Really Useful Thing

When you are involved in as much food prep in the house as S.D. and I are, often your largest dishes and serving items are just not big enough to do the job.  I found a large chafing dish as a garbage score a couple years ago, and it owes us nothing at this point!  It's big enough to start a double batch of pickles (10# of squash), sort grapes in, process crabapples, and do quite a number of other things.  I highly recommend having one on hand, and we'll likely be going to a restaurant supply house to get another rather soon.

Another incredibly useful thing has been the large capacity Nesco roaster.  With the roaster, we have been able to pre-cook meats for canning, reduce plum and peaches for butters, and take the pan out to thaw wine making fruit in.  It has the added bonus of not heating the house up as it works.

So, big pans are always a help when it comes to prepping your stores, and roasters can take the burn factor out of making fruit butters.  A good thing to keep in mind.