Editorial Review

From the experts, the definitive book on home preserving.

Ball Home Canning Products are the gold standard in home preserving supplies, the trademark jars on display in stores every summer from coast to coast. Now the experts at Ball have written a book destined to become the "bible" of home preserving.

As nutrition and food quality has become more important, home canning and preserving has increased in popularity for the benefits it offers:- Cooks gain control of the ingredients, including organic fruits and vegetables- Preserving foods at their freshest point locks in nutrition- The final product is free of chemical additives and preservatives- Store-bought brands cannot match the wonderful flavor of homemade- Only a few hours are needed to put up a batch of jam or relish- Home preserves make a great personal gift any time of year

These 400 innovative and enticing recipes include everything from salsas and savory sauces to pickling, chutneys, relishes and of course, jams, jellies, and fruit spreads, such as:- Mango-Raspberry Jam, Damson Plum Jam- Crab Apple Jelly, Green Pepper Jelly- Spiced Red Cabbage, Pickled Asparagus- Roasted Red Pepper Spread, Tomatillo Salsa- Brandied Apple Rings, Apricot-Date Chutney

The book includes comprehensive directions on safe canning and preserving methods plus lists of required equipment and utensils. Specific instructions for first-timers and handy tips for the experienced make the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving a valuable addition to any kitchen library. ... Read more

Reviews

Great book, no matter your skill level, May 13, 2007
I got this book about three weeks ago, having never canned or preserved, and I was completely impressed. Using the recipes inside, I've made pickled ocra, green beans, brandied cherries, sweet asparagus, and the hands down best pickle relish I've ever had in my life. It has hundreds of recipes, and they are all wonderful. If you're into fruit preserves or jams, sweet or dill pickles, slasas, relishes, chutneys, condiments, you name it, there are dozens of recipes of each type of food. I'll be tackling some home made wine and cranberry mustard next week. The first batches of pickles I made were with utensils I already had on hand. All you need is the mason jars if you have a well stocked kitchen. I've sense bought some bottle clamps to get the jars out of the hot water, but that's about it.

Here are the pros:
*) Thorough discussion of the steps of preserving.
*) Discussion on foodborne illness and how to kill it through preserving.
*) A look at high acid versus low acid canning.
*) A handy guide of produce weight and volume (for example, one pound of cherries equals 2 1/2 cups of cherries, so you know exactly what to get at the store).
*) Amazing, easy recipes for all levels of skill and tastes.
*) Dozens of variations on recipes (not just one type of cucumber pickle, but several!)

Buy this book if you're thinking of starting or even an old time pro. It's great fun, and it can produce pickles, ketchups, and preserves where you controll all the ingredients (and can even go organic!).

Saints Preserve Us!, June 2, 2006
It was my lucky day when happenstance led me to this exciting new book.

There are more than 400 recipes within, basic ones for new home canners and sophisticated recipes for more experienced canners and those newbies with sophisticated palates. New preservers and experienced canners alike will appreciate the section (with lots of illustrations) titled "The Art and Science of Home Food Preservation."

The authors and their supporting cast know their stuff and impart that knowledge with clear language and instructions as well as helpful tips in sidebars for nearly every recipe, whether a special use for the preserved product or tips for selecting the best produce and ingredients for the recipe. They've answered the call for "ethnic" recipes and provide recipes the likes of harissa, 14 salsas, and five different chili sauce recipes as well as regional specialties like okra pickles. Among the eighteen chutney recipes, there's sure to be at least one blue ribbon winner for ambitious State and County Fair competitors around the country.

While the first 378 pages are dedicated to recipes processed in a boiling water bath, there is also a small section about pressure processing for vegetables and combination foods like beef stew and chili.

There are not many photos; I don't mind that. Those photos that are included are taste-tempting and colorful - I'm pretty sure I can taste that Thai Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce just looking at the picture of it.

As a prize-winning Fair competitor for more than 25 years, I am really excited about this book and look forward to trying some of its innovative recipes for my family and my friends. I salute the authors and thank them for the newest addition to my preserving library. Saints preserve us!

Barb Schaller
Burnsville, Minnesota
2004 Minnesota State Fair "Prestigious Processor of the Pantry"

Great canning and preserving resource, August 22, 2006
I have the Ball Blue book, but this book is a must-have as well. It has great details about the basics, plus several very unique recipes for different preserves. Highly recommended! Would be a great gift for the home-preserver.

Ball or Bernardin... anyway it's written this is a great book!, September 18, 2008
Confused about home preserving? In a rut and looking for new preserves recipes? Look no further, this is the book for you.

I love this book. Although I am a new canner., August 10, 2006
I am a new canner and I love this book. I did know a little about canning but this is my first year doing it by myself. I like the produce purchase guide in the back of the book and also the trouble shooting guide. The produce purchase guide shows you approx how many fruits and/or veggies to a pound so that if a recipe calls for something by pounds in lieu of cups it's there for you if you don't own a scale.

I have a basic garden, nothing fancy. I have done the tomato juice, Simple "House" Salsa and Peach Salsa from this book and they are all wonderful. I do like the step by step instructions since I am new at this. It maybe a little repetitive for the experienced canner but I liked it.

Hope you enjoy.

Big disappointment, December 1, 2007
If all you want to can are fruit and pickles, this book is great. However, the section on low-acid (pressure) canning (which is what I was most interested in) is almost non-existant. For the price, I expected a lot more. If you want a good, comprehensive book, the Ball Blue book is far better.

BALL Complete Book of Home Preserving, November 11, 2008
This book is great for beginners or those with little experience in canning - especially pressure canning.

Lots of recipes and instructions though a little higher-priced than I would have thought.

For the experienced canner there is little in this book that you can't find online with a little effort through various recipe websites or other information resources.

If you are just starting or learning the art of canning I recommend the book. However, for the rest of us it isn't worth the expenditure.

Wonderful book, July 25, 2007
As a gross amateur in the realms of preserving food I would have to say that this is the easiest, most complete book on preservation that I've read. The recipes look great, they're all made simple to understand and the several items that I have made have come out wonderfully

If there's only one book to obtain on the topic, March 4, 2007
Four hundred recipes for modern canners and preservers are packed into a book branded with the Ball canning label for added impact: Ball made much of the home canning equipment for decades and this book packs in user-friendly recipes for novices and experienced canners, pairing a problem solver directory with tips on canning salsas, condiments, fruits, spreads and pickles. If there's only one book to obtain on the topic, the general-interest collection will find Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving the item of choice.

WONDERFUL BOOK, February 2, 2007
I bought this book to give me some more recipes for canning. The recipes in this book are great. There are so many that it's easy to please everyone. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The only book for home cooks offering a completeintroduction to the craft.CHARCUTERIE—a culinary specialty that originally referred to the creation of pork products such as salami, sausages, and prosciutto—is true food craftsmanship, the art of turning preserved food into items of beauty and taste. Today the term encompasses a vast range of preparations, most of which involve salting, cooking, smoking, and drying. In addition to providing classic recipes for sausages, terrines, and pâtés, Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn expand the definition to include anything preserved or prepared ahead such as Mediterranean olive and vegetable rillettes, duck confit, and pickles and sauerkraut. Ruhlman, coauthor of The French Laundry Cookbook, and Polcyn, an expert charcuterie instructor at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan, present 125 recipes that are both intriguing to professionals and accessible to home cooks, including salted, airdried ham; Maryland crab, scallop, and saffron terrine; Da Bomb breakfast sausage; mortadella and soppressata; and even spicy smoked almonds. 50 line drawings ... Read more

Reviews

From Oscar Meyer to Galantine de Canard., June 14, 2006
Jane Grigson wrote the fundamental overview of charcuterie, and, under her influence, Fergus Henderson shared a handful of incredibly delicious recipes out of the charcuterie tradition. Filling the gap between them, as I see it, is Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn's Charcuterie, an excellent, balanced, enthusiastic cookbook that steers home cooks into the fundamentals of meat preparations. The book is encouraging evidence that a significant number of Americans have awakened to the pleasures of well-prepared meat. This isn't a fringe publication: it is a beautifully-designed, well-written, premium production. And it's about time.

This book does something fundamentally right: it completely eschews the Joy of Cooking model of everything-under-one-roof cookbooks. It assumes that the reader has focused interests and is dedicated to food. It acknowledges that the food trades were [and sometimes still are] highly technical, and best performed by specialists. Though we might as well give up the possibility of becoming first-class charcutiers unless we're willing to give up our careers and pursue it full-time, we can find some real satisfaction in a book like this. It presents, in a clear, well-organized, concise format, the wisdom of a great charcutier, explained by a great writer. That wisdom, those years of experience, is evident in the clearest way once you begin using this book: the recipes are easy to follow, well-suited to the home kitchen, and, happily, result in meat products that are better than anything you can buy in an American supermarket. Far better. Even the more daunting preparations, the ones involving aging and cold-smoking, for example, prove to be remarkably accessible and easy. Some will take more space than you or I have in the kitchen, but there are many recipes that produce amazing food with surprisingly little effort. The beef Chicago-style hot dogs are pretty quick once you have everything lined up, and they are so much better than store-bought dogs that you will hardly believe the difference. Some other recipes require more elaborate set-ups, even dedicated smokers and dedicated meat grinders, but there is plenty here that's accessible to the average home cook with the average kitchen. The biggest challenge, as usual, is finding the right cuts of meat to do these recipes justice. Count on making substitutions, and hope that some young person finds this book in time to begin his apprenticeship to the likes of Brian Polcyn, and returns to open shop in your neighborhood. Have the cardiologist over to dinner. Live a little.

If you order this book, be sure to consider Jane Grigson's Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery and Fergus Henderson's The Whole Beast, both of which I have reviewed for Amazon.

Excellent Coverage of a Very Important technique. Buy It!, November 18, 2005
`Charcuterie' by leading culinary journalist Michael Ruhlman and Charcuterie expert and chef, Brian Poleyn is the sort of book foodies should really be buying instead of the long parade of celebrity chef cookbooks to which we have been treated for the last several years. This joins on my shelf some other recent books on specialized cooking techniques such as Beth Hensperger's `Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook' and James Peterson's classic work on `Sauces'.

Before we go any further, you may want to get permission from your cardiologist to even open this book, as it is dedicated almost exclusively to techniques which make heavy use of both salt and fat. But even if both of these things are `streng verboten' from your diet, you will still get great pleasure from learning about this very, very old technique for food preservation and flavoring.

It struck me that the range of mastery with this technique seems to be almost the same as that of leavened bread. More exactly, it's greatest range lies in a band running through the center of Europe, sandwiched between the northern dominance of butter and the southern realm of king olive. One can almost plot a line from Spanish hams (Serrano) to Bayonne hams and other Charcuterie of southwestern France (see Paula Wolfert's great book on the subject) to the procuitto of Parma and San Daniele and the great Salume techniques of northern Italy to the sausages of Germany and their Westphalian hams. I hypothesize that this all arose out of the conjunction of the European hog raising tradition with the availability of salt from the Mediterranean. All this is pure conjecture, but it certainly frames the issue neatly, as the primacy of pork stops dead at the borders of Islam with their prohibitions against eating pork and their access to less abundant salt sources (The Mediterranean happens to be a lot saltier than the broader oceans beyond Europe).

One of the more interesting facts I discovered in this book is that pig husbandry originated with the Celts who taught it to the Romans. While other meats such as poultry and fatty fish have been traditionally raw material of Charcuterie techniques, it is the pig that rules in this world. This is because lard is much lighter (less saturated) than suet (beef fat) and there is a greater variety of flavor in the meat from one cut of the pig to the next. One aspect of the difference between lard and suet is that the former is really healthier since it is less highly saturated, but don't quote me as an authority on this to your doctor.

The heart and soul of Charcuterie is in the preparation of fresh and cured sausages, cured ham, terrines, pates, and confits. The stars are the pig and the duck. The lingua franca is fat, salt, and smoke. I will not argue with these experts on the sense of the word `Charcuterie', but I suspect they bring in a lot more material than many other authorities would include. The Larousse Gastronomique, for example, defines `Charcuterie' as techniques applied to products based on pork meat of offal. The authors choose to extend the term to include virtually all preservation techniques based on fat, salt, and smoke such as smoked and salted fish. They even take it so far as to include some products based on fermentation such as pickles and sauerkraut. None of this diminishes the value of the book. In fact, it makes the book more interesting, albeit just a tad less true to tradition. This drawing outside the lines also includes a very good essay on the techniques of brining that not only involves non-piggy meats; they also involve techniques that have nothing to do with preservation.

In other ways the authors, especially wordsmith Ruhlman, also show that they are relying heavily on the writings of others rather than having become an expert in the field themselves. For example, much of the chapter on salt is taken, with full credit being given, from Mark Kurlansky's excellent books on `Salt' and `Cod'. I was especially tickled when Ruhlman described salt as an especially concentrated form of the elements sodium and chloride. Chloride is not an element, but the ionized form of chlorine. And, aside from health concerns, the fact that salt is composed of sodium and chlorine is virtually irrelevant to culinary discussions. Salt, from a culinary point of view, is a basic ingredient.

I was positively tickled when Ruhlman stated that the methods of Charcuterie are NOT meant for quick cooking. He makes no bones about the fact that almost all Charcuterie techniques take a lot of time and a lot of attention to detail. This reinforces my analogy between Charcuterie and yeast baking.

The authors make a great case for the important answer to the question on why Charcuterie techniques are still used today in the age of freezing, vacuum packing, and refrigeration. The long and the short of it is the fact that sausages and ham and bacon and terrines and pates and confits taste so darn good. One may also ask the question of the survival of this technique an environment where fat and salt are tools of the devil. Like caffinated coffee, chocolate, and wine, deep research would probably show that Charcuterie products in moderation are also good for you. The only aspect of the Charcuterie technique that may have real health concerns is the substance hiding behind the innocent name `yellow salt'. This is not sodium chloride, but a combination of nitrates and nitrites, added to maintain color in preserved meats.

As I said at the outset, this book is probably more valuable to the dedicated foodie than two Nobu cookbooks and the collected works of Brillat-Savarin. The recipes for terrines and pates and the great technique illustrations are worth the price of admission. Both will become immediately more familiar if you realize that a meat loaf is merely an example of these techniques.

Excellent reading, too!

A fascinating read, very comprehensive, April 17, 2006
This review is written from the perspective of a very serious home cook that has been studying food and cooking for 25 years. If food is your hobby you will love this book.

The book is laid out in the following chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Recipes for Salt-Cured Food
3. Recipes for Smoked Food
4. Sausages
5. Recipes for Dry-Cured Food
6. Pates and Terrines
7. The Confit Technique
8. Recipes to accompany Charcuterie: sauces and condiments

Why does anyone need this book? No one does need it. But in my world there is a distinction between need and want. You will want this book once you see what is inside.

