SPINACH SQUISH?

Blanching.

Do you know what it is? According to helpwithcooking.com it is:

"If you plan on storing your vegetables for several months in the freezer it will be necessary to blanch them first. This involves immersing them in fast-boiling water or steaming them for a specified amount of time, depending on the size and type of vegetable and then plunging them into ice-cold water before draining and packing.


Blanching the vegetables before freezing impedes enzyme action during storage time in the freezer and this means that the deterioration of the vegetable is kept at a minimum and that vegetables will emerge from the freezer in the same condition as they entered."
 

(image from here)

I thought that I would try to give this a shot.

My biggest question is, have you ever done it yourself? Or wait, an even bigger question, how nasty does the spinach get? I mean, traditionally, we eat it raw. I've never cooked it. I have had it cooking in things - like a layor in lasagna or mixed in a bit of pasta. Popeye eat your heart out.

(image from here)

I just would like us to try to get the most out of our garden, not that I'm unwilling to give it away. But at the end of the day there will be times when I have ripe veggies to use up and perhaps no one to give it to. The blanching process doesn't seem too complicated or time consuming.

And is the basket worth the investment? Will it make it even quicker and more easier? Time efficient?

(image from here)

Maybe I will have to pop into Stokes and see how much these babies cost. Curiosity. Cause I don't have a big spoon with holes in it for scooping and straining either. Hmmmm.

Food for thought, and hopefully also for dinners after the summer ends!