RESPONSE: Thank you PBL. Yes, Radio Shack in Lewiston is open. Sun Spots called 207-783-0124 and spoke to staff at the store.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: Every year I have an abundance of rhubarb. It grows faster than I can use it or give it away. How would I go about canning or freezing it? It would be great to have on hand during the off season. — J. in Auburn.
ANSWER: To can rhubarb, wash tender young stalks and cut into half-inch pieces. Raw pack: pack tightly into hot jars and pour boiling heavy syrup to within one and one-half inches of jar top. Rotate jars between hands to remove air bubbles. Adjust lids. Process 15 minutes (pints or quarts) in a boiling water bath (212 degrees Fahrenheit). To make heavy syrup, measure 4-3/4 cups sugar and 4 cups water. Boil sugar and water together five minutes. Skim if necessary. This amount yields 6-1/2 cups heavy syrup. Hot pack: Add 1/2 cup sugar to each quart of rhubarb and let stand until juice appears. After juice appears, place rhubarb in pan on top of stove and simmer until hot. Fill jars carefully to prevent mushing, leaving one-half inch head space. Adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath (212 degrees Fahrenheit). Process 15 minutes (pints or quarts).
To freeze rhubarb (stalks or pieces), choose firm, tender, well-colored stalks with good flavor and few fibers. Wash, trim and cut into one or two-inch pieces or in lengths to fit the package. Heating rhubarb in boiling water for one minute and cooling promptly in cold water helps retain the color and flavor. Unsweetened pack: Pack either raw or preheated rhubarb tightly into containers without sugar. Leave head space. Seal and freeze. Syrup pack: Pack either raw or preheated rhubarb lightly into containers. Cover with syrup (3-1/2 cups sugar to one quart water). Leave head space. Seal and freeze.
DEAR READERS: Sun Spots does not print letters from individuals asking for items of value that they want for free. You must be willing to pay a reasonable fee for such items. Items that are considered of no value include empty baby food jars. Only requests from nonprofits for donated items will be printed. That has been our guideline for years. If you are writing as an individual and want others to donate their garage sale leftovers to you so that you can sell them at your own garage sale, we will not print your letter. Sun Spots suggests that you visit garage sales and ask the owners if you can have their leftover items. Some garage sale hosts are very happy to give away their leftover items at the end of their sale.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: Why does the Sun Journal no longer print an editorial page on Mondays? I find this page to be the most interesting page of the newspaper. — L.A. via online submission form.
ANSWER: The Sun Journal reduced the size of its Monday newspaper because it has less advertising than other days of the week. When we did, there was no longer space for the editorial page. We understand that some people are disappointed, but we do offer six other editorial pages during the week and usually three additional pages of opinion columns on Sundays.
Use the QR code to go to Sun Spots online for additional information and links. This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com, tweeted @SJ_SunSpots or posted on the Sun Spots facebook page at facebook.com/SunJournalSunSpots. This column can also be read online at sunjournal.com/sunspots. We’ve joined Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/sj_sunspots.
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