ChristyK

Just to update on my stevia, in case my experiences can be of any use to any one else. My stevia plants have finished flowering. I took the flowers and hung them in a paper bag to dry; we'll see if the seed is any good or not next year. I tried to root cuttings from the plants (I tried cuttings from both before and after they flowered), but it's been a dismal failure ~ none of them have grown roots, not even a sign of it. As my plants are in a pot rather the ground I am going to bring them in for winter. They are very tall and 'leggy', so I cut one down to about 4 inches from the dirt to see what it would do ~ and it's putting out new shoots from the original stem! (The plant grows with those little 'section' things to the main stem, kind of like roses do, and the new growth is sprouting where the 'sections' meet, again like on my roses.) Have to wait and see what they do over winter. I can't decide whether they'll need time in a cool, dark place to go dormant before letting them grow again or not... I may try it with one of them. Experimentation is sometimes the only way, right?

Yes, vine, I did; and it just doesn't dissolve like I think a sweetener ought to. Maybe I'm just spoiled, used to sugar & honey ~ but even powdered,the stevia tends to kind a jang around and makes my tea look murky. Not pleasant, not to me anyway; of course, what is it they say ~ Your mileage may vary?

Well, my stevia finally started to bloom. I took several cuttings from the plants to root and will see if the flowers give any viable seeds. From what I have read, the seeds aren't the way to go ~ but I like to experiment on my own, too. I never did find a satisfactory way to use the leaves in my tea (or any beverage, for that matter). Hot, cold ~ fresh leaves/dry ~ whoel/shredded ~ doesn't seem to make a difference, it just doesn't do a whole lot for me. But I have discovered that when I pound the dried leaves into powder that it is VERY tasty sprinkled on oatmeal or raisin bran or anything like that! And yes, there is a slight 'herbal-y' tone to the taste ~ but it's not unpleasant, not imho anyway.

I have heard (just heard, mind you ~ not tried it out myself or actually seen it done) that grinding/chopping and then cooking in a small amount of water could result in a syrupy kind of mixture. A point was made of how you have to really chop/grind up those leaves and stems to release the stevioside (the chemical responsible for the sweetness) into the water. My three plants are a couple of feet tall and doing well, I plan to experiment later in the summer/early fall when they flower ~ everything I've read thus far claims that it the time to harvest for peak sweetness. In my (admittedly limited ) experience, drying leaves and then steeping didn't work at all. ETA: that processing in vodkas sounds promising; if I try it I'll be sure to report back.

Thanks, CannedNerd! But things have changed ~ my dearest, most darling husband said to go ahead and get the AA pressure canner! Woo-hoo!!!!! He said it looked as though it was a quality item and would be a fine thing to have and be able to share with our children and their future children ~ and hey, who am I to argue with that?? Oh, I'm so excited ~ this is going to be great, getting to know how this whole pressure canning thing works ... assuming I don't blow myself/my kitchen up with it, that is. But y'all have assured me that if I'm careful that won't happen ... right? : Christy

OK ~ we got a tax refund and so *deep breathe* it's time to to order my first pressure canner. Now, WalMart.com has a Presto 23 quart for $97.98 (with free shipping to my local store) but I want to have the weighted thing-y (instead of just the dial gauge) and WalMart doesn't seem to carry it. The CanningPantry.com has the same canner for $84.95 ~ but they charge shipping so it's basically the saem price. And again, I didn't see the weighted thing-y listed for sale there, either. Amazon.com has it for $71.99 ~ and it qualifies for supersaver free shipping! BUT ~ they don't seem to have the weighted thing-y (and I have got to stop calling it that! ) either!!!! Is there a place that would be good to order from that carries both items? I'd really appreciate any advice anyone here might have. : Christy

Thanks, PoGo! And tes, you're correct about following official Food Safety Guidelines; I was just wondering about private experiences. : Christy

re: Ghee ~ has anyone here ever done this? Not just clarified the butter, but actually stored it at room temperature for a few months and then eaten it without ill effects? Just wondering. : Christy