Home Canning Question

A recent article in Slate attacks the trend of home-canning as not as thrifty, environmentally friendly, or healthful as its proponents claim. I won't pick nits and point out that the piece as as few facts and figures to back up its claims as the people it criticizes have to buck up theirs. Both sides here seem to be working with that ever useful reference "common knowledge," which is myopic all too often. But I digress....

The article ends with the assertion that the products of home-canning, while not thrifty, etc., are tasty and fun to make. That they are, in the words of Eugenia Bone, an act of optimism. On that I think we can all agree. I know when I go to put up insane numbers of marinated baby artichokes every spring I am very well aware that the cost of the artichokes and new lids for the jars I had to buy at one time and all the olive oil I need to cover the delights when they're ready to process probably costs more than a few jars at Trader Joe's. I also know the whole thing takes me hours and hours. Much longer, let's just say, than it would take me to run to the store a dozen times to pick up some jars of marinated artichokes. But most importantly, I know how good those artichokes taste. I know how happy people are when they eat them, how thrilled friends are to get a precious jar. When I put up those artichokes it is partly because I'm nuts and like doing crazy cooking projects like that, partly because the jars look awesome in the cupboard, partly because offering one of the jars as a hostess gift is immensely gratifying and ego-stroking.

But mainly I put up those artichokes because they taste so damn good.