Mario Batali's "Molto Italiano" peaked my interest in curing meat with his recipe for Pancetta. This book covers any kind or cured meat that you can think of. It includes recipes for Pancetta, Salt Cod, Prosciutto, Corned Beef, Pastrami, Tasso Ham, Smoked Salmon and Mortadella just to name a few. With each turn of the page there is a new recipe to drool over. This book is almost addicting just to read.

The book covers the history of curing, gives many warnings about cleanliness and keeping foods cold. It even gives you sources for supplies, some of which might be difficult to find on your own.

My only complaint of this book is the lack of glossy photos that I have become so accustomed to in other books. This minor complaint is not enough to reduce the rating of this otherwise stellar effort.

In short I think this is a fabulous book. I read this book like most read a novel, only I think I enjoyed it more than that. If you ever wanted to know how to cure your own meat, this is the book for you. HIGHLY recommend.

Needs work., January 17, 2006
Note: This review is based on my specific interests for buying this book, and may not be relevant to all readers. I was looking for information about making cured and smoked products such as bacon, smoked pork hocks, corned beef etc - foods that require sodium nitrites. Little has been published for the home cook regarding this topic - specifically, the minimum amounts needed for a given recipe without risking botulism.

If you're concerned about nitrite intake and are a kitchen novice, I wouldn't recommend this book. Although I feel it contains worthy information to rate 5 stars, accessing and interpreting that information can be confusing:

Information is illogically laid out and confusing, such as:
- the informative chapter on salt, starts on page 30, then on page 35 suddenly discusses buying a whole pig, then returns back to salt on page 38.
- The recipe for Cured Salmon (pp. 50-52) is illustrated with a page for preparing Smoked Salmon, but that recipe is on pg. 96.

There is contradictory and confusing information, such as:
- a reference to Bruce Aidell's procedure for Canadian Bacon, suggesting adding 2 teaspoons of cure (nitrite mix) to an All Purpose Brine recipe found on pg. 60. But on page 88, the recipe actually calls for 8 teaspoons - a 4x difference. [Note: Aidell's recipe in Complete Book of Pork calls for 2 1/2 tablespoons.]
- The recipes call for cooking pork to an internal temperature of 150 degrees. But the Recommended Temperatures (pg. 62) states "130-140 degrees... for a finished temp. of 140-145." And the 150 degrees doesn't refer to stop-cooking temp or finished temp.

The recipes tend to be overly generic: Do ham hocks (almost all bone) really require the same amount of nitrites as boneless pork loin (all meat and with water content which dilutes the nitrites)? If yes, why?

While I would not hesitate to buy this book again, I would recommend reading it completely, taking notes as you go, and compiling the information that you need. In other words, you become the book editor. My own copy is littered with post-its.

If you do buy this book, I would also recommend: Paul Bertolli's "Cooking by Hand", which contains a specific how-and-why discussion on using nitrites; and Aidell's "Complete Book of Pork", so that you can make your own conclusions.

Move over Abe Frohman, Brian Polcyn is the Sausage King!, December 10, 2005
My husband and I have been patrons of Chef Brian Polcyn's Five Lakes Grill in Milford, MI for over a decade. The restaurant excels at the kind of full-flavored slow food that's found in this cookbook, and since we have sampled most of these SPECTACULAR recipes at the restaurant I was thrilled to get my hands on them in this book.

Containing recipes from simple cured meats like bacon and corned beef to elaborate terrines and dry-cured sausages to zingy condiments and accompaniments, this book is a veritable bible of salty, smoky, fatty deliciousness. If "Charcuterie" were simply a collection of recipes, it would still be a treasure, but what sets this cookbook apart is its readability. Even if you never intend to attempt any of these recipes on your own, it is still a dream of a read for foodies thanks to Michael Ruhlman's elegant yet accessible prose. I had to grin at his page-long tribute to the food-preservation techniques described in Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House in the Big Woods", since as a food fanatic this is the chapter I remember most fondly from one of my favorite childhood reads.

You also shouldn't hesitate to buy this book because you think charcuterie is too difficult. This is the only charcuterie cookbook I've found that is designed explicitly for the home cook, and there are plenty of simple recipes that require, to quote Chef Brian, "just pork and salt and time." More adventurous cooks will find options for smoking and dry curing. The detailed illustrations of various techniques and equipment (reminiscent of those in Cook's Illustrated) show you exactly what you need to do and what the food should look like. There are also tons of helpful hints that are missing from other charcuterie recipes I've tried (that have, not surprisingly, failed) to ensure success. For example, the book describes the necessity of aggressively seasoning meat destined for terrines because cold food tastes blander than hot food, as well as techniques for testing seasoning that best approximate what the finished product will taste like.

I haven't yet attempted any of these recipes, but I have worked with Brian's recipes in the past and had nothing but success. I expect the same for these. In fact, I'm headed to the store today in search of duck breast to try out the duck prosciutto recipe for the holidays. Calories and fat grams be damned, vive "Charcuterie"!

YUMMY, December 25, 2005
I've been making my own sausage, bacon, pancetta and smoked salmon for about a year now, and I've read several good books, some for the home cook and some for professionals. This is, far and away, the best I've seen. The authors clearly love their subject (but then who wouldn't!), and they lay out the details of charcuterie clearly, and with a sense of love and humour. The book progresses from basic salt curing through smoking (hot and cold), sausage making, Pate and terrines, and finally confit. The recipes are clear, _accurate_, and easy to follow. And they produce exceptional results. While I prefer my own recipe for Keilbasa (though theirs is excellent it doesn't have the near toxic levels of fresh garlic that my family favours), Ruhlman and Polcyn's recipes for Andouille (one hot smoked, one cold) are outstanding. When my wife had the hot smoked version today, she declared it the best sausage I had ever made.

Even though I've been doing this for a while, I learned a lot from this book. Rhulman is superb at giving you the science and technique you'll need in a clear and easy to follow style, with drawings where needed. If you're an experienced charcuterie cook, you'll still learn things, and you'll love the recipes. If you're just getting started, you won't get left behind by highly technical crap that doesn't make any sense. His explanation of pellicle, for example, is clear, concise, and accurate and makes it easy for you to understand what it is and why you care.

traditionalists be warned, February 7, 2008
I bought this book as I have embarked on a slow food adventure of my own - it is a book filled with great recipes for sausage, terrine, salami and all sorts of great sounding and mouthwatering meaty tidbits - however, and this is a big however, it suffers from stagefright. Why because it only delivers one verdict in the area of food safety - that nitrites and nitrates rule - it fails to give the educated consumer a choice in approach. I fail to see how, when amongst many others the acknowledged King of hams in Parma or its moot equal Iberico can deliver such gems without the use of nitrates,the art of charchuterie can be considered complete for dismissing their non use so quickly. Many will deservedly love this book but for the adventurous among us it falls short.

Close, but, March 19, 2007
I bought this book due to the glossy photo on the cover and the extensive positive reviews. Now I suspect some of the reviews were written by friends in the industry. While this book carries many recipes, the photo on the cover is the only one you will see. The others are drawings. Also, one of the major benefits of making things at home is to avoid all the preservatives, (neurotoxins) and additives that are used in commercial meat processing. This book will not get you away from those. The authors freely admit that nitrites can cause cancer, but recommend using it in the majority of the recipes anyway. (To say this cannot be done safely without ignores a culinary history in this country that includes centuries of ham and other preservation without nititres). I used to have neighbors who had been curing their own hams without nitrites for six decades, their hams where safe and had a lovely rosey color, a color that the authors insist can only be had with nitrites added. Other additives that they freely endorse are soy protein concentrate and dextrose (corn syrup solids, please see [...] to see the effects of both corn syrup and unfermented soy on the body). "Fermento" is a flavoring they advocate using instead of the authentic lactic fermentation that would occur in the historically correct processes, and they recommend buying "bateria" for that. I was hoping to get pure recipes to improve the quality of the food for my family. With these recipes, I can keep buying the proscuitto from the grocery store with no difference. If you want to make these meats available to your family without the widespread use of neurotoxins, I recommend A.D. Livingstons books, as he shows methods to do these processes without. And for those who will want to contradict the safety of this, please note that the majority for food poisonings from cured meat in this country occur (especialy Listeria monocytogenes) from commercial plants that use plenty of nitrites among many other and often unpronouncable additives.

Offering contemporary techniques expanding on traditional concepts, and making the art accessible to the average home cook, March 2, 2006
Relatively few cookbooks cover all the basics of charcuterie, which involve curing: that's why the comprehensive Charcuterie: The Craft Of Salting, Smoking And Curing is so important for any serious cook or cookbook collection. It reflects the author's passion for these techniques of preservation and provides the only comprehensive book on the topic, including all the classic charcuterie recipes for sausages, poultry, and meats under one cover, offering contemporary techniques expanding on traditional concepts, and making the art accessible to the average home cook. No color photos, but the focus here is on instruction and recipes, not glitz - and Charcuterie's importance doesn't lack for color.

If you are really into culinary cooking!, July 6, 2007
I prepare meals for more than 5,000 people a day, and food has been my life for over 40 years. A good cookbook is hard to find, a great cookbook is almost imposable to find. Well I have to say, I could not put this book down, and I read it cover to cover! This is a very comprehensive and well presented book. You will learn the how and why of salting, curing and smoking almost everything. Not only that the recipes are five stars! A great addition to any cooks set of reference books! Another job well done to Mr. Ruhlman! If you are really into cooking or just knowing about food, you will love this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

For thousands of years humans have enjoyed the taste and nutrition of fermented foods and drinks. We rely on the transformative, almost magical power of fermentation to preserve and improve all sorts of food, making them tastier, more digestible, and more appealing. Author Sandor Katz takes readers on a whirlwind trip through the wild world of fermentation. The book is divided into chapters that focus on particular types of food and Katz provides readers with delicious recipes-—some familiar, others exotic—-that are easy to make at home, including vegetable krauts and kimchis; sourdough breads and pancakes; miso and tempeh; beers, wines, and meads; yogurt and cheeses.

The recipes provide a veritable smorgasbord of tastes, like homemade tempeh, sauerkraut, and borscht, along with a basic description of yogurt and cheese-making, complete with vegan alternatives.Whether you prefer to wash down your meal with Elderberry wine or Nepalese rice beer, there's something here to satisfy any palate.

Katz, a leading expert on the history of these foods, has written a revolutionary and informative culinary guide he calls "a cultural manifesto." He has experimented with many forms of fermentation and has developed and collected a wide range of techniques and recipes from around the world. ... Read more

Reviews

Wild Fermentation, September 15, 2003
This is the only cookbook that I know of that you will read from cover to cover. It is not the dry "do this in this order" kind of book, it walks with you on your culinary endevors like your mom or grandma would, telling you stories along the way, including the secrets that make not just sourdough bread, but unforgettable sourdough bread.

Sandor doesn't just tell us, he shows us, how to be self-sufficient about making and storing food (with little need for a stove or a refrigerator): making sourdough, cheese, miso, making tempeh, making wine, beer and, it seems, almost every other fermented food made the world over. And he gives you a list of resources where you can order the most mundane and exotic of starter cultures and even seaweed from our own Atlantic coast.

And your concept of "self" will never be the same again. He shows us how to reclaim and restore a part of ourselves that has protected us like the ozone layer protects the earth: the world of microbes in and around us, the protective cloak of the microecology that is meant to be a part of us like our skin.

Fermented foods restore a health balance like no probiotics and vitamins can. Happy reading, happy fermenting, happy eating!

viva fermented foods!, October 29, 2003
To refer to this as a 'cookbook' is disingenuous; it's a book about life and living foods! Having first read through a 20-ish page xeroxed copy of Katz' guide to fermented foods, I welcomed the increased breadth and volume covered in this published edition. I especially appreciate the cited references, although some works are relied on too heavily and there is a relative dearth of scientific citations. That said, there are some and the critique is balanced by the realization that Western science and nutrition have not been overly interested in such topics. A friend with Krohn's disease is hopeful it will help him to find foods he can more easily digest. Katz' book is an unconventional guide to storing foods with methods proven useful over centuries of preservation....and years in his own kitchen. It's detailed, thought provoking and contains a host of colorful characters worth reading about all on their own. It gets four stars because I look forward to a 2nd edition - thanks for a fine book!

OH So Good!!!, December 2, 2005
I love this book! I've tried a few of the recipes and just love the results! I can't believe none of the "back to nature" type books and publications I read talk about the simple and healthful ways of preserving food through fermentation!

Sandor does a fantastic job of taking the mystery and careful measuring out of fermentation. Most of the recipes I've read for fermentation say you must follow the recipe exactly or risk food poisoning. I'd rather play around with the recipes, so this is just perfect for me! I'm also impressed with his research into traditional recipes.

I just read that kimchi may cure Avian Flu, and the recipe in this book is a fantastic hit here! We use it as salad dressing with some sesame oil!

This is the cookbook of my dreams!, October 8, 2003
This cookbook has all the mundane and esoteric recipes I've ever wanted to own but have not been able to find all in one glorious place. Non-vinegar pickled pickles? It's there. Amazake? No problem! Kimchee? Likewise! And it's all written in a very intelligent, humorous and engaging manner with short and entertaining anecdotes that do not go on forever or stray far afield. **This book is a gem.** I recently attended a cooking class conducted by the author, who is just as amazing as his cookbook. He is full of energy and enthusiasm for spreading the gospel of these traditional and oh-so-nourishing foods. I own about 60 cookbooks, by the way, and this book is in my top five. I can't say enough good things about it. Buy this book!

Highly Recommended Modern Treatment of Ancient Technique, June 26, 2004
`Wild Fermentation' by Sandor Ellix Katz appears like a living fossil of the sixties counterculture, surfacing after forty years of being both shaped and scarred by the currents and tides of the last forty years. The author is a member of a very sixties hippie influenced rural community whose lifestyle seems to be grown directly from the soil laid down by `The Whole Earth Catalogue', `Easy Rider', `Alice's Restaurant', and the Hog Farm, but without any trace of the Merry Pranksters' antics or inclinations towards mind-altering drugs. The shaping of the last forty years is seen in the author's being HIV positive AIDs infected young man with a major interest in sharing his passion for fermented foods with the rest of the world through modern publishing and scholarly rigor.

Fermented food products are probably much more common in our lives today than they have been since the advent of the processed foods industry. And, this is a fact that even the average foodie may not be conscious. A quick inventory of fermented foods commonly used in modern American homes will show how widespread they have become.

