Dried Green Bean Help Please

[Mama Mangia]

A note from Mama -

I always store everything that I dry in GLASS containers - not plastic and certainly not plastic bags - and I keep them in my pantry.

[KYHeirloomer]

I know sunlight isn't good for dried foods, Mama. But sometimes you put head knowledge aside.

A row of canning jars, each filled with a different colored dried tomatoes, is as pretty a picture as any kitchen can have; even prettier than a row of jars holding assorted beans.

But yeah, as a general rule, store dried foods in glass (I like the half-gallon Mason jars for that purpose) and as much out of sunlight as possible.

[chubbyalaskagriz]

One benefit to working forever in commercial kitchens was being able to easily collect a bounty of glass half-gallon & one-gallon jars from items like sweet relish, thousand island dressing & marischino cherries.

Today they line my kitchen counter, pantry, bathroom vanity and garage shelves filled with everything from flour & sugar, to graham cracker crumbs & macaroni, to Q-tips & sponges, to aqaurium gravel & potting soil!

[jglass]

Thanks everyone.
I wasnt sure what texture I should go for with tomatoes but you guys took care of my questions.
I think I will go with the glass jars to store them. I always have tons of them for storing my dried herbs in the cabinet.

[Mama Mangia]

I love to "collect" glass jars - not all of course - but they are good to use in the freezer as well for freezing broths, soups, sauces. It was quite disappointing when they changed the quart mayo bottles to plastic.

But glass jars can be used for so much! And for that decorative touch - cut rounds of pretty material for covering the caps and a pretty sticker adds for show.

[jglass]

Jon and his Dad took me to see the old house where Jons Dad grew up.
They showed me the root cellar where his Mom stored all kinds of things she had preserved in crocks and jars. What I would give to have some of those old crocks and jars for keep sakes. I could just picture them at the time all lined up on the walls of that old cellar.

[Mama Mangia]

I have some of what had been passed down - not many - and I do cherish them! I love the old country kitchens with the old nickel stoves!

[chubbyalaskagriz]

janie's story of the old jars and crocks bring many memories to the fire-mind... Does anyone know the history of why many older glass mason jars were that wonderful blue/green color (versus the clear that we have today)?

[KYHeirloomer]

I used to know a lot about Mason jars. But, alas, so much is gone.

If I recall correctly, wasn't it serindipitous? Something about minerals in the sand used for making the glass?

[chubbyalaskagriz]

The Kenai River on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula is a beautiful vivid emerald-green. This results from the refraction of the sun off the silver glacier silt on the floor of the river. SPECTACULAR to see. Your sand in the glass idea brought this to mind, KYH...