New Generations of Home Canners Prepare for the Harvest: Interest in Thrift and Local Foods Sparks Hot Trend

July 7, 2010 in News Release

Summary: Canning and food preservation is making a comeback as consumers find ways to save money and enjoy healthier eating options throughout the year as home gardening and local farmers’ markets continue to grow in popularity.

Americans are rediscovering the joys and home-grown goodness of canning fruits and vegetables, especially as farmer’s market and home garden produce ripens on the vine.

A surging interest in buying local produce and a desire for thrifty self-sufficiency is filling university extension canning classes and fueled sales for home canning companies such as Mrs. Wages, one of the leading manufacturers of home canning pickling spices and mixes including salsas, pasta sauces, and chili.

“We’re definitely experiencing a renewed interest in our products, even though Mrs. Wages has been on the market for 40 years,” explains Laura Strickland, Product Manager for the St. Louis based company. “Our customers tell us they are teaching their children to preserve pickles, tomatoes and green beans, just as they remember their grandmothers canning decades ago.”

University of Illinois Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educator and Master Food Preserver Instructor Shirley Camp, M.S., R.D., says she’s seeing a marked interest in canning classes across the state of Illinois. “I’ve taught food preservation and canning for more than 35 years, and all our educators throughout the state are seeing young mothers, college students, retirees and even dads signing up to learn how to can and preserve food. We used to offer a few classes a summer, but we honestly can’t keep up with the demand, and our classes are filling up faster than in recent memory.”

“Canning is making a comeback because people are finding how easy, wholesome and delicious it can be,” adds Ms. Strickland.  “We’ve created unique spices and mixes so anyone can create their own special salsa or spaghetti sauce. New fruit pectin allows canners to preserve jams without cooking, and you can now pickle cucumbers in the refrigerator.”

  • Salsa mixes from Mrs. Wages make for a quick, nutritious and creative compliment to other foods.  Made too much?  Not a problem.  Salsa made with Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix can be canned or frozen for use later on.

Photography and Images
Hi-resolution stock photography of a variety of vegetables, pickles and salsas are available from the Mrs. Wages Online Press Room.  Hi-resolution .jpg files of the Mrs. Wages logo can be found in the Images Section of the Mrs. Wages Online Press Room as well.

Additional Digital Resources/Story Angles
We’ve found a number of additional information and resources to help you with any number of angles for your story about Canning and Home Food Preservation:

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Kosher Dill Refrigerator Pickles

July 7, 2010 in Recipes | No comments

A summertime favorite, Kosher Dill pickles made with Mrs. Wages mix have helped keep family food traditions alive for generations.  Nutritious and delicious – who could want anything more?

Ingredients:
2 pounds pickling cucumbers (about 10,3 to 4 inches long)
3/4 cup white vinegar (5 percent acidity)
2 cups water
1 packet (1.94 ounces) – Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill Refrigerator Pickle Mix

Directions:

  • Prepare and process home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions for sterilized jars.
  • Wash cucumbers and remove blossoms; drain. Leave whole, cut into spears, or slice.
  • Combine Kosher Dill Mix, vinegar and water into a large, non-reactive pot. Do not use aluminum.
  • Bring mixture just to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture dissolves.
  • Pack cucumbers into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
  • Evenly divide hot pickling liquid among the packed jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
  • Remove air bubbles and cap each jar as it is filled.
  • If more liquid is needed for proper headspace, add a mix of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water.
  • If shelf-stable pickles are preferred, use the hot water bath method, processing pints 20 minutes and quarts 30 minutes.
  • Cool to room temperature, label and store in refrigerator. Product is ready to eat after 24 hours.

When properly processed and sealed, unopened refrigerator product can be stored up to 6 months, and shelf-stable product up to 18 months.

Yield: 4 pints

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Easy Salsa

July 7, 2010 in Recipes

A new twist on a game-day tradition: fresh tomatoes, peppers and onions mixed with Mrs. Wages Classic Hot Salsa mix

It’s easy to make fresh salsa with Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix.  Ten minutes of effort in the kitchen is all it takes to yield hours of compliments at the dinner party or at your next party!

Ingredients:
6 pounds fresh tomatoes (approximately)
1 pouch (4 ounces)
Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

Preparation:

  • Wash tomatoes. Scald 3 minutes in boiling water. Dip into cold water.
  • Cut out cores. Remove skins. Chop tomatoes coarsely.
  • If fresh tomatoes are not available, use home-canned or commercially canned tomatoes.
  • Drain liquid off. You will need 5 pints of tomatoes chopped into coarse pieces. Put tomatoes into a 5-quart saucepan.
  • Add salsa mix and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Salsa is ready to serve or to can or freeze.