The most obvious fermented product is beer, which has always been with us. Their cousins, wines and meads are also the product of fermentation. Virtually all cheeses are produced by fermentation, and our interest in and consumption of artisinal cheeses is rising fast. Yogurt is a close cousin of cheeses and consumption of yogurt has been rising since the early seventies. Sauerkraut and Choucroute have been with us since the beginning, but Asian fermented cabbage such as Kimchee and other fermented vegetables are becoming more popular. Pickles have also been a part of western cuisine for millennia Another part of the increasing interest in Asian foods is an increase in consumption of miso and tempeh, both from fermented soybeans. Asian fermented fish sauces from Thailand and Vietnam are also much more common today than they were 50 years ago. The granddaddy of fermented foods for Western cultures is yeast bread, especially sourdough breads.

Fermentation has at least four beneficial results, two of which have been known since prehistoric times. The first and most important effect is that fermentation is a method of natural preservation by the creation of acetic acid (acid in vinegar) or lactic acid (acid from milk sugar). The second, represented most clearly by the brewing of beer, is in the action of microorganisms on sugars to produce ethanol (alcohol in beer, wine, and liquor). The third is based on our physiological salivation response to acidic foods, or even the anticipation of acidic foods, thereby making the mouth feel of these foods more succulent by the combination of natural food moisture and our own saliva. Ancients may have sensed the last beneficial result, but it probably has not been fully realized until the 20th century. This is the ability of fermentation to break down foods which were hard to digest into different products which are both easier to digest and more nutritious. The two best examples of this action are the conversion of soy carbohydrates into miso and the conversion of milk into yogurt.

All of this has made fermentation into a darling of vegan advocates, as it broadens the range of useable non-animal protein and makes it all more palatable. It has also made fermentation into a favorite of alternate lifestyle nutritionists such as Sally Fallon, the author of the excellent book `Nourishing Traditions' who supplied a Foreword to this book. Fermentation is also one of the hallmarks of the slow food movement. Aside from the North African method for preserving lemons, I know of no other culinary methods that take as long to complete.

Anyone who has made pickles, sourdough bread, or beer should have a very good idea of the times involved in fermentation. And this doesn't even get into some of the olfactory `delights' that accompany the process of fermentation.

The author covers all of the types of fermentation mentioned above, devoting the greatest amount of space to vegetable, bean, and dairy fermentation. Bakers should not miss the lesser attention paid to breads, as for every book on yogurt, pickles, and kraut, there are ten books which cover artisinal baking with its sourdough sponges, poolishs, and begas.

On the political front, the most active issue regarding fermentation is the issue of unpasteurized cheeses being imported into or made in the United States. It is truly ironic that the home of Louis Pasteur relishes their raw cheeses while the squeaky-clean US won't let it in.

Aside from the thoroughly careful presentation the author gives of his material, the veracity of the book is strengthened by the extensively footnoted research behind his statements and the fact that the fruits of fermentation are essential to the lifestyle of the author and his comrades at their rural homestead. The similarity to both the hippie counterculture doctrines and the Amish lifestyle are unmistakable. One would almost take them for being scions of the Amish except for the names cited in the acknowledgments that I found myself checking against the names of the communities' goats. We owe this book in part to humans who go by the names Echo, Nettles, Leopard, Orchid, Spark, Book Mark, and Ravel Weaver.

I also thank Echo, Nettles, Leopard, et al and author Sandor Ellis Katz for this deeply thought out exposition of a pervasive and growing part of the modern culinary and nutritional environment.

This book may not be for everyone, or even for every foodie, but if anything I said sounds a chord in your psyche, I recommend you get a copy of this book and read it carefully.

There is no guide better than this one!!, January 31, 2004
This book is trully awesome. My husband has Crohn's disease which affects his digestive system and he was told that he needed to recolonize his gut with good bacteria and one of the ways is to eat fermented vegetables. This book guided me thru the process joyously and easily. Well researched and fun to read. Recipes for all kinds of vegies, dairy ferments and breads. Makes you pine for the simpler life in an intentional community.

Not a "Flip Open and Cook" Kind of Book, April 11, 2010
While the introductions to the chapters and the recipes definitely catch my interest and make me want to prepare these recipes, I am finding over and over again that the recipes are not written in a way where you could flip to the page and go.

Frequently, the instructions refer in an unclear manner to a different recipe that you need to follow in part, but make some changes.

Other times one of the ingredients is a recipe in itself, but no page number is given for where to find these extra instructions. For instance, many recipes call for "honey water," but give no information about how to prepare "honey water" or where in the book to find this concoction, leaving you to page through and search for it. Once you find honey water, you find that it is in a recipe for honey wine. Are the the recipes that call for "honey water" intending for you to use the ingredients from this honey wine recipe or use the final product? No answer is apparent.

I feel like I will have to re-write each of these recipes to include their FULL INSTRUCTIONS to make them user friendly. I don't know whether this was a choice made to save space, a sign of a disorganized mind, or simple laziness on the part of the author.

The stuff of life, January 17, 2004
I didn't expect how much I'd get into this when I picked it up, but Sandor's writing is clear and engaging and the subject is universal. I love that he talks about the history and the culture of fermentation alongside the concrete details of just making it work yourself with the kinds of things you have at hand.

It's true that fermentation is a fundamental chemical process that human beings have used for thousands of years to make food edible and tasty, but we've lost touch with that when we peel back the plastic on store-bought food. We've also forgotten the magical transformations involved, and this book lets you do that for yourself. Now I just have to find a good crock somewhere.

Awesome, October 19, 2005
I love this book, I have made sourdough bread and ginger beer. They both turned out great. I am now looking to make kimchi and sauerkraut. Recipes are easy to follow and taste great. Love it.

For those looking for an introduction to fermenting, April 9, 2005
In response to the two-star reviewer...could you direct me to the pages where you found those anecdotes and transexual behavior? Because I've had the book for a few days, read most of it, and didn't find any of those anecdotes. I skimmed through the whole book to check, and I didn't find any. The closest he comes to doing so is describing his experiences in dealing with AIDS, and how his passion for fermented foods have aided him in this process. That's far off from anecdotes about sexual behavior. Maybe you were reading an earlier edition of the book.

Anyways, I like this book because it addresses all of the subconscious thoughts that I had about fermentation, such as why we ferment foods, how we discovered the process, and the subjectivity of distinctions between foods fermented to perfection and rotten foods. Most of all, I like how he encourages us to experiment and tells us that fermentation does not require precision and control, as others may tell us. The simplest recipe in the book involves leaving fresh apple cider out. I also like his desire for us to recycle foods as much as possible, such as by making fruit peel vinegars. He gives us about fifty recipes, which includes all of the popular items, such as sauerkraut, miso, and beer, along with a few more obscure ones, and he encourages us to experiment with these. Although over half of the book seems to be anecdotes and stories, they give helpful knowledge for anyone new to fermentation. You may find his writings on the analogy of fermentation to cultural revolution and the process of life cheesy. (Damn, I spent more time on this review than I wanted to.) ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

loving it! at least so far!, August 16, 2010
Well, having been canning for several years now, I opened up this book and was instantly hooked. There are so many delicious recipes I'm not sure where to begin. But more importantly, I'm so very glad that the author uses minimal amounts of sugar for preserves, and like myself, is more concerned about the fruit tasting like real fruit than adding copious amounts of sugar to ensure a certain gel consistency. Also, she relies on granny smith apples and peels for almost all of her jam/jelly recipes, as well as in others. I can't wait to start trying several of these recipes, and have a made a list for my next visit to the farmers market! yummy! UPDATE: I've made the 'classic peach jam', 'peach and cilantro salsa', and the 'nectarine jam with vanilla bean'. These were all great, but the nectarines with the vanilla bean was magnificent! My husband couldn't stay out of the kitchen while I was cooking it up, and he normally isn't into jams. After several 'tastings' I finally managed to get it into jars. we'll see how long this lasts at our house!

Not your Grandma's canning book!, August 17, 2010
What a beautiful, unique book! So many good tips--the easy jelly straining method is definitely easier than Grandma's messy jelly drip bags! There are mouth-watering recipes for unusual entrees using the preserved products. The evocative photographs blend with the text to make this a book to curl up with. Salsa verde is so simple; and the plum cardamom jam is to die for. With flavors like these, my pantry will never be the same again.

my favorite canning/preserving/pickling book, September 4, 2010
A friend bought this book for me as a gift, and it's a real winner. I've had it for only 2 weeks and have already used 4 of the recipes: Dilly Beans, Achar Segar, zucchini bread and butter pickles with ginger, and salsa verde. The salsa verde is great, and the zucchini pickles smelled heavenly as they were going into the jars. I only just put the achar segar into the fridge, but I'm looking forward to Indonesian fried rice tomorrow.

The recipes are clear, nicely presented, accurate (as far as I can tell), and there's a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs represented. I haven't tried any of the meal or desert recipes yet, but those look tasty as well. All in all, I'm really enjoying this book so far and think that it will be my go-to reference for canning, preserving, and pickling from now on.

Awesome recipes, September 17, 2010
I have only been canning for a few months and had only purchase one other canning book before this one. I loved that this book offered up a lot of contemporary and unique recipes, and still had a lot of helpful tips and instructions for beginners. Every recipe I've tried so far has been delicious, and has canned the exact amount specified. The peach jam with lemon thyme and almonds is worth the price of the book alone!

really great book, October 14, 2010
I love all types of canning, and this books is great because it not only gives you the canning recipe, but another recipe to use your canned item in. The only thing I would have liked to see differently is that she doesn't have any recipes that use standard fruit pectin, but rather want you to extract the pectin from a bunch of apples. I wish she had put the alternative recipe if all you have is the pouched pectin. But otherwise, the book is awesome!

Errors in instructions make use of recipes impossible, October 29, 2010
I chose four recipes to use this fall. Two of the recipes contain errors (Nuka and Grapefruit Segments in Mint Syrup)that make it impossible to complete the recipe. It doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the rest of the recipes. So, here I sit with 5 pounds of grapefruit, fresh mint, 2 pounds of wheat bran, as well as kombu seaweed, miso paste, ginger, daikon and beer. At least I know what to do with the latter.

Using what you can!, November 24, 2010
Kudos to Krissoff for including unique recipes for canning, but I am even more appreciative that she also includes recipes for using what is canned. And her sense of humor is as spicy as her recipes! The yields are smaller than most canning books which is perfect for people new to canning so they are not discouraged with having to can 20lb of something. My garden is barren this time of year, but I can hardly wait to try her spring selections. Although I gave this 5 stars, I have found the index to need some ammending to include listing basic ingredients ... for example, if you grow/have tomatillos you better know they go into salsa verde because tomatillos are not in the index. But then I am a librarian and actually use indices ... others may not.

PS - The photography is very inspirational!!

New Recipes for Preserving, December 20, 2010
This is a good book for someone who wants to step outside the usual home canned basics like applesauce, strawberry jam and tomato sauce. Some basics are included but most are what I would call "gourmet" types of food such as Brandied Sweet Cherries With Red Wine, Hot Cumin Pickled Summer Squash, Slow-Roasted Fig Preserves With Lemon, and Spiced Cranberries. The recipes are divided by seasons and decorative tags are included in the back of the book.

I'm a more traditional "canner" but there were some recipes in in this book that interested me and I do like that the author includes recipes to use with the preserved foods. However, I do recommend that a beginner invest in something like The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (or get information from the U.S.D.A. or local county extension office) in addition to Canning For a New Generation because the Ball book gives better information about canning and preserving that is important for food safety. Krissoff gives some information but I felt it wasn't thorough enough for someone with no previous knowledge of canning. However, for new and fresh recipes this book is a good resource. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Rachel Saunders's The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook is the definitive jam and marmalade cookbook of the 21st century. In addition to offering more than 100 original jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes, master jam artisan Rachel Saunders shares all of her technical preserving knowledge, as well as her unique jam maker's perspective on fruit.

Rachel combines nostalgia with a modern, sustainable approach to creating fresh and vividly flavored preserves. The recipes are divided into chapters based on the seasons, and each chapter is organized by month and type of fruit. Sample recipes include Strawberry-Marsala Jam with Rosemary, Italian Lemon Marmalade, and Early Girl Tomato Jam.

More than 100 stunning photographs by Sara Remington illustrate each part of the preserving process--from the different stages of cooking to testing for doneness to the final canning stage. Each recipe includes an approximate yield and a suggested shelf life, in addition to details on recommended equipment, including Rachel's beloved copper jam pot. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook gives all measurements by weight rather than volume, making it the most exact and reliable American jam book on the market. More than 20 recipe variations are provided, along with detailed information about common and rare fruits, hybrid varieties, and flavor combinations. Nothing is left to chance or overlooked; Rachel explains every aspect of jam and marmalade making in step-by-step detail. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook is a one-of-a-kind, must-have resource for home and professional cooks alike. ... Read more

Reviews

A Very Pleasant Suprise!, September 18, 2010
My wife and I just got our copy. We are both cooks and we thought this might be interesting. Well, it's much more than I anticipated. First of all it's one of the most beautiful food books I've seen. It has every recipe you might need for working with fruit as well as some approaches I had never even considered. But it's also filled with facts and information that reads more like a book than just food recipes. It's the type of book we'll enjoy curling up with on a winter's evening long after there's no fruit left to process.

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR PREPARING JAMS AND MARMALADES, October 24, 2010

Who can resist the honeyed taste of jam? Certainly not one of Lewis Carroll's characters who laments, "The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday - but never jam today." Not to worry with the wonderfully comprehensive guide, THE BLUE CHAIR JAM COOKBOOK, we can have jam every day in an apparent endless variety of that sweet spread. Whether your preference is for a plain lemon marmalade or strawberry jam you'll find variations of these and so much more in this 364 page tribute to preserves.

Founder of the Bay Area jam company Blue Chair Fruit Rachel Saunders has a passion for fruit which is evidenced in every recipe and mouth-watering illustration in this remarkable collection. She presents a loving, detailed discussions of various fruits, a technical section and, of course, her incomparable original recipes organized around the seasons of the year.

Okay, I admit it - initially I was intimidated by the thought of making jam. But soon happy memories of my grandmother's kitchen filled my mind, and I could see her stove covered with kettles and glistening jars of jams covering the kitchen counter. This is one of those "If I can do it, anyone can" comments: For me, the directions found with the recipes are step-by-step clear and precise. As in the recipe for Early Summer Peach Jam with Green Almonds, which begins with Day 1 and the preparation of the peaches. (To be placed in sugar and lemon juice and left to macerate in the refrigerator overnight.) Then on to Day 2 and the final steps. She specifies the type of utensils to be used ("...a copper preserving pan or two smaller rnonreactive kettles.") No need for guess-work when following her directions - even individual yields and shelf life are included. Clearly, this is someone who is dedicated to her craft and is happy to share the joy and fun of jam preparation with all.

