I highly recommend anyone dividing up any cheese, or just grabbing some for a recipe, DO NOT TOUCH the cheese with your bare hands, unless using it all. We have yeast on our skin, and if you touch cheese, that you want to last a long time, it transfers to that cheese, which causes it to mold faster. Pour out the amount of shredded cheese you want to use for a recipe, into a bowl of measuring cup, and reseal and put the remainder, back into the fridge. When dividing up large blocks of cheese, use rubber gloves, that you put on just before opening the sealed block of cheese. Putting gloves on too early defeats the purpose, as you touch things with yeast on it. Only keep out the block of cheese you're dividing, and keep the rest in the fridge. This advice is for those who use cheese sparingly, and want it to last long term. Yeast from the air, and your hands, is great for sourdough. It's not great if you want costly cheese to last long-term, and dread going to the fridge, to get cheese for a recipe , and find it moldy! Loved your haul video. Have you ever tried freezing the smaller blocks of goats milk cheese, after you divided it up? Wondering if blocks of cheese would freeze like shredded cheese does?
It sounds like you have some background in food service of some kind. Good tips! I haven't frozen it because we get through it in plenty of time. However, I have heard that freeze dried cheese makes a wonderfully crunchy keto snack. Guess what's next on my freeze dryer list??
So glad u mentioned the canning jars I am new to azure an seen them in flyer o my I can see how these are gonna be an amazing add to my canning thank you for sharing
My husband and I are a non-keto family of two with adult children and grandkids living close by, so we sometimes share meals with them. One of my daughter in laws has SEVERE celiac and once had a strong reaction because she ate a cookie I prepared without a speck of anything containing gluten. The only thing we could figure out was that my husband had purchased generic oatmeal instead of Quaker. I guess with generics they are not as comfortable with cross contamination! Now I am hyper careful when preparing her food and never serve her a generic anything. My husband and I love Costco and I love Azure Standard for my canning supplies. I also appreciate the organic and gluten free options from AS. I have digestive issues due to a lot of my GI tract being removed and AS sells a lot of items that include probiotics with active cultures. These type of items such as sour cream with active cultures are nearly twice the cost of the non-organic pasteurized versions. We’ve looked into Butcherbox but I don’t think we consume enough meat for that. Great video! Thanks!!!
Hi Carter. I just love your videos and escpecially when you go over what you pay. It is truly sickening here in Canada. We are taxed to death and our prices are outrageous. Just an example.. I needed 2 lbs of lean ground beef yesterday to make a big batch of cabbage rolls. It cost me 17.86 !! Here for 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs it is approx. 28.00 YES. My husband and I have decided that we need to start ordering freezer packages from our butcher. As you said you pay out what seems a lot at once BUT it is a great savings. It stops you from going to the store say for 2 things and coming out with 15 items. Happens to me everytime. I can all the time. As yourself when you get a deal you have to jump on it and just can it. Cheers
Hi Carter! I went to Costco in Memphis. No figs, but they do carry tri tip! I also spent about 200$ lol. I was out of bacon and chicken, the rest includes some frozen items and choice mayo ( the reason I actually went). I keep BB for the fish and pork, I have a wonderful source for beef that is grass fed, but I think it is grain finished locally! Art brought over a box of potatoes and melons, I spent the day peeling and making a potato base soup which I froze in quart containers. To each, I can add in the cream and extras to make broccoli potato cheddar, clam chowder, loaded potato soup etc. I got 13 quarts also made 11 quarts of tomato basil soup base for the freezer. Next on my list will be minestrone and then chicken noodle. Those should get me through the winter! My grandson and girlfriend were given 6 cases of canning jars while I was gone, and I was thrilled to find gallon jars and quarts when I got home. They are now all put into cupboards waiting for the right items lol. I may drive up to Amish for some squash this week, but other than that my canning is done until Oct Nov when Arts fall garden is ready. Tomatoes, peppers, spinach, kale, pumpkin. My BB is scheduled for Nov. I may change it to mid Oct and pick 6 and then choose fish and skirt steak rather than what I usually get. Their halibut and cod is amazing! I already get hb and bacon for life free as I've been with them for years. Until next week, can't wait to see what you've done. Connie
I picked up the albacore as well, but put it back as it was processed in Vietnam. I found a fisherman in Calif I buy it from instead. He catches it and processes it in Santa Cruz! I just feel safer with my fish that way! He also does salmon let me know if you are interested!
How is that the Memphis Costco has tri tip and mine doesn't it?? I was looking for ground buffalo last time, and the guy said they had no buffalo and no organic ground beef or waygu for a week because the suppliers couldn't keep up with the demand at our store. Crazy. All those soup bases sound great! Glad you're back at, although you're sounding very relaxed since your trip. Clearly you needed all that grandkid time. I'll try the halibut and cod from BB next time. I love both.
Put your peanut butter in the freezer, a few days before you need the new jar, put it in the fridge. Tastes as nice and fresh as the day you picked it up from the store. Only seems to work with the Costco Kirkland brand though. All the others I have tried taste like chalk. The Kirkland brand seems to be good even a year out when I defrost in the fridge.