Yield: 5 pints

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Statement from Mrs. Wages concerning HVP contamination and FDA investigation.

March 11, 2010 in News Release

St. Louis, MO (March 11, 2010) – Precision Foods has closely followed the recall of products containing Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) from Basic Food Flavors, Inc., which has been identified as a potential source of Salmonella contamination and is being investigated by the US Food and Drug Administration.  We are pleased to report that none of the ingredients in any of the Orrington Farms® or Mrs. Wages® products contain any HVP and therefore are not subject to being recalled.

Reporters with questions can contact Liz Lareau (liz@mrswages.com) for more information.

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Chicken and Pork Tenderloin Dishes Feature Chile Peppers and Easy Salsa Spice Blends from Mrs. Wages

March 4, 2010 in News Release

For busy cooks looking for savory dishes with a little adventure, it’s easy to create distinct southwestern fare by featuring a hot new trend – Chile-fired sauces.

“We took some common dishes including nachos and rellenos and developed wholesome entrees that feature Chile peppers including jalapeno, chipotle and pablano varieties,” says Chef Joe Cottage, Mrs. Wages test kitchens. “Everywhere you look, Chile peppers and sauces are becoming a popular menu and ingredient item because you can be adventurous and still control their heat.” Flavor & the Menu Magazine named Chile-fired sauces a top food trend for 2010.

Nacho Chicken & Penne, Chipotle Cheddar Creamy Polenta, and Chicken and Corn Stuffed Pablano Peppers also owe their flavors to Mrs. WagesTM all natural pre-mixed and measured salsa blends that not only feature classic salsa, chipotle and garlic or jalapeño spices, but some of America’s favorite peppers.

  • The Nacho Normal Chicken & Penne a flavorful hot dish that tastes like chicken nachos, but is served on penne pasta instead of corn chips. It features Mrs. Wages Classic Salsa mix along with pickled jalapeno slices, olives and white wine.

  • The Chipotle Cheddar Creamy Polenta and Pork Tenderloin each share the same southwestern seasoning. Says Chef Joe Cottage: “We crusted the tenderloin and seasoned the polenta with Mrs. Wages Chipotle and Garlic Salsa for a southwestern bridge that brings your side and the pork together. The result is a creamy cheesy side dish that complements the bitterness of the seared pork seasonings.”

  • The Chicken and Corn Stuffed Pablano Peppers is a baked version of the popular stuffed pepper usually served breaded and fried. “We blend the Mrs. Wages Jalapeno Salsa mix with corn, chicken and pepper jack cheese and then stuff the mixture into the milder pablano pepper,” adds Chef Cottage.

Photography and Images
Hi-resolution stock photography of a variety of peppers, entrees and pasta images are available from the Mrs. Wages Online Press Room. Hi-resolution .jpg files of the Mrs. Wages logo can be found in the Images section of the Mrs. Wages Online Press Room.

Additional pepper images (hi-rez) can be acquired by clicking on the thumbnails below:

Additional Digital Resources/Story Angles
We’ve found a number of additional information and resources to help you with any of a number of angles should you choose to read about this hot new food trend. Helpful links include the following:

  • Is it “chile,” “chili” or “chilli”? In fact, it can even be “chillie” (among six or seven different spellings) – here’s the answer on About.com.
  • Here’s a link to more on the entymology of the word “chili” (no matter how you spell it), as well as its history as the first known spice used by humans.
  • If you must know more about chile peppers, there’s one source you must visit … The Chile Pepper Institute at new Mexico State University.   It’s an educational institution that offers a degree you can sink your teeth into (as well as a gift catalog full of books, plants and more).
  • Just how “hot” does a pepper get? That question was answered in 1912 by Wilbur Scoville, a chemist working for Parke-Davis pharmaceuitcal. The “Scoville Organoleptic Test” now ranks peppers from a score of 0 (for the Sweet Bell) to over 1,000,000 (for the Naga Jolokia a.k.a. the “Gost Pepper”). Pepper spray ranks in the 2-3,000,000 range.
  • We see it on menus all the time – but we hear it pronounced differently depending on where we are in the country. Just how do you say the word “chipotle?” (There IS a correct answer.)
  • While Flavor & the Menu Magazine’s web site isn’t online yet, there is a good summary review of their hottest food trends for 2010 in this post by Valerie Phillips of the Deseret News.  Among other hot trends: Blue-plate specials and signature sausages.
  • Eating chili peppers really is good for you. The ingredient that makes the “hot” is called Capsaicin – a substance that is currently being studied for its affect on arthritis.

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