While certainly precise in her recipes Saunders is far from a stickler for her preferences - she encourages cooks to prepare their own unique jams by following their preferences and tastes.

THE BLUE CHAIR JAM COOKBOOK is the ultimate definitive guide for preparing jam and marmalade throughout the year.

And, Blue Chair Fruit Co. is the ultimate place to find the fresh and distinctly flavored jams and marmalades prepared by Rachel and her team. We've been fortunate enough to try Damson Jam and Strawberry-Blood Orange Marmalade with Rosemary. Made from organic plums Damson Jam has a just-picked distinctive flavor and is filled with whole pieces of fruit - this is jam at its finest. The Marmalade glitters with colors of deep gold and orange slivers, while the flavor is robust, hearty, distinguished by a hint of rosemary - in a class of its own. These delights and many more may be found at www.bluechairfruit.com.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

Exceptional Book, October 20, 2010
I am a professional chef with a collection of more than 5000 cookbooks. This book easily rates in the top 10 cookbooks I own. Much more than I expected. Encyclopedic in scope and beautifully illustrated, I fully expect to see a James Beard Award sticker on next years printing.

Who knew that you did not have to boil those jelly jars, November 7, 2010

I saw the Author on the Martha Stewart Show. I was so impressed with her jelly making technique that I bought the book on Amazon after I went to the Blue Chair Jam sight and discovered that the book was not available.

I received the book in a timely manner and was surprised to find that the book was so big. Many more pages then I expected.

Who knew that you did not have to boil those jelly jars on the stove but you can use the oven. This is such a good tip.

Besides that tip, the book has the technique for making jelly and jams. This book is great for beginners but has enough recipes for the advanced jelly makers.

I am not in the stage of my life where I would make a batch of jelly so I gifted the book to my daughter who was delighted and I am confident she will try to make some jelly or jam. It was the perfect gift for her.

Be confident that I read the book before I gifted it.

Love Blue Chair Fruit Jams!, November 11, 2010
I am a huge fan of blue chair fruit, and was a frequent customer at the farmer's market in Oakland. Because I loved the jams so much I took a class on jam making from Rachel and the jams I made were amazing, which I was really excited about since I had never made jam before. I really appreciate that there is no need for additional pectin... it's just fruit, sugar, lemon, and whatever additional herb or liqueur you wish to add to for something a little extra. Sterilizing the jars in the oven made the whole process a lot easier than the traditional water bath method. I also happened to have a copper pot that I purchased in Mexico that worked great... so if you don't want to fork out the money for the french version, the Mexican copper pot worked great (Caso de cobre... traditionally for making carnitas, I believe). I am really looking forward to trying the recipes in the book!!!

Insightful, Encyclopedic!, November 18, 2010
I've been making jam, jelly, marmalade and chutney for over 50 years! Some summers I've made over 1,000 jars! But here I am, only on page 9 of this fabulous book, and already I've learned so many things I didn't know, like straining for jelly twice; once through a coarse strainer and then, only then, through the cheesecloth. Up to now, I've only done the cheesecloth strain. This ways makes so much more sense.

I'll Post-It flag the pages with useful hints and refer back to them in future.

I love this HUGE book!

Now to find some winter quince!

.Kathy, Portland, OR

Best Jams in a long time!, November 29, 2010
I love this book. After having many preserves/jam books, this one really interested me. I've made both the Concord Grape Jam and the Early Girl Tomato Jam. They are both super delicious and out of the box. I've never seen a concord jam recipe that KEEPS the grape skins in, and boy, was this the ticket! This is by far, the BEST concord grape jam I've ever tasted or made! I'm not lying here! Try it! The Tomato Jam was the bomb! Who'd think that tomato jam would be so killer??? I gave both jams to friends and neighbors, and every comment I got was on the "wow" factor! I even was told by one neighbor that I'd "miss my calling" and should make jams for a living. But I owe the credit all to the book and it's wonderfully inventive author! Buy this book. You won't regret it, and it will become one of your favorites, for sure!

Excellent Jamming Experience, October 27, 2010
After a snafu with the Kindle version of this book, which the author and publisher were very quick to address, I have had the pleasure of reviewing the hard copy of The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook. All I can say is wow; I am so inspired! This book is absolutely wonderful. It is so informative and I love the way the recipes are broken down by season. I made the Strawberry, balsamic and black pepper jam and the Pear, vanilla and elderflower jam. Both are heavenly and I love the texture and the fact that they are free of added pectin. I can't wait to make my next batch, which I think will be one of the lemon marmalades.

If you are at all interested in making your own jam, this book is a must have! The only down side is that now I really, really want a Mauviel preserving pan!

Advocates an unsafe canning method, December 17, 2010
This book advocates oven canning which is an unsafe method of home preserving. The author covers herself by stating that the items should be processed according to manufacturer directions, or by following the steps outlined on page 42 which are the directions for oven canning. I presume that by "manufacturer directions," the author means the manufacturer of the canning jars used. In most cases, that would be Jarden Home brands, makers of Ball and Kerr jars and those directions would be for water bath canning.

Many universities have done in-depth studies of safe canning methods and have found that water bath and pressure canning are the only safe methods for home preserving. Water bath canning can be used only for high-acid foods such as jams, jellies, pickles and salsa. Pressure canning can be used for either high or low acid foods.

Often, the home canner can "get away" with using unsafe methods for canning because it is possible that harmful bacteria were not present on the food to be canned. However, you cannot safely assume that harmful bacteria aren't present. MSN recently had an article about this very problem regarding homemade Christmas gifts.

The following is taken from the University of Georgia National Center for Home Preserving.

"Only boiling water or pressure canning methods are recommended for canning foods. Older methods, such as oven canning and open-kettle canning, have been discredited and can be hazardous (Equipment and Methods Not Recommended from the USDA Complete Guide to Canning 1994). The risk of botulism poisoning determines the choice of either boiling water or pressure canners for canning foods. In foods that are acid (pH 4.6 or lower) the microorganism that causes botulism cannot grow. Therefore it is safe to use a boiling water bath canner. All other foods must be canned using tested pressure canning processes (Ensuring Safe Canned Foods)."

The University of North Dakota Extension has a more in-depth discussion of why oven canning is unsafe.

Since the author advocated an unsafe canning method, I am worried that the levels of acid specified in her recipes are not sufficient for home canning so I doubt that I'll be using any of these recipes and feel that I wasted my money.

Lovely, useful book, December 13, 2010
Just got this book and it's absolutely lovely. The book itself is weighty and has beautiful pictures. My boyfriend is totally not into cookbooks but immediately admired the design of the book. Saunders' recipes are fantastic - I've had her jams at the farmer's market many times and I made my first recipe from the book this weekend (meyer lemon mandarin marmalade). Delicious! I will use this book again and again.

A couple caveats. First, as lovely as the book is, I wish the pages were more traditional cookbook pages. These are that sort of thick, pulpy paper, and if you spill on them (which, duh, happens all the time with cookbooks), they soak up the water really fast and the paper pills up as you try to blot the book clean. Also, despite what a couple other reviewers have said, this is definitely not a beginner's jam-making book. The recipes, particularly for the marmalades, are quite complex and Saunders doesn't always explain the "why" of doing things a certain way or she leaves out basic steps or safety info that you only know from having made jams before. I think I would have been terribly intimidated if this was my first exposure to the how-to of making jam. And keep in mind, her methods don't always meet USDA food safety recommendations (e.g. processing filled jars in the oven to seal them rather than in a hot water bath). ... Read more

Editorial Review

A guide to food dehydrating shows readers how to make preservative-free dried apple rings, candied apricots, beef and fish jerkies, sun-dried tomatoes, corn chips, herb seasonings, dried fruit sugars, and more. 100,000 first printing. Tour. ... Read more

Reviews

I'd pay three times this amount for this book, September 29, 1999
I've had my dehydrator for 5 years and thought I'd dried everything in every conceivable way but Mary Bell has some fantastic ideas. Easy read and easier recipes. Especially liked the section on backpacker food. My dehydrator has been running 24hrs/day since I got this book. Thank you, Mary Bell, for this great book.

The "bible" for dehydrating foods., September 24, 2002
If you have a food dehydrator collecting dust somewhere, get this book and haul it out!

This is the best basic book I've seen for preserving foods through dehydration. Not only does she tell you what you need to do *before* you dry it, but she tells you what you can do with the stuff after it's dried. Recipes that are useable, recipes for camping, and some that will surprise you - this is a very comprehensive book.

This is a must-have for backpackers who want every ounce to count, since dried foods weigh so little. A must for parents who read the "Fruit Roll-ups" label in horror: make your own fruit leathers! She'll tell you how to make fantastic beef jerky, too.

If you dry foods, you need this book.

Strongly recommended for those considering a dehydrator, September 8, 2002
I bought this after I bought my dehydrator, although I would have bought a better dehydrator if I had read this before. This book gives several great reasons why you should consider a dehydrator, and how to make the most of it. I could have never imagined making a tofu cracker, for instance!!

After I read it almost entirely in one night, I find it a great reference to go back to, whenever I'm considering dehydrating something new. I couldn't compare this with other titles on dehydrating food since I haven't read them, but I'm quite satisfied with this one. Addition of dehydrated pictures would be a great addition however.

Well-written, valuable food drying resource!, April 2, 1999
Mary Bell's years of experience dehydrating food really shows up in this comprehensive book. The book is interesting reading as well as practical. Mary tells you how to dry the different kinds of foods then continues the discussion with recipes and other ways to use your dried produce.

I had been hoping to find out how to dry dairy products such as cheddar cheese and eggs. I will say I was disappointed to find out that there is not much you can do at home to dry dairy products. I tried drying Cheddar cheese shreds, anyway. Seemed like a good idea at the time. What a mistake! I was peeling that greesy, clumpy stuff from my trays for 45 minutes. Thank goodness I only 'tested' 2 trays worth!! I guess if Mary says "Don't do it", from now on I won't.

There are many, many items which will dry successfully and just as many variations which you can try out. This book leads you through the process and offers helpful tips and hints along the way. I feel I received very good value for the modest price.

Great for learning how to dehydrate food, July 18, 1998
THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL!! I had been trying to find a book like this for a couple of years. Mary Bell gives you step by step directions on how to prepare foods for drying.....Not only whole foods, cooked as well. I love the pudding cookies!!! I believe in preparing as much of our food as we can because it is better for our health and well being. Thank you for the step by step book, I have fallen in love with this type of food preserving!!

Great beginning text for a new dehydrator user., January 11, 1998
Mary Bell's book is an excellent reference for the dehydrator user. She includes information for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, meats, and even herbs and flowers. The recipe section tells you how to put it all together and includes recipes for main dish treats, sweet treats, backpacking treats, and even pet treats.

my book report, January 3, 2007
The only reason that this doesn't get 5 stars is, its not all that it seems. I've got several books on dehyrating. Some of them 15 years old or so. Dehydrators and the art of dehydration has come a long way since then, but found with some products, like winter squash, it hasn't changed - regardless of what modern books says.

Still, Mary Bell's enthusiasm make this a great book to read. She covers many more food types than the old books, along with offering more diverse recipes.

Personally, as I live in the desert South West, I'd like more information on solar dehydration rather than relying on machines and electricity.

But from her advice, successfully made some raisins from a lot of so so grapes that I'd bought - something I'd never have tried otherwise.

So if you're a beginner or advance dehydrator, she's got LOTS of information in here that might give you 1 or 100 new ideas on what, how, and why you should consider dehydration as a primary way of preserving your foods.

Great dehyrator book, February 12, 2006
Reviewer "dunnd1" commented that this book does not cover jerky. He is incorrect. I learned to make jerky with this book; it contains some wonderful jerky recipes.

The Be-all/ End-all of Dehydrator Cookbooks!, June 5, 2007
I have been drying foods and making jerky for over 30 years; but now, after reading May Bell's cookbook, I consider myself a rank amateur around my food dryer. What a wonderful insight into the possibilities that I did not know existed.

I have several books on the subject, but this is truly the bible for those wishing to save energy, cost and space by replacing a lot of what they normally use their canners and freezers for with the versitile dryer.

Dont bother with other books!, February 18, 2009
I bought another book at the same time for less money and honestly I can't find where I put it as I haven't even touched it. I had lots of questions about what would I do if I bought my dehydrator. I mean jerky is awesome but I was looking at a pretty expensive dehydrator and I wanted to know that it would be worth my hard earned moolah. This book convinced me that the dehydrator would pay for itself and gave me exact information I was looking for. It also had great bonuses I hadn't thought about, but find invaluable-like the percentage of water in almost every conceivable fruit and vegetable commonly available. Also I too liked the backpacker chapter. Of course the chapter on fruit leathers is constantly refrenced for the the sake of my four kids. She has some novel ideas that I would have never thought of on my own. My edition was hard back and will stand much wear and tear. Do yourself a favor and get this one! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Anyone can learn to store fruits and vegetables safely and naturally with a cool, dark space (even a closet!) and the step-by-step advice in this book. ... Read more

Reviews

Very clear advice for hanging onto your harvest longer., September 24, 2002
This is a great book for (food) gardeners and for people who have some land available to them. Although there are suggestions for "nooks and crannies" in your house, most of those ideas sound like ideas for older (draftier) homes.

The suggestions for building your own working root cellar are clear, with illustrations to help you plan. There are lists of things that keep well and under what conditions to keep them. The authors even list certain varieties of (for instance) apples that keep better than others. There's a month-by-month plan of what could be coming out of your garden, going into the root cellar, and what could be canned or frozen. If you have a large garden, this is an incredibly useful book.

However, those of us with smaller modern homes, smaller yards, and smaller, less heavily-producing gardens will be a little disappointed. As I read this, I came to the conclusion that it would be pretty darned difficult to have a root cellar on our property, because we don't have a useable cool north corner to put one in. Not impossible, mind you, it would just take a lot more effort, planning, and money to build it.

I recommend this book highly for people who raise substantial amounts of their own produce. This book will really extend your harvest. With imagination and a little time and effort, you can have a root cellar that keeps your family in fresh food you grew all year long.

Encyclopedia of no-energy food preservation, August 31, 2004
This book is a vast resource of information about root cellars, how to build them, and how to use them. The Bubels contend that even city apartments dwellers can arrange some sort of cold food storage area with a little imagination and a few suggestions from those who have done it before. The book has 6 parts: choosing good storage vegetable varieties, harvesting for keeping quality, storing crops in the root cellar, root cellar ideas for those who don't currently have a root cellar, root cellaring experiences, and recipes. At the end of the book is a bibliography for further reading, a list of plant sources, and an index. The book is amply illustrated with diagrams and black-and-white photographs.