Oh what a deal on the jars. I'm excited! Went to Costco yesterday. Picked up all the deals. I love sardines and the canned salmon and tuna are the best. After Amazon bought Sprouts the quality has never been the same. Now I know there will be some good canning videos ahead. Thank you Carter. Have a great week.
@@growandpreserve I don't know I thought so. Trucks always there to pick up food for delivery. The meat and produce quality went way down hill. Sprouts used to be my main grocery store. Not any more.
Carter you have no idea how badly I needed to view this video and how much it is truly appreciated. Thank you so much for it. I am both celiac and keto, and I've always wondered if in facr Azure Standard would be worth it for me to shop from. I currently shop from a combination of local stores, (Walmart, Aldi's & Sam's) at what I'd say to be pretty reasonable prices, but to say I'm burned out is an understatement! Again, thank you. You definitely have opened my eyes up to possibilities I most definitely have overlooked. ❤
I'm so glad it was helpful, ArkansasSquaw! Working around dietary issues really takes some effort, doesn't it? Especially with my need for goat's milk products, Azure has been such a blessing for me.
You did great I have never shopped at Costco as closest one is 2 hours but I love azure standard been shopping with them since 2018. I do use butcher box for chicken as I have not found anyone local but I buy my beef and lamb from local farmers. We get half a cow every 15 months
It sounds like you have it mastered. I don't know why local meats are so expensive here. There are farms everywhere here, including immediately across the street.
Almond flour is hard to come by where I live in rural Wisconsin, but now and again I will find 8 oz pouches for a pretty penny. Anyway, now rhat the holidays are around the corner, almond flour is the star ingredient in Italian "Ricciarelli" chewy cookies that are always a hit at Christmas dinners. I don't know if you have ever tried them, but if you haven't, you should. They're delicious! Here's the recipe from the food blog: An Italian In My Kitchen... 2 large egg whites zest of ½ orange or lemon ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon almond flavoring ¾ cup powdered/icing sugar 2 cups almond flour 1 pinch salt ¼ teaspoon baking powder EXTRAS ⅓-½ cup powdered/icing sugar (divided) Great haul! Azure is a godsend.
I purchased chickens this month from azure. Have not tried it, but looking forward to trying. Your butcher box looks great. I am single so that would last me a year. I have canned a lot of meat, but it is probably not as clean as I would like.
A lot of the meat I can isn't as clean as I would like it either, Mary. We do what we can. For me that means I buy the best I can for "fresh eating", and I can more affordable meats.
I've got those jars in my cart and I am so excited to get them!!! They are the perfect size for my spaghetti sauce. So many UA-camrs are talking about them and I was praying they wouldn't sell out. Just added some of those chickens to my Butcher Box order. Somehow I missed them as a deal when I was checking out the deals this month. Thanks!!
You're going to love the jars, Jennifer! Extra nice that they're on sale this month. Glad you got some chickens too. I hope to get mine taken care of this week.
OM Gosh goat butter! I too can only have goat product but have yet to find goat butter up here in Canada. Our stores have the mozza, cheddar and feta plus milk but never butter. I also stock pantry for 2 but pints & half pints are my best friend as I can't eat half the food I can for the husband. It's like I'm cooking 2 different meals every day & why I'm canning so much this year (makes it easy to make meals with winter flareups). Yesterday at grocery store I got $2 10lb bags of white potatoes, carrots and white onions. All to be canned but 1st the $10 half bushel of lovely red Sheppard( long and sweet) peppers. It's going to be a long few days & praying the fibro doesn't act up and cramp my style lol.
You got some crazy good deals on produce! Rest and take it easy as you go. All that chopping can get you. I hope you find goat butter at some point. It is so ridiculously good.
You could buy your all natural goats milk soap from Amish Farms for a lot less. I buy a bag of (5) 5 oz bars for $11.98. The bars are huge so I warm them on a piece of paper in the microwave and cut them into three pieces because my hands are really small and it makes it easier to handle.
I was excited about the new jars also and now have 2 cases. I also ordered the Superb lids to try them. I will say, I didn't have any issues on the Azure jars. Unfortunately, I had multiple seal failures on non-Azure jars. I will not be purchasing the Superb lids again.
I’m in the UK. Food in America appears to be much more expensive than in the UK. And I am greatly surprised at that Carter. The meat you have in your Butcher Box is probably double what I would pay.
Ouch. Food here has gotten very expensive, particularly if you want clean food that isn't pumped full of all the junk that's allowed here but not in the UK. Sorry state of affairs, isn't it?
Hey Carter can you possibly do a video on how you make the treats for your pets? If you make them in your freeze dryer can you also show a dehydrating version?
