remove the bracket from the end not sure how i picked that up? or vist our site and click on instant potato patch therer! not sure what darkcloud wants to know??? len Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

This is a quote from Penn State Extension that seems more apropos re. baking in jars. If breads or cakes are baked in canning jars, seal them after they are completely cooled so that a vacuum seal is not created. This will prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Also, immediately refrigerate. Refrigeration temperatures will prevent the growth of other harmful bacteria that can grow at the water activity and pH typically found in these types of products. The shelf-life in the refrigerator is several weeks. Additionally, there is always the risk of having the jar break in the oven or upon removal from the oven. Also, the jars can be very hot so use oven mitts to prevent burns. â¨â¨from: Dr. Angie Fraser, Food Safety Specialist, North Carolina State University. Some of that is clearly stating the obvious, but I do know there have been a number of complaints about the quality of the finished product (i.e. insufficiently baked at the center and over-baked at the edges), especially if the jar is a quart, rather than a half-pint or pint. But it seems if someone wants to bake in jars and is willing to risk the possibility of reduced consistency/quality and perhaps breakage, that's up to them. I can guess that cupcakes or mini-yeast loaves (like little brioche) baked in half-pints would be cute. However, I wouldn't do it because I don't want to stress the glass, risking future breakage during canning, and because I have certain pans I know produce really reliable results for me. For gifting I often use the paper baking pans. Carol Here is a link that might be useful: King Arthur Flour Paper Baking Pans

yes eric, it is the lot of all,such forums ie.,. permaculture sustainbable "sufficiency" type boards. not enough emphasis by those in the upper echalon to encourage grass roots community into changing habits for free. the emphasis instead appears as the need for expensive though somewhat unneccessary design course etc.,. and my experience over the past almost decade is this yuppy cost factor is keeping many away in droves. when you consider permaculture is the best part of 30 years old it hasn't gone far has it? still shows as an all but exclusive yuppy hippy feel domain. yet on the other hand organic growing has gone ahead in leaps and bounds. that is most likley the reason boards like these are rated "snail slow". anyhow lets keep pluggin' do our bit hey? len

The reason lard works so well for pastry is the size of the fat crystal in lard is larger than in shortening or butter, so besides the flavor, there is some science to it. And definitely find fresh lard, not the boxed hydrogenated stuff at the grocery store. Cholesterol is essential for all animal life, and people tend to forget that now that the medical world has made billions of dollars off of it. In a test using lard, olive oil, corn oil and safflower oil, the life span of test animals fed diets containing these different fats had the highest survival rate with lard, and the shortest survival rate with safflower. Go figure.... From what I've studied on the subject, hydrogenated fats is where the problem is. I can get frozen fresh lard this time of the year at a local meat packing plant and I use it for a couple old family recipes for the holidays that aren't the same without it. If there is any lard left, I'll have good old fried chicken in a cast iron skillet. I think you had to be raised on lard to appreciate the flavor. A friend of ours has been a sales rep. for a paper goods distributor for 48-years. He was telling us the cardboard boxes for lard were his #1 seller for years, and now they don't even carry them. Times they are a changing.... -Grainlady