I didn't expect to find much in this book that I haven't read elsewhere. Since my house didn't come with a root cellar, I wasn't very optimistic about finding anything in the book that I could use. Fortunately, I was way off-base in these assumptions. I was amazed at the variety and detail of information that the Bubels provide. The sections on choosing seed varieties and determining when to harvest are extremely useful, even if you're only going to put your harvest in the refrigerator. They also explain the different types of storage conditions required for different crops- -some like it cool and moist, and others warmer and dry. But what gave me real hope was all the ideas about un-root cellars that people have constructed and made good use of for storing vegetables. Their examples include everything from insolated window baskets for apartment dwellers to buried package trucks. One idea that might work well for my situation at least for the time being is a buried refrigerator. Down the line, if I have extra time on my hands, I could trade up for a real dug root cellar, following the plans in the book. If you're a gardener, you'll find something of use for sure in this book.

This book gives the complete root cellaring picture., January 17, 1999
We're fortunate to have bought a property with a well designed root cellar already in place. Until I read this book, I had no idea how a root cellar 'worked'. This book suggests what foods are best for root cellaring, how long to expect to store them, and what temperatures should be maintained. Had I not read this book I would have wasted time and enery, and lost the nutrients in some foods by canning them rather than root cellaring them. A city dweller friend of mine borrowed my book and has decided to buy it. There are variety of good root cellar plans complete with illustrations and drawings for nearly any situation.

A Must-Have for Your Library!, January 8, 2001
Outstanding book! The amount of information included makes this book well worth its price. The month-to-month calendar of what one can eat from their root cellar is especially helpful. The pictures, and descriptions, of several existing root cellars in various parts of the country was especially appreciated, and will definitely be utilized when I build my own root cellar. If you are interested in being self-sufficient, this book will be of great assistance.

A must have for the serious gardener, September 29, 2005
If like me you love growing a vegetable garden and then canning, freezing, or dehydrating your produce, then this is a book you should seriously consider adding to your library. Especially since energy costs for cooling in summer and heating in winter are going up.

Because root cellars are something as the one chapter in the book titled Food Cellars for Everyone says, are for everyone whether you live in rural American, suburbia or even a city with a small lot. Roots cellars are economical across the board and have a long history and can be placed under a home, off into a hillside, in a closet, basement or even two big wine barrels with tight lids planted slanted into the ground.

They are also a huge money saver. And being someone who believes that even a city dweller with a small plot of land should grow some of their own food I also believe that we all have a responsibility to learn how to grow food as well as save it, because with our recent history of hurricanes in the southern regions of the country I know that attic cellars have enabled friends I know, to at least have fresh vegetables to cook over the camp stove as they go about trying to get their lives back together.

Planting and Storing Techniques with Construction Ideas, August 24, 2005
The book goes into great detail about what plants will thrive in root gardens. A small ammount of technical details: temperature, planting months, germination techniques are presented. As with many books of this genre (natural/organic in my view), repeating the same idea is prevalent. Many chapters cover the same topics as to which plants will thrive. A more compact book would suit the same purpose and reduce the number of pages. The author tries to cover a wide geographic area in the reviews, but most are tailored to specifice areas of the north where they have had experience (I did not see to much about the south and southwest). The last few chapter involve constructing your own root cellar. Many ideas and techniques for root cellar construciton are presented, but are no way an exhaustive exploration of all possibilities. The plans for construction give the spark for which you will have to provide the rest.

My Oh My!, October 3, 1999
A must buy for country-wise, self sufficient individuals. I initially borrowed it from the library, but it's worth the expense. Stretch your garden further than ever with this in-depth gem of a book.

Very practical guide to energy efficient food storage, February 28, 2006
No matter what your location or how much space you have, the Bubels are likely to have a root cellar option that will work for you. I've got the first edition, but I'm sure the second edition is just as good if not better. Detailed explanations of how to store vegetables and fruits without electricity with specific temperature and humidity recommendations for each variety. Many different cold storage designs. Good photos and diagrams. Well worth the money.

A good guide to root cellaring, June 28, 2002
This book is an excellent guide if you're interested in self-sufficiency. It gives the exact storage recommendations for a good number of fruits and vegetables, including which fruits and vegetables shouldn't be stored too close together.

Excellent book for over wintering the harvest, September 6, 2007
I was so tired of freezing and canning all my garden products and was frightened about my eletricity and gas bills. So this book comes up with the solution how to spare all the energy costs and the hours of work for preparing the food for freezing and canning.: root cellaring.
The book is a wonderful ressource not only on the topic but also in gardening.
For me it is a "must-have" and I wish I had it got 25 years ago....

... Read more

Editorial Review

Typical books about preserving garden produce nearly always assume that modern "kitchen gardeners" will boil or freeze their vegetables and fruits. Yet here is a book that goes back to the future—celebrating traditional but little-known French techniques for storing and preserving edibles in ways that maximize flavor and nutrition.

Translated into English, and with a new foreword by Deborah Madison, this book deliberately ignores freezing and high-temperature canning in favor of methods that are superior because they are less costly and more energy-efficient.

As Eliot Coleman says in his foreword to the first edition, "Food preservation techniques can be divided into two categories: the modern scientific methods that remove the life from food, and the natural 'poetic' methods that maintain or enhance the life in food. The poetic techniques produce... foods that have been celebrated for centuries and are considered gourmet delights today."

Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning offers more than 250 easy and enjoyable recipes featuring locally grown and minimally refined ingredients. It is an essential guide for those who seek healthy food for a healthy world. ... Read more

Reviews

Good overview of basic food preservation, May 7, 2008
For the most part, I really like this book. I have lots of ideas that I am dying to try when my garden starts to bear. I have a ceramic-invection cooktop so I am wary of putting a fully loaded 30 quart pressure cooker on top of it.

I would consider purchasing an additional book if you are unfamiliar with food safety and home food preparation. I gathered that the contributors and the authors are aware of these practices, but did not really elaborate on them very much or stress crucial points necessary for food safety, like cross-contamination or not washing the vegetables well. The book does stress the importance of not using chlorine-treated water so it must be filtered in some way to remove it. Don't want to kill the good bacteria, I suppose.

I'm not sure how well these concepts would work if you have a very small kitchen or don't have a keeping room or cellar. Instructions are given for digging out a small keeping area and topping it with a large flat rock you can slide off. I just gathered you need a good work and storage space.

Directions for making drying racks with screen are given. I have heard of using a discarded screen door for large amounts of drying.

I often do not have huge amounts of fruits and vegetables on hand to do massive canning. The amounts here seem to be very manageable, as well as easy to try out the different types of preservation on the same item to see which you prefer.

I didn't quite know what to make of the jelly/sugar section. The blueberry recipe sort of bewildered me as you are to mix fresh blueberries with what is left of last year's blueberry mixture (not pure blueberries). Sorry, but I don't have any of last year's mixture as I just bought the book and I'm not even sure what was in last year's mixture. I assume it contains some sort of fermented starter, like a fermented bread starter.

I was intrigued by the alcohol section, especially the recipes for elderberry and dandelion wines.

Some of the recipes are for basic canning. You have to have hot, sterilized jars. It wasn't mentioned, but when the recipe tells you to place the lids on the jars for a seal, I think the jar still needs to be hot. The overall impression of some of the recipes is that you meander around the kitchen and process when you feel like it. I saw my grandmother do this when she only had enough to fill a few jars and she called it canning, even though she also used a pressure canner.

This is not a literal cookbook to me. This is a collection of recipes from residents in Terre Vivante. Some of the recipes are vague at best, offering no measurements or ratios. Some are more specific, thankfully. As I am unfamiliar with the finished product, I am afraid that I might over or underestimate the amount of herbs or spices. Some of the recipes gave instructions on how to preserve zucchini and other vegetables through drying, but no idea how to use it in a recipe. Do you put it in dry or have to rehydrate it first?

A few of the recipes seemed to be different versions for the same item, so perhaps those could be combined for one functional recipe.

Amazing Book!, October 9, 2007
This book provides great information on traditional food preservation techniques that are fast being forgotten. The recipes yield some incredible tastes--try the pickled garlic--and practical ways to extend the life of your garden produce with its beneficial nutrients intact. Definitely a must for the serious organic gardener!

Thrifty In The Truest Sense, May 13, 2007
This is a really good reference, with discussions of fermenation and brining, that go beyond the superficial. Good recipies as well, we are now enjoying our salted lemons in salads and in other dishes. This would be in the top ten I would recommend for getting by in a pinch. Also they, for the most part require little or no gas or electric use.

A very useful book, that calls to mind grandmas of the world!, August 3, 2008
I ordered this book a bit over a month ago. I received it very promptly and read it front to back the same day. I was totally amazed by the varied methods of preserving- from using root cellaring to fermenting to using salt and oils and even making jams and jellies! This book is teaching me a lot of methods that I remember my grandmother telling me and my cousins about. Up til now they were lost to time as she died when I was young and too little to remember everything she did. The most exciting thing for me is first making sauerkraut and then the dandelion wine recipe. I have already started the wine, and once I bottle it (next week) I'm using my crock to make some kraut. I can't wait. I'm also anxious to try making some jam. I really like the idea of not using high-temperature canning, since I've always thought that it changes the flavor. When I taste before canning, I love the fresh flavor, but after having been canned, its just off somehow. My mom tells me I'm nuts, but we'll see when I try out one of these recipes that doesn't use that method. I'm sure the freshness will come through.

I read some other reviewers saying that the recipes aren't concise enough, not giving exact amounts, etc.. I find this to be a lot of hooey. The recipes are as concise as they need to be. Sometimes you seriously need to use some common sense. Its not too far fetched to see these mothers and grandmothers from the Terre Vivante just adjusting recipes to their own taste. Thats all you need to do when you are questionable about amounts. Adjust them to meet YOUR standards. After all, when all is said and done what they did doesn't matter, it matters what you do and what your tastebuds tell you.

The most useful part of this book, I think is the chart at the back showing the basic and alternate methods of preserving almost every fruit or vegetable I can even think of, and then some. The descriptions of each method at the beginning of each chapter and the introductions at the front of the book are all also very informative. And of course, the descriptions of what to do in the recipes in the farmers' own words, along with who they are and where they're from are priceless. They put me in mind of my grandmothers' recipes. Totally authentic and interesting to me to see how they actually make them. I think anyone who wants to learn about traditional methods should get this book! And maybe a second one too if your as messy in the kitchen as me! I'm sure to need to get another one in the coming years as it'll be like the rest of my favorite recipe books, splattered and spilled on til the recipes are almost unreadable. :o) hehe. -FYI this review by, MRS. S.G. Bewley

A 'must' for collections strong in either cooking or ecological living., June 3, 2007
The usual book on preserving garden produce assumes boiling or freezing vegetables or fruits will take place - but Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Stage, and Lactic Fermentation uses little-known French techniques for storing and preserving edibles, is newly translated into English for American audiences, and uses less costly methods featuring locally grown, minimally refined fruits and vegetables. It's a cut above your usual 'how to preserve' title and a 'must' for collections strong in either cooking or ecological living.

Not for beginners, May 31, 2009
As some other folks have noted, this book is very much for people who already have some decent experience with food preservation. There are some interesting ideas but a complete lack of details and some just plain dangerous suggestions. For example, the notion that you can throw some raw garlic cloves into a bottle of olive oil and leave it to stew in the sun for several months is beyond irresponsible. If you don't know why I'm saying that, you shouldn't buy this book. Instead you should go google "garlic in oil".

A word of caution, February 5, 2008
This book has a lot of recipes that sound interesting and worth trying, but I would like to see the issue of food safety be addressed in greater detail and for each recipe (or at least for each section). For example, I would be very hesitant to use the recipes listed in the chapter on preserving in oil, for fear of botulism. I would be interested in hearing a review from somebody who works at the FDA or USDA.

Perhaps readers might be interested in the following references:
1. Solomon H, Kautter DA, Rhodehamel EJ, et al: Evaluation of
unacidified products bottled in oil for outgrowth and toxin
production by _Clostridium botulinum_. J Food Protect 1990; 54: 648-9.
2. Morse DL, Pickard LK, Guzewich JJ, et al: Garlic-in-oil associated
botulism: episode leads to product modification. Am J Pub Health
1990; 80: 1372-3.

An excellent book for those who wish to eat healthy all year long., July 27, 2008
I read the previous edition of this book ("Keeping Food Fresh"), then bought this edition for my daughter. All of the methods I have tried from this book have been very good. I appreciate knowing how to preserve food the way people used to (and obviously some still do), without having to destroy so many nutrients through canning. Many of the recipes in here can be adapted to other foods. For example, I took a recipe on pickled onions (lactic acid fermentation), eliminated the spices, and substituted garlic for the onion. I now have a wonderful method of preserving garlic to get that fresh taste all year long. I can also just use the juice. These methods also preserve food for a longer period of time than freezing does.

Food for the Gods from our Forefathers: What good taste they had!, August 22, 2008
I'm so glad that this book exists! All the simple and proven methods of food preservation that any of us can use and all without a freezer or complicated sterilization processes.

What a joy to read about simple and natural methods that not only preserve fruits and vegetables, but that make them taste better and in many cases make them positively gourmet!

Every person should grab a copy of this book whether they grow their own vegetables or not. Imagine being able to purchase fruit in season at reasonable prices, and then take some of it and preserve it for the dark days of winter when it would be prohibitively expensive. Our forefathers (and those great foremothers that did the preserving and came up with the 'recipes')knew to preserve not only the bounty of the summer and fall harvest, but to preserve the nutrition that is stored in the produce.

Vinegar, oil, salt, alcohol, sugar, drying methods too simple to name were all developed so that they (and we!) can eat food fit for the Gods all winter until the spring harvests. Each one of us can make a simple salt and water brine and preserve green beans. Each one of us can string a multitude of fruits and vegetables on strings and dry them for later rehydration in stews, soups, cobblers and pies.

What a book! What simple and flavorful methods! I'm so glad that this collection from the 'Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante' was compiled so that all of us can benefit not only from their expertise, but from the nutrition and flavor that we can capture and hold over from harvest to harvest.

Get this book. Bronze it and pass it on to your children, friends and family. Everyone should know how to preserve food...whether they have bought it or grown it. Invaluable! TEN stars!

Preserving food, January 14, 2008
Very nice book. Lots of information on very old, but also contemporary, methods of food preservation. Recipes that have never previously been published. Simple, practical, ways to store the harvest. ... Read more

Editorial Review

PRESERVING IS BACK, AND IT’S BETTER THAN EVER. Flavors are brighter, batch sizes are more flexible, and modern methods make the process safer and easier. Eating locally is on everybodys mind, and nothing is more local than Heirloom Salsa made from vine-fresh tomatoes or a quick batch of Ice-Box Berry Jam saved from the seasons last berries. Even beginners who never made peach jam or dill pickles in their grandmothers kitchens are eager to pick up preserving skills as a way to save money, extend the local harvest, and control the quality of preserved ingredients.

