helm. Bar Futo features a Japanese-inspired menu with many items grilled over binchotan (charcoal). While there's an extensive selection of sake, we started with some signature cocktails—my husband had the delicious Calpikachu, a rum and chartreuse concoction ($13) with a foam made from a Japanese strawberry soda, while I loved the Sakura sour ($13), a mix of pisco and cherry blossom with an egg white topper. Later in the meal, I had a Mellon Baller ($12), a fresh mix of homemade Midori (a melon liqueur), absinthe, lime, and mint over crushed ice that was also fantastic. The menu is divided into two sections of small plates and skewers, with about 20 items total. We were a group of 5, so we were able to sample a large selection of dishes. First to arrive was the fluke

Top 10 Hottest Quarterbacks in the NFL

And now a break from our regularly scheduled programming: 1. Mark Sanchez: Mark is clearly the hottest quarterback in the league. His all-American, yet scruffy good looks make him the top earner. Coupled with his humble persona, his love of his team, and his youth, you can overlook the apparent reality that he will not be the Jets’ next Joe Namath. 2. Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers is up there- he’s aaaalmost tied for #1 with Mark. He has the skills, the brooding dark eyes, the scruff, and the fantastic record. With his sense of humor, you feel like he’d be fun to go to the bar with. And then watch all the girls give you dirty looks, since you’re with such a hot guy. 3. Ryan Fitzpatrick: Fitzpatrick is hot with or without his beard. But I do love a man who can grow a legit beard. Look at that thing! I’ve heard two separate people reference “Grizzly Adams” when describing Ryan’s beard. While his season with the Bills faltered in the middle, his Harvard education gi

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