Thank you Carter. We gave up Costco's yrs ago. I crunched the numbers of what we were purchasing and then looked at sales in our 3-4 local grocers. It turned out for us, it wasn't worth keeping. I have friends that will pick up the few items I want there. Ive been on fence about Azure bc pick up is 45 minutes away and I can't lift a lot of things like I use to. I went to grocery store for few things, they had cases of Anchor hoking pint jars. I needed 2 cases, they were 15.99. I could've bought jars little cheaper elsewhere, I know, I paid for the laziness of convenience, LOL! I think since Azure does offer shipping I may look again at them!😊
As long as you've found what works for you, you're good! I had to really shift my habits when we moved here. In Atlanta, I had Costco, Publix, Kroger and Sprouts all within 2 miles. Here, I have an uber expensive Kroger a mile away. Everything else is on the complete opposite side of town. It took some getting used to!
Carter, it’s a mystery how you read my mind. Went to Costco yesterday and there were a few items I couldn’t find there. Later, I was checking out Azure Standard and considering placing my first order. Seeing the prices on food items I like and those pint and a half jars, which I can’t find anywhere, I think I’ll give them a go. Thanks for another great video and answering some of my questions. ❤️
You'll love Azure, Melodie! If you use the link at the very top of the description box, it will take you straight to the jars. They are on sale this month. Woohoo!
Thanks for reviewing your Azure Standard products. I buy for one. I do buy bulk, but I don't have to reorder the same products each month. Our drop is towards the end of September. I ordered jars also. ½ gallon, Pint & ½ and quarts. I was excited to get them on sale this month, but it I ordered jars w/o lids. I hope to try the goat milk butter next month.
Love the Azure haul. The 24oz jars are AMAZING!! I bought four of them as well and was willing to pay for the UPS shipping to my home since I’m not near a drop. They still came out cheaper than anything I could find locally.
Thanks so much for sharing all this iam in Bc Canada and don’t think we have any of this sure would be nice ,can’t wait to see what you do with all this looks so good
I don't think Azure delivers to your door, but someone on this thread mentioned that they do. BB delivers to my door. My Azure drop is only 10-15 minutes away, but it is one of those things that can be very inconvenient if you have a full schedule.
Hi Carter, wondering if you had a chance to try the Azure canning jars? I bought them at the same time you did, I canned some soups this week some using Ball, some ForJar and some of the Azure lids....two things i love right off the bat...1) the Azure jars are much heavier, which I love, and 2) the lids take a little longer to pop (ping), but I feel like the seal is so much better than Ball, Forjars is close second. Interested to know what you think. Love your videos as alway very inspiring ☺
Hey, Lu! Yes, I have used them twice so far, and I love them. I did weigh both the Azure and the Ball 24 oz jar. The Azure jar was 14g heavier than the Ball jar. I do also feel good about the seal with the Superb lids, but they do take longer to ping...but you can't miss it when they do! The only thing I don't like about the lids is that the logo is raised and dead center, where I want to label what's in the jar. I did break down and buy another batch of jars this month while they are on sale. Shocker, right?!
@@growandpreserve yes, you definitely can't miss the ping (surprised me a bit) I have already loaded my Azure cart for another 4 boxes. I wasn't keen on the raise label either, but love these jars/lids ....I figure I just work around that 😄
It's an expensive decision, so good that you are seeking info everywhere. We have the medium Harvest Right. It has been a bit of a mental hurdle for me to get past my normal go-tos of canning, freezing, fermenting and dehydrating, but now that I've seen what it can do, I'm pretty much freeze drying anything that isn't nailed down. The diced tomatoes I've been doing this Summer are just as fresh tasting as the day they were picked. Freeze dried peppers are my new snacks, and freeze dried onions might just be life changing for those of us with onion tears. I've done soups and Brunswick Stew, which rehydrated perfectly. I'm not enamored with steaks and hamburger that have been freeze dried because I *need* them to look like the medium rare they are. On the other hand, pot roast, pulled pork, chicken breasts all have turned out great. Functional recommendations...definitely get 2 sets of trays so you can keep the process moving along. Find a permanent spot in the freezer where you will do your pre-freezing. I bought additional shelves for my freezer that allow me to pre-freeze up to 6 trays without disturbing anything else in the freezer. I have both the silicone mats and parchment paper sheets to keep the sticky off the trays. I prefer the parchment paper. As far as size goes, I'm definitely glad I didn't get the small. The medium is probably the right size for us, because I can easily fill all the trays each run. During harvest season, a large would have been nice, but I would have had a hard time making room for pre-freezing large trays. I'm quickly running out of room for freeze dried foods, so I do need to find a solution for that. Last thing I'd add is that where you put it and how that fits into your life will be important. Mine is in a small storage area upstairs. That room can get very hot when the pump is running. I do have a fan in there, and I can open the window in the colder weather, but the heat can make the process take longer. I've heard folks say that the noise level is like that of a dishwasher, but I haven't found that to be the case. You don't want it in the main living area or where you watch tv or talk on the phone. Hope that helps. Here is my link for Harvest Right, if you are interested. affiliates.harvestright.com/2471.html
Thank you for the great detailed explanation of your shopping and what you buy where. I would love to freeze dry chicken for my dog but when I looked into the freeze dryers they are really big and really expensive. Do you have a recommended model that won't break the bank? I also have a fairly small kitchen so my counter and cupboard real estate is valuable.