The step-by-step instructions in Put ‘em Up will have the most timid beginners filling their pantries and freezers with the preserved goodness of summer in no time. An extensive Techniques section includes complete how-to for every kind of preserving: refrigerating and freezing, air- and oven-drying, cold- and hot-pack canning, and pickling. And with recipe yields as small as a few pints or as large as several gallons, readers can easily choose recipes that work for the amount of produce and time at hand.

Real food advocate Sherri Brooks Vinton offers recipes with exciting flavor combinations to please contemporary palates and put preserved fruits and vegetables on dinner-party menus everywhere. Pickled Asparagus and Wasabi Beans are delicious additions to holiday relish trays; Sweet Pepper Marmalade perks up cool-weather roasts; and Berry Bourbon is an unexpected base for a warming cocktail.

The best versions of tried-and-true favorites are all here too. Bushels of fresh-picked apples are easily turned into applesauce, dried fruit rings, jelly, butter, or even brandy. Falling-off-the-vine tomatoes can be frozen whole, oven dried, canned, or made into a tangy marinara. Options for pickling cucumbers range from Bread and Butter Chips and Dill Spears to Asian Ice-Box Pickles. Something delicious for every pantry!

Recipes Include:

Pickled Asparagus  Wasabi Beans  Beet Relish
Berry Bourbon  Grannys Chow-Chow  Agua Fresca  Cantaloupe Rum  Asian Carrot Slaw  Curried Cauliflower  Drunken Cherries  Cherry and Black Pepper Preserves  Pickled Jalapenos  Three-Chili Hot Sauce  Preserved Lemons  Candied Citrus Rind  Oven-Dried Sweet Corn  Bread and Butter Chips  Pickled Fennel  Figs in Honey Syrup  Roasted Garlic Butter  Grape Leather  Dill Pesto with Feta  Martini Onions  Ginger and Peach Jam  Dried Pear Chips  Sugar Plums  Pickled Ramps  Classic Strawberry Jam  Sweet Pepper Marmalade  Salsa Verde  Oven-Dried Tomatoes  Pickled Watermelon Rind

Reviews

Moved to the top of favorite canning books, July 23, 2010
I have been canning for over 30 years and teach canning classes in the community. Part of my class is helping my students find a good canning book to use as a resource. I personally have many books and regularly check to see what's new out there. Then I pass on my top 4 or 5 favorites to my students in the class. After looking through 'Put em UP', reading the how to information, browsing through the recipes, and just the way the book is laid out and illustrated, I would definitely move this to a top choice for someone who needs information on canning. Everyone who wants to can (or preserve by any method) needs a good book or two. Even after 30 years of canning I still reread the basics every year, just to make sure I'm not forgetting some step. This book has great step-by-step instructions. One of my favorite things about the book is that it lists produce and then follows with ways to preserve that particular food and recipes. Most other canning books group things by kind, such as all jam & jelly recipes in one chapter and all pickles in another chapter, etc. Often when I bring home some kind of produce from a farmers' market or local farm, I've not decided for sure what I will do with it. By using this book, I can go to the section on say blueberries and look through my options, then decide how I want to preserve the berries. I'm also impressed with the knowledge and creativity the author shows in this book. Her recipes are wide and varied and I can see that many will become favorites in my home.

Video Review, June 21, 2010
A comprehensive canning & preserving book packed full of recipes, techniques, tips, troubleshooting, resources & more! Big bang for your buck.

~XOXO~

This delicious guidebook will inspire you to pickle, jelly, and freeze like an old pro., June 9, 2010
Revive your grandmother's tradition of home-preserving the season's bounty with //Put `Em Up!//. This delicious guidebook will inspire you to pickle, jelly, and freeze like an old pro. //Put `Em Up!// begins by dispelling the myth that canning foods at home is dangerous. There's a complete list to help you identify the signs of spoiled foods. The author assures us, "home cooks have been doing [home preservation] for generations and we've managed to survive as a species" (page 93). Indeed, her instructions are sound and well-tested. The reader has nothing to fear and everything to gain.

//Put `Em Up!// offers a wide range of ways to use your local harvest. For example, the section on pears provides seven different ways to preserve: syrup, dried pear chips, chutney, sauce, pear butter, pickled pears, and even pear vodka. The book covers everything from fruits to veggies you might not consider preserving such as zucchini. You'll even find a recipe for Heirloom Watermelon Jelly. From classic canning techniques to tips on freezing and even making hot pepper ristras, you'll enjoy summer's ripeness year-round. The author's can-do writing style will surely empower you. Happy canning!

Reviewed by Amber K. Stott

When you're ready to go beyond the Blue Book, try this book., September 8, 2010
I must say that Storey Publishing REALLY knows how to put out great cookbooks. Here's my newest favorite by Sherri Brooks Vinton called, Put 'em Up!: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook, from Drying and Freezing to Canning and Pickling.

For the past year, I've been gathering all the information I can get my hands on about preserving foods. I've spent hours talking with veteran canners (older & wiser women), researching techniques, comparing recipes, and finding the best sources for fresh produce. It's been a sweet high, I must say, to put up delicious tasting, locally grown, fruits and vegetables, knowing full well my family will be enjoying Summer's treats long after the plants are spent and the garden beds lie dormant.

Learning to preserve and actually putting up different foods is not a hobby for me. It's a new life choice. Some of you may already know that I stopped buying products containing high fructose corn syrup. Boy. That decision right there takes 75% percent off the grocery list. Well, some of the first items we missed eating were red plum jam and bread-and-butter pickles. I didn't want to live without those foods, so I had no choice but to make them on my own.

I don't think it's an coincidence that my new lifestyle choice and this new book have come together at the right time. When Storey Publishing gave me this book to review, I took it as a sign that I was on the right track in my thinking.


HERE'S WHAT I ENJOY MOST ABOUT PUT 'EM UP!

* Easy to read format throughout the book.
* Thorough information on the techniques of food preparation and food preservation methods.
* Contains extra big chunks of wisdom regarding "Working in Groups", "Things That Will Surely Get You Into Trouble", and "Things That Look Bad But Aren't Dangerous".
* Recipes are mixed with traditional basics and intriguing ethic delights.
* Recipes are organized by produce that's listed in alphabetical order.
* The illustrations are clear and simple to follow. We're not left guessing or assuming what happens next.


Produce covered in PUT 'EM UP!

Apples, Asparagus, Beans, Beets, Berries, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cherries, Chilies, Citrus, Corn, Cucumbers, Fennel, Figs, Garlic, Grapes, Herbs, Mushrooms, Onions, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Radishes, Ramps and Scapes, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Summer Squash and Zucchini, Sweet Peppers, Tomatillos and Green Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Watermelon


Recipes I've made from this book, so far.

Spicy Peach Salsa, Bread-and-Butter Chips, Pickle Relish and Classic Crock Pickles

Recipes I can't wait to try next. I'll just name a few.

Cucumber Aqua Fresca, Classic Fermented Sauerkraut, Preserved Lemons, Picnic Relish, Pickled Garlic, Herbed Vinegar, Pickled Button Mushrooms, Caramelized Onion Confit, Peach Butter, Strawberry Vinegar, Salsa Verde, Whole Canned Tomatillos, Easy-Bake Tomato Paste, and Watermelon Granita.

No matter whether you've been canning for years or you're just getting started in the art of preserving foods, Put 'Em Up! is a book worth adding to your shelf. It's full of inspiration, incredible recipes, and knowledgeable information you can refer back to again and again.

food preservation guide, July 30, 2010
This book was recommended by a farmer friend as a good resource for someone new to canning.
I found the instructions easy to follow and the recipes delicious. Although it does not include information on pressure cooking canning, the drying, pickling, boiling water canning processes were helpful. I highly recommend this book.

A creative new look, July 12, 2010
This book has a creative new look at making the most of what we have and doing more interesting and delicious things with it.Sherri takes the fear out of wiping out your friends and family with tainted food, while offering easy and delicious ways of preserving it. Everything from shelf staples to infused Vodkas. There is something new here for everyone and more than one way to get it done. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to hang on to the flavors of the seasons.

Not what I expected from this publisher, July 8, 2010
This book tries to cover to many techniques. Quite a few of the recipes are for storing in your refrigerator or freezer. Her figs recipe is water bath processed with lemon juice. This is not USDA standard who recommends pressure canning for figs since they are LOW acid like vegetables. Also the pickled mushrooms are not pre-acidified as USDA standard recipes are. That makes me nervous from a safety perspective. I was disappointed in this volume although there are some interesting recipes there.

Brand specific pectin - if you can find it, August 24, 2010
The book is very interesting and well written, but I find it frustrating that the pectin in the recipies is a specific brand (Pamona's) that is hard to find in stores and with a different set up than all of the typical national brands (pectin powder and calcium powder?). I wouldn't mind if there was a note on how to convert to standard pectins. I might not have purchased this if I had known.

Put 'em Up!, September 29, 2010
I will admit right up front that I am terrified of canning for the exact same reason the author discusses in this book...what if I kill someone? According to the author, I shouldn't be worrying at all and she goes into extensive detail so that even the novice home cook can preserve food. This really is a comprehensive guide and I found some amazing tips and references to equipment that I didn't even know existed! I particularly loved that every technique mentioned had pictures and diagrams to go along with it!


The first section of this book is all about preservation methods and includes everything from pickling, drying, freezing, and canning to making butters, oils, and infusions. Basic step by step descriptions are included, along with diagrams, so that I really felt that I understood each technique. You will learn which equipment is necessary and which will just make your life easier. Canning funnels and lid lifters were items that I had never seen before but I can certainly see how they could come in handy!


The rest of the book is all about the recipes. It is arranged alphabetically by type of food for ease of use. If you have 15 pounds of tomatoes that you just picked or you found a great deal on apples at the farmers market, just flip to that food and you will have suggestions for drying, canning, freezing, etc. I think this layout makes the book very easy to use!


There is a great selection of resources at the end including one for Local Harvest and tons of farmer's market resources to help you find seasonal produce to use in these recipes.


I really enjoyed reading this book and am going to start looking for some good canning supplies so that come spring I can try my hand at making some homemade jam. I understand the techniques after reading this book, now I just need the courage to try it for myself!


Disclaimer: I received one copy of this book from Storey Publishing in order to write my review. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.

Excellent!, September 28, 2010
Lots of great, unique recipes with easy to follow directions. Well done and a good addition to my collection. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Since its original publication in 1998, this book has been considered the go-to guide for those who like it sour, salty, and tangy. Author Ziedrich goes far beyond the classic bread-and-butters and dills with recipes that showcase the worldwide popularity of pickling. There are chapters on fermented pickles, from Half-Sours to Turkish Mixed Pickles; on fresh pickles such as Pickled Beets; on cabbage pickles from around the world like Kimchi and Curtido; and miso and soy sauce pickles. Twenty-five of the recipes are brand new, and the indispensable pickling primer has been fully updated with the latest in equipment, ingredients, and techniques. ... Read more

Reviews

Kinda disappointed, November 27, 2009

Straight to the head of the class!, August 31, 2009

Pickle Me This, August 26, 2009

Jam-making is passe - Pickling is where it's at!, September 17, 2009

Pickles, Pickles, Pickles, May 9, 2010
Hubby Dub and I live half the year on a sailboat in the Caribbean and he loves his pickles. Till I got this book I just made my plain old fashioned Sun Pickles. You know, 1 cup of vinegar, 3 cups of water, dill to suit (we get it along with the cukes from the Saturday Market in Trinidad), four cloves of garlic, salt (up to but not more than a quarter cup), some hot peppers and whole cucumbers, though you can slice them if you want. Then you mix the salt, vinegar and agua together and when the salt dissolves you put the cukes, peppers, dill & garlic in a gallon jar, add the liquid and let it sit on deck in the hot sun for about a week, being sure to shake the jar a couple times a day.

Those pickles are great and I never thought of varying my pickle recipe till I got this book. I tried the mixed pickling spices on page 15 and those pickles came out scrupchulicious. The Mustardy Dill Pickles on page 49 are do die for, as is the Sweet Pickled Daikon on page 123, Daikons are plentiful in the Caribbean and you can see them in plenty of American supermarkets now. Hubby Dub calls them Giant White Radishes.

I have not tried the sauerkraut recipes or kimchi ones, but I'm going to. This is a nifty book, one I'll be using a lot. Five big stars from me.

Excellent, December 21, 2009

Fabulous for the home canner!, November 19, 2009

Pickle Hunger?, October 26, 2009

Pickling Is a Joy, October 22, 2009

Pucker up for Pickles, September 3, 2009

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Canny LIttle Book, July 31, 2010
This book, written almost 100 years ago, was probably a homemaker's bible for home canning. Its very proper wording only points to how lax we've become in our speech and writing.

The author gives thorough explanations of the various canning methods of those times. She explains every step and its timing in each of them. Since many homes lacked refrigeration a century ago, canning was an essential way of keeping foods throughout the year. She stresses that bacteria must be killed, or they could kill one's family.

Although a tedious read, it was interesting to learn about killing and canning one's own chickens and harvesting and canning the family's crop of vegetables and fruits. It makes me ever so more appreciative of the conveniences we enjoy today: fully stocked supermarkets, freezers, and other methods of storing foods.

If you love canning and the science behind it this one is for you!, October 12, 2010
There are several versions of this book available. Mine was free, there is a $1.99 one also.

If you are someone who loves to make Jellies and Jams, this may be just the book for you. This is a long one, that is really formatted like a text book. There are review questions at the end of big sections and even quality scores you can give yourself based on the outcome of your work.

