Summary

Douglas Pilarski, a writer from Portland, shares his passion for and practical approach to jar collection, emphasizing their utility in food storage and preservation.

Abstract

In an article titled "Confessions of a Jar Collector," Douglas Pilarski delves into his methodical approach to collecting and utilizing glass jars for food storage. He emphasizes the benefits of using jars for extending the shelf life of fresh ingredients like crema, hummus, and various peppers. Pilarski also humorously laments the resilience of jar labels and the occasional loss of lids, while advocating for the respect and proper use of jars and their components. The piece is not only a testament to the versatility of jars in the kitchen but also a personal narrative of how this practice has become integral to his lifestyle.

Opinions

Pilarski believes that jar labels are unnecessarily difficult to remove, humorously suggesting they are designed to withstand extreme conditions.
He values the freshness and convenience that storing food in j

Confessions of a Jar Collector

A pickle jar label does not need to survive a scud missile attack

Jars held in a secret location, waiting for deployment photo by the author

I collect jars. If you saved the salsa jar after you finished it off and now keep it under the sink waiting for re-deployment. We understand each other.

I cook. I buy everything fresh. That means I have to store everything. I have been doing for so long it is now a way of life.

I buy fresh crema from the Mexican grocery store. It comes in a one-pound plastic container scooped up from the bin. When I get it home, it goes into a glass jar and into the fridge. I can keep it at least 8–9 days that way, and it is always ready and easy to use.

Hummus goes right into a jar from the blender. Topped off with olive oil and into the fridge. Ready when I want to eat it. Perfect.

One more thing. I need to talk to the person who makes the glue to affix the labels onto the damn glass jar. Are you proud of your glue, dude? A pickle jar label does not need to survive a scud missile attack.

Habaneros get the same treatment after a quick rinse and packing with a wet paper towel to keep them cold and wet. 10 or 12 peppers like this keep about a week, and they get chopped and thrown in everything.

Black olives out the can, into a jar.

Marinated jalapenos have their own jar that is full of peppers. Stays cold. I leave the brine and keep refilling it. I drop an onion or handful of shallots into the brine, which will pickle them over a week or so.

Any leftover grilled onions for the morning omelet goes into a jar. Jars keep better than plastic.

When I make salsas, sauces, dips, storage is so easy. Flax seeds, oats, and quinoa all have designated jars.

I have a couple of tall empties that I use to store celery stalks. After washing, I cut to length and leave them in the jar in the fridge. Works great.

How many jars I have I am not at liberty to say. I do keep an inventory. Shapes and sizes, yes. How many, well. If I tell ya, I will have to …you know.

Salt and pepper? I recycled old vinegar bottles that look like a bulb with a long neck. Washed them out. Let’em dry. Filled with pepper and kosher salt, and I am in business.

I also have others for flavoring small quantities of olive oil. EVOO and crushed red pepper, one with EVOO and fresh garlic. PSA, use the EVOO with crushed garlic right away. Keeping it over a long time invites botulism. Ain’t nobody got time for botulism.

I have a large pickle jar. I use it when I make pickled peppers in the fridge. When not pickling, I used it to store fresh basil sprigs I get from the Asian grocery.

I keep my jars hidden and out of sight. My jar count is nobody’s business but my own. Jars of specific shapes work best. I like large volume jars with a wide mouth. I have several jars with no lids.

Actually, 6.753 jars are still not paired with their original lids. I threw that in. I don’t know what got into me. I don’t actually know how many are missing their lids. You have to believe me.

Sometimes jar lids get thrown away and not by accident. When this happens, harshly-worded memos get fired-off. Offenders must respect the jars and lids of others. Throwing away the lid is the most common response to the genius of saving jars. One must always keep an eye on the resistance. They lurk.

Often straggling lids show up in a few days and get reunited with the correct jar. Some lids fit jars that did not start their life together. That they were not a pair originally, but work later is a bonus. I am currently working on a name for this phenomenon. N.B. Once I figure it a name, it will remain secret, sorry. Let something big like that out, and next thing you know.

Oh, the pepperoncini in your fridge, you have plans for the jar when ah…you know… when they’re gone?

* * ***

Douglas Pilarski is a writer/journalist living in Portland. He covers luxury goods, lifestyle, exotic cars, CJ-CX, workplace issues, food, horology, and tech. He is a regular contributor to medium.com

sawyertms.com \\ [email protected] \\ medium.com/@dpilarski

IG: sawyertms1 \\ @realsawyertms \\ @dpatlarge

Confessions of a Jar Collector

*** *** ***

*** *** ***

* * ***

* * ***