Unfortunately, freeze dryers are all expensive. I asked for the Harvest Right medium freeze dryer for my 60th birthday. I couldn't believe my husband actually did it. If you ever do decide to get one, you do not want it in your kitchen. It is hot and louder than youtubers will tell you. Mine is upstairs and heats up 2 rooms. I have to close the door if I want to watch tv up there without cranking the volume over the freeze dryer. That said, I love my freeze dryer, and I have been making good use of it. Generally speaking Harvest Right's best price of the year is their Black Friday event which starts Nov 1 and runs through the month of November. Another thought...I heard recently that they now sometimes have refurbished models from folks who have traded up. I also heard someone the other day say she shares one with her neighbor, so they split the cost.
Hi Carter. I'm Jackie. I would be very interested to hear your review on the Azure Jars and Superb lids after you have canned in them 2 or 3 times! I've never shopped at Azure but have heard their food is high quality and would like to know if the jars are high quality, also? Thanks.
2 or 3 times in the same exact jars? It could take awhile to cycle through them. I've done a couple projects in them so far and love them. I called Azure to ask about the jars being made in China, and what they told me was that it was a decision made solely based on the exacting level of quality they were able to get that can't be matched at the moment in the US. Sad but true. They are solid, heavy weight jars, weighing in at 403g versus the 24 oz Ball jar at 389g. You can read their full statement in my last Community Post. I also asked if they were lead free. The answer was absolutely yes. I have placed another order for jars this month while they are on sale.. I will continue to review them as I can in them, but so far, so good. For the Superb lids, my only issue is that they put their name right in the center of the lid where I like to write the contents and date. Hope that helps!
Hi Carter, do you have a code to get the referral credit for Azure? I was planning on ordering the 24 oz jars from them and noticed on their website there is a $25 referral credit. Since I'll be new to Azure and never heard of them before your video, you should get the credit. Thanks.
They are, but here's the email they sent me about that when I called to ask. I am satisfied with it. I also asked if the jars were lead free, and she assured me that they were. Here is the statement we discussed by phone: We did extensive due diligence on where we could source glass jars that fit our stringent specifications. They are made in Asia (by a Taiwanese company who has a plant just across the border in China) because they needed to meet the rigorous specifications for commercial canning, not just home canning, as we are using the glass in our own canning facility. There are no US manufacturers who were able to meet the specifications we required for commercial canning. We were looking for zero breakage in shock tests for a 150° change in temperature. Down the road, our intent is to find a glass manufacturer who can meet the requirements we have. Right now, the only US company we found who may be able to meet the jar specs in the future is not able to discuss potential production until 2026. However, we will likely continue to have jars that are made in Asia, too, due to the extreme cost variants between US made and Asian made glass. Yours in Healthy & Abundant Living, Jessica H. Azure Customer Care Team Azure Standard 79709 Dufur Valley Rd Dufur OR 97021 Ph. 971-200-8350 www.azurestandard.com
@@growandpreserve Thank you, Carter, for doing your due diligence in this. I think this response from Azure explains away many concerns. Thank you again.
For some reason, you being able to enjoy cheese/yogurt, etc just makes me really happy.
Thank you, Theresa! It has been such a blessing to me to have cheese and yogurt back in my life.
I highly recommend anyone dividing up any cheese, or just grabbing some for a recipe, DO NOT TOUCH the cheese with your bare hands, unless using it all. We have yeast on our skin, and if you touch cheese, that you want to last a long time, it transfers to that cheese, which causes it to mold faster. Pour out the amount of shredded cheese you want to use for a recipe, into a bowl of measuring cup, and reseal and put the remainder, back into the fridge. When dividing up large blocks of cheese, use rubber gloves, that you put on just before opening the sealed block of cheese. Putting gloves on too early defeats the purpose, as you touch things with yeast on it. Only keep out the block of cheese you're dividing, and keep the rest in the fridge. This advice is for those who use cheese sparingly, and want it to last long term.
Yeast from the air, and your hands, is great for sourdough. It's not great if you want costly cheese to last long-term, and dread going to the fridge, to get cheese for a recipe , and find it moldy!
Loved your haul video.
Have you ever tried freezing the smaller blocks of goats milk cheese, after you divided it up? Wondering if blocks of cheese would freeze like shredded cheese does?
It sounds like you have some background in food service of some kind. Good tips! I haven't frozen it because we get through it in plenty of time. However, I have heard that freeze dried cheese makes a wonderfully crunchy keto snack. Guess what's next on my freeze dryer list??
So glad u mentioned the canning jars I am new to azure an seen them in flyer o my I can see how these are gonna be an amazing add to my canning thank you for sharing
My pleasure. You will love them!