For me, it was a little tedious. Again though, if canning is your hobby or business, it goes into great detail about things like, why so much sugar is necessary, which fruits produce enough of their own pectin, which require adding store bought pectin to get the results you seek. I learned some things from this book that are fun to know, it was free and kept me entertained.

good as a historical document, January 10, 2010
I was hoping for some historical recipes or ideas for food preservation. I didn't find much of that, more a primer on being a housewife. Interesting reading but no practical upside. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This no-nonsense guide to canning, freezing, curing, and smoking meat, fish, and game is written in down-to-earth, informative, everyday language. The third edition of this perennial bestseller is completely revised and updated to comply with the latest USDA health and safety guidelines. Includes dozens of delicious recipes for homemade Beef Jerky, Pemmican, Venison Mincemeat, Corned Beef, Gepockelete (German-style cured pork), Bacon, Canadian Bacon, Smoked Sausage, Liverwurst, Bologna, Pepperoni, Fish Chowder, Cured Turkey, and a variety of hams. Learn tasty pickling methods for tripe, fish, beef, pork, and oysters. An excellent resource for anyone who loves meat but hates the steroids and chemicals in commercially available products. ... Read more

Reviews

informative, handy, with large scale recipes, February 23, 2005
This book teaches you how to safely---with large emphasis on safety and hygiene---prepare, and store meat using a wide variety of canning, freezing, and curing methods. The text is well-illustrated with diagrams of equipment (including sausage makers, and smokers) and methods. There are plenty of helpful tips, and handy charts indicating how long a product should be heated per pound (with time adjustments when cooking at altitude). The recipes in the book are massive. Most require 100lb of meat, pounds of salt, and gallons of water; a few handful of recipes call for 3-10 pounds of meat.

for the carnivore in you!, September 20, 2002
Join the generations of hunters in the wild & in the aisles of local supermarkets who have learned to can, freeze, cure & smoke meat, fish & game with this simple, safety-conscious primer about making beef jerky, bologna, cured turkey, bacon, corned beef, pemmican, clam chowder, & much, much more.

It will also turn you on to other ways to prepare your meats, & fill you with satisfaction when you look in your freezer, on your shelves & in your cupboards.

Very glad it's been re-printed - my ancient copy was getting unreadable!

GREAT BOOK, December 7, 2007
This is a really good book to have on hand. It has a lot of really nice recipes and it is very easy to read. The directions are very clear and well written.

Help out alot, March 3, 2008
I ordered this book to find out how to cure bacon and smoke meat. I found it very helpfull. I was having a hard time in finding a cure, but the book sugested a cure by mortin. I will tell everyone I know. If you need a good meat book this is one of our favorites.

Great book, August 15, 2010
Before I read this book, I knew NOTHING about preserving meat. Now, if the power goes out, my cabinet will be full and my stomach will be happy. :D

Useful, September 30, 2008


Very Useful for anyone interested in Living off of the Land.

Great Seller!!, July 4, 2008
Good service. Product arrived in good condition and in a timely manner. Would do business whit this seller again!

check your pages, March 2, 2009
This book had pages missing and misplaces. I had to return it for a refund. It had good info, but a bad printing. I will be reordering and hope to get the whole book this time.
... Read more

Editorial Review

Food and crafting enthusiasts look forward to the weekends to create, experiment, and stock the pantry with handcrafted edibles and gifts. For creative urban dwellers, the kitchen is a workshop space, and JAM IT, PICKLE IT, CURE IT is its how-to guide. This savvy collection of 75 recipes for creating homemade artisan foodstuffs features delicious projects easy enough to be completed in one to two days. Detailed instructions, prep-ahead tips, shopping lists, and optional extras outline the shortest route between crafty cooks and a pantry full of hand-labeled, better-than-store-bought creations. ... Read more

Reviews

Great Kitchen Crafts for the Anti-Knitter, May 4, 2009
I love that author Karen Solomon considers her new cookbook, Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it, to be a handbook for kitchen food crafting. I often lament the fact that I'm not crafty in the traditional sense. Knitting gives me anxiety, painting makes me angry, and God forbid I try to sew anything, but I certainly know how to use my KitchenAid mixer and with this book as a guide I may yet find my very own alternative craft niche in the world.

While paging through the cozily styled recipes in this book I found myself hard pressed to find a project that I didn't want to try. Homemade Apple Butter - bring it on! Pickled Green Beans - when does the farmer's market open?! And if I have two weeks to spare I can even make my own bacon. Perhaps the item I'm most excited to try my hand at is Strawberry Jam. I'm honestly not sure if I can contain my excitement until June when the strawberries will be at their peak of juiciness in New England.

All of the recipes have thorough and thoughtful instructions. This cookbook will absolutely not disappoint and would make a wonderful gift.

Accessible kitchen projects in a crafty style, May 6, 2009
As a total newcomer to the world of food preservation, I wasn't sure that I was up for the task -- isn't it complicated? After reading this beautiful and well-written book, I found that the answer is definitely "no."

In fact, the accessible style and fun recipes practically beg to be tried. The homemade pop tarts recipe is incredible (really, calling them pop tarts didn't do them justice: they were delicious little hand-held pastries), and the pickles were easy and way better than store-bought. I tried the kimchi recipe as well, which was beautifully spicy and pungent. I've not made the bacon yet, it takes a while, but the thought of home-cured porky goodness sounds great.

This book would probably make a great gift for foodies new to the world of canning, pickling, and curing but would also appeal to those interested in DIY crafts and retro kitchen arts.

My favorite cookbook, May 8, 2009

How can you not love a cookbook that includes recipes for bacon ("the king of all fried meats"), kimchee (the "pungent Korean condiment" that "makes every dish taste better"), Limoncello (the predecessor of the Lemon Drop and its dirty cousin, the Sledgehammer), and smoked trout ("one of the easiest and fastest to smoke at home"). I've never before had a cookbook that compelled me to try EVERY RECIPE. The instructions are clear and clearly well tested, the dishes are invariably enticing, and the photographs had me running to the grocery store to buy some required ingredients. Plus, the author tells you how to store each creation, which is extremely useful. I'm looking forward to trying each recipe--from things I've always taken for granted (butter, mustard, mayonnaise) to marshmallows, pickled green beans, and peanut butter cups (the photo on the back of the book is dreamy).

Slightly disappointed, August 16, 2009
I did realize when I bought this book that there were only 75 recipes, but I don't think I really took in exactly how slight that was going to make the book overall. Jam it? There are only 4 recipes. Pickle it? There are 6 (and that's if you count the one where you stuff already-cured olives). Cure it? About 2, depending on how strict you want to be with the definition of "cure." Despite my disappointment with the scope of the book, how perishable some of the items are, and the inclusion of some basics like mayonnaise and tomato sauce that I must already have in a dozen cookbooks, there are individual recipes I am eager to try (and that is the other reason you really should find a copy of this book someplace and flip through it, even if you decide to purchase it from Amazon -- there may be a recipe in the book that would sound so spectacular to you that it completely justifies the cost). In the hot weather right now, I think I'll probably try some of the popsicle recipes first, which look original and tasty.

Finally!, June 5, 2009
Given everything we have learned about processed foods, I can't believe we are just now getting a cookbook with recipes for mustard and ketchup. Why buy crackers at the store which are laden with preservatives, when you can easily make them at home with a few pantry staples? I could not be happier with this book and can't wait to delight my friends and family with their homemade gifts. This book is interesting, creative and inspiring.

Just Make It., June 28, 2009
Great book, with easy to follow recipes. I've made the ginger beer and am already getting requests for repeats this summer.

The Extra Step I'm Always Searching For, January 9, 2010
I am an avid collector and user of hundreds of cookbooks. I already make jam and such things, but this book filled a void in my collection. Having a few recipes on pickling, canning, etc. certainly inspires your own variations.

One critical element that this book includes that most of my others do not - what to do with all of your little homemade condiments and fresh cheese. I can certainly come up with my own ideas, but it's refreshing to find an author that includes items from the book in the other recipes within the book. You can take as many steps as you like and use the finished product or morph it into something even bigger. I also never thought of making my own butter with the added bonus of buttermilk, which doesn't exist in my part of the world. Kudos to Karen Solomon!

Creative and fun, April 13, 2010
The marshmallow recipe alone makes this book worth reading! Graham crackers, chocolate sandwich cookies, ginger beer - Ms. Solomon has collected unique recipes for foods that don't usually make the cookbooks, and made them accessible for the home cook. Very exciting!

Fabulous Find, February 16, 2010
Received this fun book as a Christmas gift and couldn't wait to try all the delicious recipes. So far, we've experimented with sesame, poppy seed, and onion crackers, fried potato chips, beef jerky, chive and black pepper yogurt cheese, apple fruit leather, graham crackers, and senior mints, all of which turned out fabulously and far better than imagined. Can't wait to try more! Recipes were clear and precise and easy enough for beginners. Perfect food projects for a rainy (or snowy) day, and very rewarding indeed. We highly recommend!

On target, February 10, 2010
This book is right on target with what I wanted it to be. It has simple recipes for all sorts of homey little treats that are otherwise scattered throughout my cookbook collection. Want to make marshmallows, gravlax pasta,etc.?, this is your book. The only possible criticism is that it's a little bit light. For instance, you could make the ginger beer carbonated if you added a little yeast. You can also make sugar free ice cream by putting frozen fruits in a high powered blender, etc. How about impossible pies (look it up). The correct way to think of this book, though, is to regard it as introductory. If you like any of this stuff and I'm sure you will, you can expand your knowledge dramatically and for free through Google. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Everything you need to know to can and preserve your own food

With the cost of living continuing to rise, more and more people are saving money and eating healthier by canning and preserving food at home. This easy-to-follow guide is perfect for you if you want to learn how to can and preserve your own food, as well as if you're an experienced canner and preserver looking to expand your repertoire with the great new and updated recipes contained in this book.

Inside you'll find clear, hands-on instruction in the basic techniques for everything from freezing and pickling to drying and juicing. There's plenty of information on the latest equipment for creating and storing your own healthy foods. Plus, you'll see how you can cut your food costs while controlling the quality of the food your family eats.

• Everything you need to know about freezing, canning, preserving, pickling, drying, juicing, and root cellaring
• Explains the many great benefits of canning and preserving, including eating healthier and developing self-reliance
• Features new recipes that include preparation, cooking, and processing times
• Amy Jeanroy is the Herb Garden Guide for About.com and Karen Ward is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals

If you want to save money on your grocery bill, get back to basics, and eat healthier, Canning & Preserving For Dummies, 2nd Edition is your ideal resource! ... Read more

Reviews

Makes Canning and Preserving a breeze! Tasty recipes, too!, April 9, 2004
I've read this cookbook cover to cover, sampled some recipes, and I'm impressed! Karen Ward took all the guess work and concerns I had out of both canning and preserving. The balance of taste in her recipes is extraordinary. Her Pear Chutney's the best I've ever had (and I've had plenty). My husband adores her bread and Butter Pickles! A great cookbook to have on hand to make holiday food gifts, too.

Anyone can learn how to can., September 29, 2005
I have NEVER canned anything before in my entire life, and I decided to try it. I was extremely apprehensive but bought all the ingredients/equipment necessary. I read this book one time, and followed the directions. VIOLA!!! I had perfectly canned jam. I must add though, if you order any kind of water bath canner set, you will probably get a free Ball Canning Book which states the same information.

Despite errors and hysteria an OK Beginner Book, August 28, 2006
Being a former research scientist, it is perhaps unfair to critique a book for beginners. The recipes, trouble shooting and sources chapters are great. You will never get sick following this book.
Corections: One piece caps designed for home canning of jams are fine. All jars designed for canning may not be used. Those manufactured prior to WWII will break if used for pressure canning due to internal stress created by movement of the high soda glass over time. Used tomato sauce jars that use a standard cap are fine. Regular green beans (formerly called string beans) have not required destringing for 40 years. The jar lifter is gripping the jar where it will slip. Do not use wet dishtowels to wipe the lids. Your toilet bowl contains less bacteria. Use a paper towel. 2 piece (dome) lids on higher silica jars were used throughout WWII in Victory Gardens. I still use my mother's made in May, 1943. Do not bury your spoiled low acid food in deep soil or go through the detoxification process. Your sewer authority will probably tell you to dump it down the drain. If you do not trust their advice, take the food to your toxic waste drop off. If you have followed the directions as to pressure and time (you may not cheat), you do not need to boil all your canned low acid foods. Eat your food before canning the same veggies next year (a problem in WWII). Always can with a friend(s), especially the first time. It's more fun that way and safer should there ever be a rare problem (like a sticking valve in the MIRRO canner - tap with a wooden spoon and get your husband to fix it later). Botulism bacteria are killed at 212 degrees (actually 10 min. @ 80C according to the CDC). It's the spores that require 240F for the times indicated. In nearly 40 years of canning and raising three children from our large garden and orchard, we have never had food poisoning. Just remember, cleanliness is next to godlineness.

"Youth Is Wasted On The Young".....Great Book, September 6, 2009
When I was a kid I spent summers at my grandmothers house where she put me, as well as all my other cousins under her care, to work in her big garden. We spent about half the summer cultivating the likes of corn, tomatos, broccoli, and cauliflower, as well as fruits like blueberries, grapes, and strawberries to name just a few. Everything had to be cut, cleaned, spiced, and preserved in a large room in the basement. The work involved didn't mean much to me back then but a lot of time taken away from more important things like going to the movies and playing baseball. That is until the cold winter months came along when we ate supper at my grandmothers and were treated to the most delicious meals from the freshest produce I was to ever enjoy. We even got to enjoy our salad with genuine home made vinegar with garlic that my grandmother made herself as well. Home spun meals of that delicious caliber were to never really come around again in my life. Unfortunately when I got older and was no longer required to be under my grandmothers care I drifted away from her and never had the opportunity to either learn, or remember much of anything from those wonderful days of my youth. Now all grown up and working from home finds me wishing I had paid more attention to all the knowledge and lore my grandmother was so free with that was all but ignored or forgotten over the years. The "dummy" series of books are a collection of which I own quite a few of. Everything from weather to bird feeding. I have always found them to be plainly written, very well researched, and even humorous in many cases. They all seem to have the same home spun quality to them regardless of what the subject matter happens to be. "Canning and Preserving" is certainly not one to be an exception. Anyone that is planning to grow and preserve their own veggies and fruit should read this book. It is wonderfully written, very thorough, and above all is presented in such a way that it begins with the assumption that you barely know what canning and preserving is. It offers a wealth of tips, procedure, growing and spicing suggestions, the hardware you will both need and can manage without, and even recipes that one would tend to never encounter anywhere else. It is quite simply the most comprehensive book I have encountered as to canning and preserving. If you're like me and not only want to make the best preserves possible, or are just interested in not making a mistake and poisoning yourself, by all means buy this book. It is a wealth of instruction, tips, lore, and wit and wisdom for those of us that spent more of our time chasing butterflies in the summers of our youth, than paying attention to what would later become invaluable in life...

I went from Burning Toast to Winning Blue Ribbons at The State Fair!, October 8, 2007
I have always fantasized about canning and preserving my own locally grown garden vegetables and fruits. One day on a lark of what my partner called "Pure Insanity" I bought a Water based canner and equipment to put my dreams into reality. I would have panicked had I not reviewed and purchased this book the day before.

