I am quite sure everyone has noticed that it is giftmas time again. I have been buying my share of holiday gifts for friends, family, co-workers.. Wait, co-workers? Who needs another coffee cup warmer, desktop calendar or more packets of hot cocoa.. Well, okay, maybe we all need more hot cocoa. Considering that and the fact that my credit cards began barking at me every time I open my wallet I decided to give my co-workers home-made gifts. I make pretty damn good tomato sauce (if I do say so myself) and that sounds like a perfect gift. Little jars of kasia-sauce!

First things first.. the jars. Connecticut is the land of SUVs, yuppies and Martha Stewart wannabes, should be easy to find adorable jars with tartan-pattern lids to give as gifts! So begins the great jar quest of 2003.

First suspect: "Bed, bath and beyond". It's a super-store filled with useful things like flower-covered garlic presses, cotton-candy makers and George Foreman, lean, mean grilling machines. But not canning jars.

Next: "Linens and things", a clone of the previous suspect in nearly every aspect including location (across the street from each other). This was great.. I was busy perusing the canisters, bottles and other assorted storage devices when my eyes fell on an unassuming box with a blue-white checker pattern. Bells rang, sun shone and angels sang as I read the words on the box..

"Home canning kit"

!!!

"Includes seven necessary home canning supplies".

Seven, okay, so that's what.. 4 jars a book and some tongs or something? No problem, I'll buy three boxes! I greedily read the tiny print that listed the contents..

Jar rack. Neat. Funnel, that's useful. Lid lifter, yah, need that. Sure-grip-jar-wrench, okay, why not. Tongs, figured. A ladle, well okay, already have one but one can never have too many of those. Complete instruction booklet. Uhm, wait.. where are the jars?

No jars

No problem, don't panic, they have a kit, they must have jars.. I grabbed the nearest gum-chewing teenager draped in a branded apron.

"Jars! Do you have jars?"
"Sure" She waved at canisters.
I whispered through clenched teeth.. "Those are canisters.. "
"yah? Isn't that like jars and stuff?" So young.. so innocent, so unexposed to the Food Network.
"I need jars for canning" Imagine me desperately gesticulating the whole time.
"You need cans? We don't sell cans."
"Nevermind" with an exasperated sigh.

Moving on.

Pier I, they have weirdo stuff. Nothing. Jo-Ann's crafts. Nada. Micheal's crafts. Zip. William Sonoma, for the serious cook, nothing. Apple store, new AC adapter for the powerbook (I wanted an extra). Dozen other "home supply and craft stores". No jars. I went to store, after store, after store.. my god, I went to Walmart. Still.. no jars.. At this time I concluded Martha Stewart must have sold her soul to the devil for canning jars.. no other explanation why she has them and I don't!

Concluding my shopping for the day.. visited Filene's to buy the gift my mom requested (sort of, I took liberties with her wishes).. more by habit than with hope I walked by the kitchen section of the store.. A lovely lady offered her assistance. She had beautiful curly, black hair and a thick accent.. obviously not a native what could she know about the marthastewartesque method of giving gifts in quaint little jars? Yet some flicker of hope remained..

"Long shot, but would you have canning jars?"
"No."
"Didn't think so, thank you"
"Wait!"

My heart palpitated, I waited.

"Stop&Shop, that's where I buy mine!"
"Stop&Shop?" this is the grocery store I go to several times a week for my basic food needs.
"yes, just ask them!"

I felt it would be too much to declare my love to her. Would it be too much if I went back there with a home-made jar of tomato sauce (with mushrooms) before christmas? The same sauce that's simmering right now while 12 shiny, new, stop & shop bought canning jars dry on the rack.