My husband and I are a non-keto family of two with adult children and grandkids living close by, so we sometimes share meals with them. One of my daughter in laws has SEVERE celiac and once had a strong reaction because she ate a cookie I prepared without a speck of anything containing gluten. The only thing we could figure out was that my husband had purchased generic oatmeal instead of Quaker. I guess with generics they are not as comfortable with cross contamination! Now I am hyper careful when preparing her food and never serve her a generic anything. My husband and I love Costco and I love Azure Standard for my canning supplies. I also appreciate the organic and gluten free options from AS. I have digestive issues due to a lot of my GI tract being removed and AS sells a lot of items that include probiotics with active cultures. These type of items such as sour cream with active cultures are nearly twice the cost of the non-organic pasteurized versions. We’ve looked into Butcherbox but I don’t think we consume enough meat for that. Great video! Thanks!!!
It sounds like you've done excellent research, Julie!
Hi Carter. I just love your videos and escpecially when you go over what you pay. It is truly sickening here in Canada. We are taxed to death and our prices are outrageous. Just an example.. I needed 2 lbs of lean ground beef yesterday to make a big batch of cabbage rolls. It cost me 17.86 !! Here for 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs it is approx. 28.00 YES. My husband and I have decided that we need to start ordering freezer packages from our butcher. As you said you pay out what seems a lot at once BUT it is a great savings. It stops you from going to the store say for 2 things and coming out with 15 items. Happens to me everytime. I can all the time. As yourself when you get a deal you have to jump on it and just can it. Cheers
Oh, Sheila! Those prices are painful! I'm glad you're actively trying to work around them.
Hi Carter! I went to Costco in Memphis. No figs, but they do carry tri tip! I also spent about 200$ lol. I was out of bacon and chicken, the rest includes some frozen items and choice mayo ( the reason I actually went). I keep BB for the fish and pork, I have a wonderful source for beef that is grass fed, but I think it is grain finished locally! Art brought over a box of potatoes and melons, I spent the day peeling and making a potato base soup which I froze in quart containers. To each, I can add in the cream and extras to make broccoli potato cheddar, clam chowder, loaded potato soup etc. I got 13 quarts also made 11 quarts of tomato basil soup base for the freezer. Next on my list will be minestrone and then chicken noodle. Those should get me through the winter! My grandson and girlfriend were given 6 cases of canning jars while I was gone, and I was thrilled to find gallon jars and quarts when I got home. They are now all put into cupboards waiting for the right items lol.
I may drive up to Amish for some squash this week, but other than that my canning is done until Oct Nov when Arts fall garden is ready. Tomatoes, peppers, spinach, kale, pumpkin. My BB is scheduled for Nov. I may change it to mid Oct and pick 6 and then choose fish and skirt steak rather than what I usually get. Their halibut and cod is amazing!
I already get hb and bacon for life free as I've been with them for years. Until next week, can't wait to see what you've done. Connie
I picked up the albacore as well, but put it back as it was processed in Vietnam. I found a fisherman in Calif I buy it from instead. He catches it and processes it in Santa Cruz! I just feel safer with my fish that way! He also does salmon let me know if you are interested!
How is that the Memphis Costco has tri tip and mine doesn't it?? I was looking for ground buffalo last time, and the guy said they had no buffalo and no organic ground beef or waygu for a week because the suppliers couldn't keep up with the demand at our store. Crazy. All those soup bases sound great! Glad you're back at, although you're sounding very relaxed since your trip. Clearly you needed all that grandkid time. I'll try the halibut and cod from BB next time. I love both.
@@constancebeck2992 The tuna I bought was processed in Vietnam?
@@growandpreserve Memphis is TN Bbq territory lol
@@growandpreserve safe catch is processed there according to the can
Put your peanut butter in the freezer, a few days before you need the new jar, put it in the fridge. Tastes as nice and fresh as the day you picked it up from the store. Only seems to work with the Costco Kirkland brand though. All the others I have tried taste like chalk. The Kirkland brand seems to be good even a year out when I defrost in the fridge.
Interesting! I'll try that.
Oh what a deal on the jars. I'm excited! Went to Costco yesterday. Picked up all the deals. I love sardines and the canned salmon and tuna are the best.
After Amazon bought Sprouts the quality has never been the same.
Now I know there will be some good canning videos ahead. Thank you Carter. Have a great week.
So glad you're getting the jars, Donna. Amazon bought Sprouts??
@@growandpreserve I don't know I thought so. Trucks always there to pick up food for delivery. The meat and produce quality went way down hill. Sprouts used to be my main grocery store. Not any more.
Carter you have no idea how badly I needed to view this video and how much it is truly appreciated. Thank you so much for it.
I am both celiac and keto, and I've always wondered if in facr Azure Standard would be worth it for me to shop from. I currently shop from a combination of local stores, (Walmart, Aldi's & Sam's) at what I'd say to be pretty reasonable prices, but to say I'm burned out is an understatement!
