Just how much chutney and how many pickles can one locavore gal eat?

By this time of year, when the harvest season is coming to an end, my shelves are lined with colorful jars of pickles and preserves, and the freezer is stuffed with fruit from the garden and veggies from my CSA share. I’ve got chutneys, jams, dried mushrooms, sauerkraut, dilly beans, marmalades, corn relish, and much more.

Now what am I going to do with it all? Eat it, of course, except for what I give away over this next month of holidays. But aside from the obvious uses for homemade preserves, e.g. jam on toast, what are the yummiest ways to eat what I’ve put up?

Some preserved foods that we tend to use as mere garnishes or condiments can be used more creatively in the locavore’s kitchen. Other things like dried fruits are not just tasty snacks but can become ingredients in unique recipes. Delving into old-fashioned recipes (pre-commercial canning industry) can yield some interesting options, such as pie made with dried apples reconstituted in hot cider.

I didn’t grow up with a lot of homemade preserves in the house, but they’ve become an essential part of my urban homestead. Every year I find a few more ways to relish what I’ve put up (all puns intended, sorry). Here are a few of my favorites:

-Any salty-sour pickle, chopped, can be used in place of olives in many recipes. No, they don’t taste exactly like olives, but they fulfill the same tangy role that olives would in pasta sauces, for example. Since where I live the winters are too cold for olive trees to survive, this tip helps me keep many recipes more local.

-Melt jellies and marmalades with a little water over low heat and use to glaze roasted meats and root vegetables.

-Combine chopped apples with sauerkraut or any lacto-fermented vegetable for an instant winter salad, no dressing required.

-Frozen fruit straight out of the freezer thickens breakfast smoothies beautifully, just combine with milk and/or juice and optional yogurt and blend.

-The soaking liquid from reconstituting dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and vegetables makes a terrific soup stock.

-Speaking of soup stock, I throw dried celery, carrots, and herbs into mine in winter. This means my winter stocks taste different from my summer stocks that are made with fresh aromatics, and I like it that way.

-Chutney plus thickened (strained) yogurt or cream cheese makes a yummy spread or dip.

One last tip: don’t expect your preserved foods to taste like their fresh counterparts or try to use them in the same ways. A raisin doesn’t taste like a grape, but they are both delectable in their different ways. Experiment with your versatile home-preserved foods, and you’ll come to appreciate them as the unique ingredients they are.

So what innovative ways have you found to make the most of your pantry? I hope to learn from your experiments!