The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home : Easy Techniques for the Freshest Flavors in Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Relishes, Salsas, Sauces, and Frozen and Dried Fruits and Vegetables

Product Description A wonderful thing is happening in home kitchens. People are rediscovering the joys of locally produced foods and reducing the amount of the grocery budget that's spent on packaged items, out-of-season produce, and heavily processed foods. But fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables don't stay fresh and delicious forever - they must be eaten now . . . or preserved for later. For all the vegetable gardeners facing baskets overflowing with bright tomatoes, and for all the dedicated farmers' market fans and CSA members, The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home has the simple solutions that turn overwhelming bounty into neatly canned tomatoes, jars of jams and jellies, and crispy-tart relishes and pickles. Organized in a friendly, food-by-food format, readers will find freezing, drying, canning, and storing instructions for each vegetable, fruit, and herb. In many cases, several ways to freeze or can a food are described, and there are often other preserving suggestions as well, such as making juice or fruit leather. Everything is written with busy people in mind: these are the quickest, most efficient methods for preserving summer's bounty. Up-to-date information and clear, step-by-step instructions show even absolute beginners the way to a fully stocked pantry. From the Back Cover Enjoy local produce year-round. You don't need a lot of time or years of experience to preserve garden-fresh fruits and vegetables. Simple step-by-step instructions give you the confidence and know-how to freeze, dry, can, root cellar, and brine the abundance from your CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share or summer garden. Grate and freeze excess zucchini; it will be perfect in quick breads and muffins all winter long. Pick up a crate of less-than-perfect tomatoes at the farmers' market and preserve them in jars of spicy salsa. Turn the overflow of green beans from your CSA farm share into tasty dilly beans to eat all winter or give as holiday gifts. These techniques and recipes will have you eating locally all year long. Freeze, dry, can, root cellar, and brine your favorite produce right at home. For those with a bounty of fresh produce but short on time, Janet Chadwick’s introduction to the world of preserving provides step-by-step instructions and inspiring easy-to-follow recipes. Preserving tips, hints, and shortcuts, along with guidance on essential time-saving equipment and methods for keeping vegetables, fruits, and herbs at peak freshness until you’re ready to work with them give busy home cooks greater flexibility in making the harvest last. Discover the best and quickest techniques for root cellaring, freezing, canning, and drying everything from asparagus to winter squash, from apples to strawberries. Then dip into recipes for pickles, relishes, sauerkraut, sauces, jams, marmalades, and more. A troubleshooting chapter answers frequently asked questions and a selection of recipes for quick harvest dishes serves up stress-free, healthy mealtime inspiration that makes the most of the fresh foods you’re already processing. So pick up a crate of inexpensive, less-than-perfect tomatoes at the farmers’ market and turn them into jars of spicy salsa or buy a few extra peaches and can a delicious batch of jam to serve with breakfast. You’ll extend the summer harvest and find yourself serving up delicious, locally grown food all year long. A wonderful thing is happening in home kitchens. People are rediscovering the joys of locally produced foods and reducing the amount of the grocery budget that's spent on packaged items, out-of-season produce, and heavily processed foods. But fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables don't stay fresh and delicious forever - they must be eaten now . . . or preserved for later.

For all the vegetable gardeners facing baskets overflowing with bright tomatoes, and for all the dedicated farmers' market fans and CSA members, The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home has the simple solutions that turn overwhelming bounty into neatly canned tomatoes, jars of jams and jellies, and crispy-tart relishes and pickles.

Organized in a friendly, food-by-food format, readers will find freezing, drying, canning, and storing instructions for each vegetable, fruit, and herb. In many cases, several ways to freeze or can a food are described, and there are often other preserving suggestions as well, such as making juice or fruit leather.

Everything is written with busy people in mind: these are the quickest, most efficient methods for preserving summer's bounty. Up-to-date information and clear, step-by-step instructions show even absolute beginners the way to a fully stocked pantry.

Freeze, dry, can, root cellar, and brine your favorite produce right at home. Janet Chadwick's introduction to the world of preserving provides step-by-step instructions and inspiring easy-to-follow recipes. Pick up a crate of inexpensive, less-than-perfect tomatoes at the farmers'market and turn them into jars of spicy salsa, or buy a few extra peaches and can a delicious batch of jam to serve with Sunday breakfast. You'll extend the summer harvest and find yourself serving up delicious, locally grown food all year long. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA. The busy person's dilemma Choosing equipment Tips, hints, and other shortcuts Basic techniques for preserving food Preserving vegetables Preserving fruits Preserving herbs Pickles, relishes, sauerkraut, and sauces Jams, jellies, preserves, and marmalades Troubleshooting Quick harvest meals Appendix : handy reference charts Preserving equipment and supplies. This friendly food preservation primer gives first-timers and experienced preservers all the foundational knowledge and new ideas they need to make the most of the harvest.