I guess I'm still having a little trouble understanding how this
whole system works. Let's say you have a hot jar you just
filled with hot jelly (and wiped the rim). Now, you put one of
these cello disks over the jar and pull the edges down and
hold with rubber bands to the jar. From my (limited)
experience with cellophane, I wouldn't expect it to seal
very well to the rim. Or does it soften when it gets that
hot? (But not soften so much as to tear.)

Or is there some magical coating on these cellophane
disks, like maybe paraffin? I've seen a material called
Parafilm (I think), which is used to cover laboratory glassware.
This stuff is stretchy at room temperature and seals
very well (keeps flasks and beakers sterile, etc), but
I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take the heat of a hot
jelly jar. However, if the cello doesn't work by itself,
I'm thinking that a layer of this stuff against the rim
would melt and make the seal, and a second layer
of cello would provide strength.

Or maybe a clay lid, with Parafilm under it as a seal?




Bob Masta
dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom



The cellophane wrap is not meant for "canning"
type long term storage,
just to keep it in the pot til you give it away.
You can use it for long term storage, but you will want
to put a layer of wax on top of your jelly, at which
point the cello becomes
simply a dust seal, and decorative.

If you want long term storage, then make a lid, and
"glue" it to the top of the pot with wax
(or Parafilm) while everything
is hot. The vacuum created while cooling will "seal"
it nicely. I have found (I've done some experimenting)
that a "ring" of wax applied to the underside of the lid
and allowed to cool will again melt and seal to the rim
of the pot, assuming the pot is of sufficient temp, as it
would be once filled with hot jelly.

This all assumes that your pot and lid are vitrified
enough to be airtight. You will probably want to glaze
the inside (underside) of the lid to be sure.

I remember my grandmother canning in her kitchen.
When she ran out of rubber rings for the glass tops
she used, she would put some wax on the lids, and
seal it that way, which is where I suspect my "idea"
came from. Isn't it amazing what you
remember after 40 years:)

Hope that helps,

Wayne Seidl