Page 10
The INDEPENDENT, September 5, 2012
Salsa canning
requires safety
Between the Bookends
By Susan Cackler, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
At Banks Public
Library, back-to-
school also means
back-to-Storytime.
We are embarking
on a search for a
new reader, but in
the mean time,
Rick Samuelson,
the
Washington
County Coopera-
tive Library Services youth services librari-
an, will fill in for the month of September.
Preschool Storytime is designed for youth
three to six years old, but siblings are wel-
come. Storytime is on Wednesdays at
10:15 a.m. in the library. Themes will be
the following:
September 12
Friends
September 19
Bugs
September 26
Big Bad Wolf
While we have implemented many
changes, there are still a few coming in the
future. This month we are adding the abili-
ty to accept payment by credit card. Also,
the library will be getting a self-check ma-
chine which will allow patrons to check out
their own materials.
The Friends of the Banks Public Library
are working on fundraising for Phase II of
the Banks Public Library Expansion Pro-
ject. Phase II is necessary to restore the
community meeting space and meet the
terms of CDBG (grant) contract obligation.
It will also provide flexible space for pre-
school storytime, summer reading and oth-
er library programs, and increase the tech-
nological capabilities for long distance
learning and interactive multi-media com-
munication. If you would like to contribute
or help out with this campaign, call the li-
brary at 503 324-1382.
Join us for craft night Wednesday, Sep-
tember 12, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the li-
brary. We have just enough room to set up
some tables in the library space and get to
work. Enjoy some lively conversation while
you work on your favorite craft. Come and
meet some new friends or visit with old
ones while using the library’s work space.
You may find knitters, scrapbookers, quil-
ters and maybe even a tatter or two. If you
would like to be on an e-mail reminder list
for craft night, call the library with your
name and e-mail.
On the Shelf:
The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott. In this
novel, an aspiring dressmaker is lucky
enough to be hired by a famous designer
and taken aboard the Titanic. Of course,
disaster strikes and Tess barely survives.
Her new boss also survives and soon
there are rumors that Lady Duff Gordon
may have saved herself at the expense of
others. Tess is torn between loyalty to her
new boss and the possibility that the sto-
ries are true. Through it all, she still hopes
to realize her dream of becoming a skilled
dressmaker. This is an historical novel, rich
in details from the period, including some
courtroom scenes.
Weight Watchers One Pot Cookbook.
Many times a busy cook needs a meal that
comes together simply and quickly. This
book is full of such recipes and is organ-
ized around the different one-pot possibili-
ties. Hence, there is a chapter on meals in
a bowl, in a wok, in a roasting pan, in a
slow cooker and so on. For the most part,
the recipes are simple and the ingredients
are easy to find. There are many old fa-
vorites, but also some new flavor twists.
There is even a chapter on dessert! This is
a Weight Watchers cookbook, so many of
the ingredients are low-fat or reduced calo-
rie, but the recipes are adaptable even for
those not trying to lose weight or not willing
to use some substitutes.
Some Assembly Required, a Journal of
My Son’s First Son by Anne Lamott with
Sam Lamott. In careful and often hilarious
detail, Anne and Sam write about strug-
gling to balance their new roles as grand-
parent and parent. Anne writes about the
complex feelings that Jax, her grandson,
foster in her and recalls her experiences
with Sam when she was a single mother.
Sam recounts his own transformation from
son to father. Over the course of the year,
the rhythms of life, death, family and
friends unfold in surprising and joyful
ways.
Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street.
Hours: Mon., Fri., Sat., 11 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Tue., Wed., Thu., 11 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays,
10:15 a.m.
Phone: (503 ) 324-1382 for information
Internet: www.wccls.org Browse library
resources, reserve or renew mate-
rials online. Call for information.
WINTER’S COMING
GOT WOOD?
MS 250
Chain Saw
RELIABLE
w/18” bar
MS 290
Chain Saw
DEPENDABLE
MS 250 Chain Saw
A high power-to-weight ratio makes this
one of the best homeowner chain saws
on the market.
Starting at
$
399 95
MS 290 Chain Saw
Our most popular model. Designed for
rugged farm use.
PRECISION OUTD OOR
POWER EQUIPMENT
Banks Hardware
503-324-5221 • 150 N. Main St., Banks
• Mon - Fri 8am to 6pm
• Saturday 8am to 5pm
• Sunday 10am to 4pm
From page 8
other or mild peppers for
chilies. Do not increase the to-
tal amount (pounds or cups) of
peppers in any recipe. This re-
sults in a change of final acidity
of the mixture and potentially
unsafe canned salsa. Be sure
to wear plastic or rubber gloves
when handling hot peppers and
do not touch your face, particu-
larly the area around the eyes!
If you do not wear gloves, wash
hands thoroughly with soap
and water before touching your
face or eyes.
Red and yellow onions may
be substituted for each other,
but do not increase the total
amount of onions called for in
the recipe – again, this
changes the final acidity level
of the salsa and can create an
unsafe canned product.
Acidic ingredients, like vine-
gar, lemon juice or lime juice
help preserve canned salsa.
Unfortunately, USDA research
has not been able to calculate
a safe canned salsa that tastes
similar to the fresh salsas we
are accustomed to. Salsa
recipes for home canning have
larger amounts of vinegar or
lemon juice, which create a
more acidic flavor. It’s impor-
tant that the amount of acid in
the recipe is never reduced.
While an equal amount of bot-
See Salsa on page 14