Again, thank you. You definitely have opened my eyes up to possibilities I most definitely have overlooked. ❤
I'm so glad it was helpful, ArkansasSquaw! Working around dietary issues really takes some effort, doesn't it? Especially with my need for goat's milk products, Azure has been such a blessing for me.
You did great I have never shopped at Costco as closest one is 2 hours but I love azure standard been shopping with them since 2018. I do use butcher box for chicken as I have not found anyone local but I buy my beef and lamb from local farmers. We get half a cow every 15 months
It sounds like you have it mastered. I don't know why local meats are so expensive here. There are farms everywhere here, including immediately across the street.
Almond flour is hard to come by where I live in rural Wisconsin, but now and again I will find 8 oz pouches for a pretty penny.
Anyway, now rhat the holidays are around the corner, almond flour is the star ingredient in Italian "Ricciarelli" chewy cookies that are always a hit at Christmas dinners.
I don't know if you have ever tried them, but if you haven't, you should. They're delicious!
Here's the recipe from the food blog: An Italian In My Kitchen...
2 large egg whites
zest of ½ orange or lemon
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond flavoring
¾ cup powdered/icing sugar
2 cups almond flour
1 pinch salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
EXTRAS
⅓-½ cup powdered/icing sugar (divided)
Great haul! Azure is a godsend.
Those sound like some good cookies! I've marked the recipe!
I just purchased 2 cases of pint and 1/2 jars with lids and bands. Can't wait to receive them. First time ordering from them.
Woohoo! You are going to love the jars and Azure.
Carter I’m with you over the jars! They are the perfect size! Love Superb lids as well
Yes they are!
I purchased chickens this month from azure. Have not tried it, but looking forward to trying. Your butcher box looks great. I am single so that would last me a year. I have canned a lot of meat, but it is probably not as clean as I would like.
A lot of the meat I can isn't as clean as I would like it either, Mary. We do what we can. For me that means I buy the best I can for "fresh eating", and I can more affordable meats.
I've got those jars in my cart and I am so excited to get them!!! They are the perfect size for my spaghetti sauce. So many UA-camrs are talking about them and I was praying they wouldn't sell out. Just added some of those chickens to my Butcher Box order. Somehow I missed them as a deal when I was checking out the deals this month. Thanks!!
You're going to love the jars, Jennifer! Extra nice that they're on sale this month. Glad you got some chickens too. I hope to get mine taken care of this week.
OM Gosh goat butter! I too can only have goat product but have yet to find goat butter up here in Canada. Our stores have the mozza, cheddar and feta plus milk but never butter. I also stock pantry for 2 but pints & half pints are my best friend as I can't eat half the food I can for the husband. It's like I'm cooking 2 different meals every day & why I'm canning so much this year (makes it easy to make meals with winter flareups). Yesterday at grocery store I got $2 10lb bags of white potatoes, carrots and white onions. All to be canned but 1st the $10 half bushel of lovely red Sheppard( long and sweet) peppers. It's going to be a long few days & praying the fibro doesn't act up and cramp my style lol.
You got some crazy good deals on produce! Rest and take it easy as you go. All that chopping can get you. I hope you find goat butter at some point. It is so ridiculously good.
You could buy your all natural goats milk soap from Amish Farms for a lot less. I buy a bag of (5) 5 oz bars for $11.98. The bars are huge so I warm them on a piece of paper in the microwave and cut them into three pieces because my hands are really small and it makes it easier to handle.
Nice! I have been to 2 Amish areas around here, but neither was anything like I see online in other areas. I need to keep looking.
Amish Farms, is that a brand?
I was excited about the new jars also and now have 2 cases. I also ordered the Superb lids to try them. I will say, I didn't have any issues on the Azure jars. Unfortunately, I had multiple seal failures on non-Azure jars. I will not be purchasing the Superb lids again.
Interesting!
I’m in the UK.
Food in America appears to be much more expensive than in the UK.
And I am greatly surprised at that Carter.
The meat you have in your Butcher Box is probably double what I would pay.
Ouch. Food here has gotten very expensive, particularly if you want clean food that isn't pumped full of all the junk that's allowed here but not in the UK. Sorry state of affairs, isn't it?
WOW that is an amazing price on the jars. I may need to order some of those.
I saw today that they are on sale this month. The first link in the description box below will take you right to them.
We appreciate you Carter ❤
Thank you, Linda!
Hey Carter can you possibly do a video on how you make the treats for your pets? If you make them in your freeze dryer can you also show a dehydrating version?
I might do that at some point. Thanks for the idea.
Thank you Carter. We gave up Costco's yrs ago. I crunched the numbers of what we were purchasing and then looked at sales in our 3-4 local grocers. It turned out for us, it wasn't worth keeping. I have friends that will pick up the few items I want there. Ive been on fence about Azure bc pick up is 45 minutes away and I can't lift a lot of things like I use to. I went to grocery store for few things, they had cases of Anchor hoking pint jars. I needed 2 cases, they were 15.99. I could've bought jars little cheaper elsewhere, I know, I paid for the laziness of convenience, LOL! I think since Azure does offer shipping I may look again at them!😊
As long as you've found what works for you, you're good! I had to really shift my habits when we moved here. In Atlanta, I had Costco, Publix, Kroger and Sprouts all within 2 miles. Here, I have an uber expensive Kroger a mile away. Everything else is on the complete opposite side of town. It took some getting used to!
Enjoyed your video! I always learn alot! ❤
Thanks!
This was helpful, thank you. I am please to see prices do appear to be leveling and coming down. We got some good deals at Costco this week.
Carter, it’s a mystery how you read my mind. Went to Costco yesterday and there were a few items I couldn’t find there. Later, I was checking out Azure Standard and considering placing my first order. Seeing the prices on food items I like and those pint and a half jars, which I can’t find anywhere, I think I’ll give them a go. Thanks for another great video and answering some of my questions. ❤️
You'll love Azure, Melodie! If you use the link at the very top of the description box, it will take you straight to the jars. They are on sale this month. Woohoo!
Thanks for reviewing your Azure Standard products. I buy for one. I do buy bulk, but I don't have to reorder the same products each month. Our drop is towards the end of September. I ordered jars also. ½ gallon, Pint & ½ and quarts. I was excited to get them on sale this month, but it I ordered jars w/o lids. I hope to try the goat milk butter next month.
You will love me for the goat milk butter suggestion! So glad you got the jars on sale.
Love the Azure haul. The 24oz jars are AMAZING!! I bought four of them as well and was willing to pay for the UPS shipping to my home since I’m not near a drop. They still came out cheaper than anything I could find locally.
Brilliant! So glad you got some.
Really great video Carter. Thanks.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for sharing all this iam in Bc Canada and don’t think we have any of this sure would be nice ,can’t wait to see what you do with all this looks so good
I wish you had similar options.
Thank you Carter! Looking forward to finding out what the tamarind paste is for!
Coming soon!
Great video
Thank you!
I love butcher box. ❤ azure delivers to your door? If so, i cant wait to try!❤
I don't think Azure delivers to your door, but someone on this thread mentioned that they do. BB delivers to my door. My Azure drop is only 10-15 minutes away, but it is one of those things that can be very inconvenient if you have a full schedule.
Just checked those jars on Amazon and there $31 for 6 jars so start the car
Yikes!
Hello I’m a new friend to your channel ❤love you content ❤
Thanks and welcome!
Hi Carter, wondering if you had a chance to try the Azure canning jars? I bought them at the same time you did, I canned some soups this week some using Ball, some ForJar and some of the Azure lids....two things i love right off the bat...1) the Azure jars are much heavier, which I love, and 2) the lids take a little longer to pop (ping), but I feel like the seal is so much better than Ball, Forjars is close second. Interested to know what you think. Love your videos as alway very inspiring ☺
Hey, Lu! Yes, I have used them twice so far, and I love them. I did weigh both the Azure and the Ball 24 oz jar. The Azure jar was 14g heavier than the Ball jar. I do also feel good about the seal with the Superb lids, but they do take longer to ping...but you can't miss it when they do! The only thing I don't like about the lids is that the logo is raised and dead center, where I want to label what's in the jar. I did break down and buy another batch of jars this month while they are on sale. Shocker, right?!
@@growandpreserve yes, you definitely can't miss the ping (surprised me a bit) I have already loaded my Azure cart for another 4 boxes. I wasn't keen on the raise label either, but love these jars/lids ....I figure I just work around that 😄
Don’t know if you have showed your freeze dryer. We are considering purchasing one. Any recommendations would be great. Thanks Carter
It's an expensive decision, so good that you are seeking info everywhere. We have the medium Harvest Right. It has been a bit of a mental hurdle for me to get past my normal go-tos of canning, freezing, fermenting and dehydrating, but now that I've seen what it can do, I'm pretty much freeze drying anything that isn't nailed down. The diced tomatoes I've been doing this Summer are just as fresh tasting as the day they were picked. Freeze dried peppers are my new snacks, and freeze dried onions might just be life changing for those of us with onion tears. I've done soups and Brunswick Stew, which rehydrated perfectly. I'm not enamored with steaks and hamburger that have been freeze dried because I *need* them to look like the medium rare they are. On the other hand, pot roast, pulled pork, chicken breasts all have turned out great. Functional recommendations...definitely get 2 sets of trays so you can keep the process moving along. Find a permanent spot in the freezer where you will do your pre-freezing. I bought additional shelves for my freezer that allow me to pre-freeze up to 6 trays without disturbing anything else in the freezer. I have both the silicone mats and parchment paper sheets to keep the sticky off the trays. I prefer the parchment paper. As far as size goes, I'm definitely glad I didn't get the small. The medium is probably the right size for us, because I can easily fill all the trays each run. During harvest season, a large would have been nice, but I would have had a hard time making room for pre-freezing large trays. I'm quickly running out of room for freeze dried foods, so I do need to find a solution for that. Last thing I'd add is that where you put it and how that fits into your life will be important. Mine is in a small storage area upstairs. That room can get very hot when the pump is running. I do have a fan in there, and I can open the window in the colder weather, but the heat can make the process take longer. I've heard folks say that the noise level is like that of a dishwasher, but I haven't found that to be the case. You don't want it in the main living area or where you watch tv or talk on the phone. Hope that helps. Here is my link for Harvest Right, if you are interested. affiliates.harvestright.com/2471.html
anxious to see your tamarind paste recipe.
Thank you for the great detailed explanation of your shopping and what you buy where. I would love to freeze dry chicken for my dog but when I looked into the freeze dryers they are really big and really expensive. Do you have a recommended model that won't break the bank? I also have a fairly small kitchen so my counter and cupboard real estate is valuable.
Unfortunately, freeze dryers are all expensive. I asked for the Harvest Right medium freeze dryer for my 60th birthday. I couldn't believe my husband actually did it. If you ever do decide to get one, you do not want it in your kitchen. It is hot and louder than youtubers will tell you. Mine is upstairs and heats up 2 rooms. I have to close the door if I want to watch tv up there without cranking the volume over the freeze dryer. That said, I love my freeze dryer, and I have been making good use of it. Generally speaking Harvest Right's best price of the year is their Black Friday event which starts Nov 1 and runs through the month of November. Another thought...I heard recently that they now sometimes have refurbished models from folks who have traded up. I also heard someone the other day say she shares one with her neighbor, so they split the cost.
How long does the Goat's Milk Cheese -- vacuum sealed -- stay fresh for you in the refrigerator?
Hard to say. I've never hit that point. It's stayed fresh through the last bag.
Hi Carter 💜
Hi Annie! All okay where you are?
Thank you!
You're welcome!
I'm in Canada, I also love those Jars, I had to order from Walmart online and Have them delivered. $29.95 Plus $7.99 delivery 😢
Ouch, Leona! I am glad you were able to get them in Canada, but the price you have to pay is tough!
@@growandpreserve It was rough, I could only afford 1case. Always wanted them, and now at least I have 12 🙂
Hi Carter. I'm Jackie. I would be very interested to hear your review on the Azure Jars and Superb lids after you have canned in them 2 or 3 times! I've never shopped at Azure but have heard their food is high quality and would like to know if the jars are high quality, also? Thanks.
2 or 3 times in the same exact jars? It could take awhile to cycle through them. I've done a couple projects in them so far and love them. I called Azure to ask about the jars being made in China, and what they told me was that it was a decision made solely based on the exacting level of quality they were able to get that can't be matched at the moment in the US. Sad but true. They are solid, heavy weight jars, weighing in at 403g versus the 24 oz Ball jar at 389g. You can read their full statement in my last Community Post. I also asked if they were lead free. The answer was absolutely yes. I have placed another order for jars this month while they are on sale.. I will continue to review them as I can in them, but so far, so good. For the Superb lids, my only issue is that they put their name right in the center of the lid where I like to write the contents and date. Hope that helps!
How much did you pay for shipping on the azure order?
It was $27.52 and included in the total I gave.
It all looks great but why don’t you buy locally
I would love to, but farmer's markets and local ranches are extraordinarily expensive here.
Hi Carter, do you have a code to get the referral credit for Azure? I was planning on ordering the 24 oz jars from them and noticed on their website there is a $25 referral credit. Since I'll be new to Azure and never heard of them before your video, you should get the credit. Thanks.
Thank you so much! Here it is: www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=f02bfac227
The Azure jars MADE that haul..
Indeed they did! Well, that and the goat butter!
I had butcherbox but like wild pastures better
Interesting. I haven't tried Wild Pastures. I'll look at it. Anything particular you like better about it?
Those Azure canning jars are made in China 😢😢😢
They are, but here's the email they sent me about that when I called to ask. I am satisfied with it. I also asked if the jars were lead free, and she assured me that they were.
Here is the statement we discussed by phone:
We did extensive due diligence on where we could source glass jars that fit our stringent specifications. They are made in Asia (by a Taiwanese company who has a plant just across the border in China) because they needed to meet the rigorous specifications for commercial canning, not just home canning, as we are using the glass in our own canning facility. There are no US manufacturers who were able to meet the specifications we required for commercial canning. We were looking for zero breakage in shock tests for a 150° change in temperature. Down the road, our intent is to find a glass manufacturer who can meet the requirements we have. Right now, the only US company we found who may be able to meet the jar specs in the future is not able to discuss potential production until 2026. However, we will likely continue to have jars that are made in Asia, too, due to the extreme cost variants between US made and Asian made glass.
Yours in Healthy & Abundant Living,
Jessica H.
Azure Customer Care Team
Azure Standard 79709 Dufur Valley Rd
Dufur OR 97021 Ph. 971-200-8350
www.azurestandard.com
@@growandpreserve Thank you, Carter, for doing your due diligence in this. I think this response from Azure explains away many concerns. Thank you again.