In only a matter of a few hours I read the book from cover to cover and felt like an expert. Soon thereafter when I found a wonderful source of locally grown cucumbers I "canned" 8 pints of 'Bread and Butter pickles' from a recipe provided in this book. Three weeks later I was the recipient of a Blue Ribbon at a local fair for my "Prize Winning Recipe". I was astonished! They will never know the secret of my success was "The Dummies Guide" but I will never forget. I've since gone on to do Corn Relish, Apple Butter, Lime Pickles, and tonight I shall can Green Beans and Carrots.

This is the book that will bring success to the otherwise accident and disaster prone "cook". Don't start this hobby without it!

Great Book for the Beginner, July 27, 2007
I used to take insult to "dummy" books, but this book is wonderful. Since I had everything to learn about canning, this book written with it's simplicity and step by step detail, has been a great resource.

This is a great book!!, September 14, 2009
I would rate the ball blue book as #1, but this is up there as an all around book on canning & preserving. I have been canning for many, many years & this book gives good advice for novice or experienced canners!!Buy it you won't be sorry to have added this to your food preservation library!!

Very few canning recipes, December 29, 2008
Good overview for a beginner, but I wanted more canning recipes. You'll need to go to another book to get that. This one just had a few jelly, salsa, pickle and a few directions on canning specific fruits and vegetables with very little on food dehydration. If you decide to get this, you'll need another book down the road if you decide to can or preserve anything else.

Can Can, October 13, 2009
"Canning & Preserving for Dummies" was a quintessential "Dummies" book. I had never done anything remotely close to canning before and by the time I made my second batch of pickles I had a system in place and cut my time of processing by 50%. I even felt compfortable enough to look for recipes on the web and to purchase a canning recipes book. I would strongly recommend this book for canning neophytes.

Great Book!, September 7, 2009
I bought this book for my 56 year old brother who had never canned before, and wanted to learn. He said he read it from front to back and just loved it. It taught him everything he needed to know about canning, and he has canned quite a lot this summer. Excellent book to learn about canning. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Preserving Summer's Bounty

Surefire techniques and great recipes for keeping the harvest!
... Read more

Reviews

Everything you need to know about preserving, August 8, 1999
This book covers everything you need to know about freezing, canning, preserving, pickling, drying, juicing, & root cellaring. Step-by-step instructions make it easy for even a beginner to follow.

The book starts out with a harvesting guide that includes all methods that can be used to preserve each crop. Next, freezing is covered including a crop-by-crop guide & blanching methods.

Then both bath & pressure canning are demonstrated in detail. A processing timetable for each crop is included as well. Instructions for making fruit butters as well as cooked, pectin, & refrigerator jams & jellies follows.

The drying section includes shelf life for dried food & instructions for making your own dryer. There are also over 250 delicious recipes you can freeze, can or preserve and a resource guide for modern & heirloom seeds.

Great guide, August 9, 2004
I've recently expanded my preserving repertoire beyond canned tomatoes & pickles and into the worlds of pressure canning, drying, and freezing. This book is perfect for the person exploring these (and other) options for "putting up" food. Especially helpful is the early section of the book with a long list of common fruits and vegetables with a summary of the best methods of preservation. Subsequent chapters present each method in detail (with good explanations of the science behind them) and provide greater detail on how to apply them to specific foods. I've also tried (with good success) several of the recipes that appear toward the end of the book. This was an excellent purchase for my needs.

Full of Information, September 27, 2005
This book is great for the the novice. It covers soup to nuts (literally)!! After my first (successful!) attempt at canning tomato sauce and pickeling zucchini, I wanted to get more out of my garden. This year we had to take a hiatus from producing our own vegatables, but I ordered this book now, so I can be better prepared for next year. This books gives tips on types of vegatables to plant, harvesting tips, and a guide on how to best preserve each item. It has also given me plenty ideas to plan for in the next few years. My goal is build a root cellar in my basement. This book was definatly worth the money for the advice it gave me.

Good, but not my favorite, June 15, 2007
This is a good book if you're learning how to can, and it has some good tips and recipes in it, but its not my favorite. I bought this book, along with the Ball 400 Recipes book, and I prefer the Ball book over this one.

useful book, August 22, 2006
Good book. Has sensible, usable recipes and canning/preserving information pertaining to a variety of produce. Well written and easily understandable.

Very Informative, December 28, 2008
This was my first year growing my own garden, so I purchased this book to guide me in all things preserving. I really used the heck out of it. I was able to learn everything I needed to freeze, can, jam, and dry a large variety of fruits and veggies. The book is laid out in a very clear, easy to find reference style, which made it easy for me to quickly flip through to what I needed at that moment.

Great, informative book, April 11, 2008
I am a newbie when it comes to preserving foods. I have read this book cover to cover and have learned so much about canning, freezing, dehydrating, and preserving all types of fruits, veggies and herbs. The step-by-step instructions for all of the methods is truly a valuable asset for this book. Now I can't wait for my garden to start producing so I can get working on the preserving process. I highly recommend this book to beginners, like me. This book also has some pretty interesting recipes that I can't wait to try.

Everything I need with a GREAT layout., January 4, 2007
This book is wonderful in that it has all the information you could possibly want and it is sectioned very well. The only thing that I would prefer is a wider range of recipes for the salsas and things, but then again it is not a cookbook so I can't fault it for that.

Great Resource Book, October 21, 2008
This book is excellent. Instead of just a book of recipes, although it does have them, it has practical how-to instruction on canning, freezing, drying and more. It also goes beyond the how-to and gives you the why. It is easier to improvise and change things if you know the why and not just the how...this book does that.

I highly recommend it.

Preserving Summer's Bounty, September 28, 2008
It was the first canning book I looked at and plus a friend recomended it. It has everything thing on canning even open canning and the receipes are great and it is also very to read and understand. I would recomended to anyone who is first time canner like me. Great book!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

There has been a need for a comprehensive one-volume reference on the manufacture of meats and sausages at home.There are many cookbooks loaded with recipes which do not build any foundation for the serious hobbyist to follow. This leaves him with little understanding of the sausage making process and afraid to introduce his own ideas. There are professional books that are written for meat plant managers or graduate students, unfortunately, these works are written in such difficult technical terms, that most of them are beyond the comprehension of an average person. Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages bridges the gap that exists between highly technical textbooks and the requirements of the typical hobbyist. In order to simplify this gap to the absolute minimum, technical terms were substituted with their equivalent but simpler terms and many photographs, drawings and tables were included.The book covers topics such as curing and making brines, smoking meats and sausages, U.S. Standards, making fresh, smoked, emulsified, fermented and air dried products, making special sausages such as head cheeses, blood and liver sausages, low salt, low fat and Kosher products, hams, bacon, butts and loins, poultry, fish and game, creating your own recipes and much more... To get the reader started 172 recipes are provided which were chosen for their originality and historical value. They carry an enormous value as a study material and as a valuable resource on making meat products and sausages. Although recipes play an important role in these products, it is the process that ultimately decides the sausage quality. It is perfectly clear that the authors don't want the reader to copy the recipes only: "We want him to understand the sausage making process and we want him to create his own recipes. We want him to be the sausage maker." ... Read more

Reviews

Best ever book written about sausages and cured meat, June 18, 2010
This is the best.
If you want to buy one book about sausages,this is the one ,believe me you do not need any other.
It made me understand clearly the magic of sausage making,
I can from now on formulate my own sausages because now i know quite well the science behind.
Until now i made the following sausages :-
1-Kosher beef sausage
2-Liver pate sausage
3-Mortadella di bologna
4-Mortadella lyoner
Taste ,texture and aroma are out of this world especially if you allow them to mature for 2 or 3 days in the fridge before you consume them.
Honestly they are better than the ones that i use to buy from the deli.
For me no more buying from the shops.
Page 153 and 154 alone worth the price of this book because they simply provide you with the secret of making better than the shops sausages
Large variety of sausages as an example fresh sausages ,cooked sausages,emulsified sausages,boiled sausages,liver sausages ,head cheeses and meat jelies,fermented sausages and for the first time ever in any book that i read and owned a full chapter on kosher sausages (special sausages)
They show you exceedingly simple,easy methods and techniques to achieve a first class products
Full chapter on how to cure meat , the different methods used and the ingredients to use
Full chapters on how to make hams,bacons and dried meats
Full chapters on poultry,fish and wild game
Full chapters on barbecuing and canning
They are two types of Pastrami in this book ,the cooked (pastrami)and the dried uncooked (pastirma )they are next in my list to make.
Actally i can not say enough about this book ,it is the complete book about sausages and cured meat ever written
I recommend it highly.

Out of the park! best book on Charcuterie written to date, November 18, 2010
Yes, I've read Ruhlman's "Charcuterie" (poor IMO) and Jane Grigson's "Charcuterie & French Pork Cookery" & Kuta's "great Sausage Recipes and meat curing" However...for Charcuterie, nothing touches this.

This is book is NOT about fresh sausage or Duck Confit(Ruhlman)This book is about:

CHARCUTERIE dried, smoked, cured, brined & jellied!!!

A good section on meat science (I think possibly lifted from Forrest's "Principles of Meat Science"? LOL)it covers all of the areas I mentioned above...for novice or advanced (I make 6 - 12 different types of salamis, loins, butts, hams & bacons every year).

If you are interested specifically in making salamis then their other book "The art of making Fermented Sausages" has more recipes, but the rest of that material is covered in this book as well.

If you want make Charcuterie, this is THE definitive book printed to date. Thanks again guys.

The Harold Mcgee of Sausgae Making, August 24, 2010

I'm a food junkie. I love to eat and I love to cook. Being stricken with O.C.D. a la Alton Brown I have a need to understand technique and ingredients and can't "just follow a recipe".
Sausages have always been on my "to do" list, after all whats more belly and soul satisfying than a hot juicy plump sausage? After purchasing many books on sausages including Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman I still lacked a firm understanding of the science and interplay of the ingredients allowing for formulas to be toyed and tweaked to serve taste and need.

Enter: Stanley Marianski, a man who I'm guessing eats sausage for breakfast every day (after spending a night dreaming about them). Speaking from a lifetime of sausage making. Stanley generously shares his knowledge and holds nothing back - he is a dream teacher! From the science of meat, seasonings and additives to the reasoning behind what makes the best techniques Stanley covers it all. To quote Einstein "make everything as simple as possible but no simpler" - and that's exactly what you will find in this book , clear, complete ideas and lessons.

Although this book has a vast array of recipes its main focus is to give you the tools to make up your own, and in my opinion that's what any single subject book should do give you, a mastery of the subject.

At the current price of under $18 dollars - are you kidding me, its a steal.

A strong pick for any culinary collection, July 9, 2010
Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages represents the author's long-time dedication to smoking meats and sausages, and provides a comprehensive one-volume reference on making them at home. Many cookbooks offer only light information on the topic which doesn't lend to an in-depth understanding of meat technology for amateur enthusiasts - others are written in such technical terms that they appeal only to professionals. This represents a powerful 'happy medium' and is a strong pick for any culinary collection.

... Read more

Reviews

Hands down, the best canning book, March 13, 2005
I have been canning for over 20 years, and without a doubt, this book provides the best instruction on how to can properly. This is important if you want to successfully can, and enjoy the food you can.

First: you are provided with numerous methods on how to can, water bath and pressure cooker for instance.

Second: you are provided with chart of what type of processing works best for which type of food (main ingredient in your canning).

Third: you are provided with a chart on how long to process each type of food, and better still, they have not forgotten that people are not at the same elevation across the country. As someone who started canning in Iowa and then moved to Colorado, this book makes all the difference.

Fourth: you are provided with clear, easy to follow recipes (many of these have been around for generations).

Fifth: the final products taste good! I gladly share the canned products with friends and family. Many items end up as birthday or Christmas presents.

Whether you are a novice, experienced, or somewhere in between to canning, this is a must have book.

THE bible of canning & freezing fruit, vegetables, jams, etc, August 12, 2004
A must-have book if you want to can, freeze, make jam, applesauce, pickles, etc., whether you have an expensive pressure canner or a simple large pot. My grandmother had a copy of this book when I was a child. The recipes are simple and tested by generations. The instructions are clear and use standard kitchen supplies. There is also a nice section that explains how water bath canning works and how to do it right. With this book and a nearby pick-your-own farm (I find them at www.pickyourown.org) you can get the fruit inexpensively then make your own jam, preserves, applesauce, etc without chemicals or preservatives.

This is "THE" book, August 22, 2005
I just started this wonderful world of canning and preserving and as I surfed the internet for information everyone kept saying that the Ball Blue Book was "THE" best source for canning info. I ordered it and I understand why it is such an important resource. It has excellent, up-to-date information about canning and includes explanations of why you have to follow the steps exactly. It has a trouble shooting section and has beautiful pictures and illustrations. It's not a very thick book but it's chock-full of recipes for everything from berries to fruits and vegetables. It includes jams, jellies, sauces, salsa and preserves. It has a section for people with special diets and my diabetic father-in-law really liked and appreciated the reduced-sugar recipe for strawberry jam. The only flop of a recipe I tried to make was a pineapple jam recipe that did not call for pectin - I was stirring for a very long time.... Just a quick note that I learned AFTER: pineapple contains a natural enzyme that prevents it from jelling... : ) Otherwise, I would highly recommend this book for both beginner and experienced canners.

Great book, but shop around, July 22, 2006
I was a little intimidated as a beginning canner, but this book broke everything down into very simple steps. I'm looking forward to trying everything. Amazon was really great on delivery too. But wouldn't you know, when I went to Wal-Mart to look for jars, there was the Ball Blue Book of Preserving next to the other supplies for the regular price of $5.72.

Great starter book for preserving, January 5, 2007
This book has a good all around introduction to canning, freezing and dehydrating and contains a lot of good recipes.
It begins with a thorough introduction to canning principles and methods, equipment, processing and storage, and food types. From there the chapters clearly define the type of food(high/low acid)and recipes(jams, pickles, special diet, etc). Each chapter starts with information on ingredients, techniques, and equiptment needed. The text is an easy read without getting too technical and to the point. The recipes that follow are in alphabetical order and easy to follow.The recipes are pretty basic; for instance, there are 22 jam recipes from 3-7 ingredients including apricot, elderberry, kiwi, peach,raspberry, tomato. No fancy designer blends here. Other topics with recipes include juice, jelly, meat, seafoods, veggies, condiments, salsas, low sugar/salt, leathers, jerky. There are not a lot of pictures but the featured illustrations are clear and comprehensive. At the end of the book is a section called 'Problem Solver', glossary, and index.
This is a great book for a beginner as it covers the basics of the different type of preserving and its a great collection of favorites for any home preservers library. Highly recommended!

Great information!, August 27, 2005
This is the first year I have done any canning and I wanted a book to describe the how to and some tasty recipies. This book gave me all the information I needed. We now have some tasty pickles, zucchini pickles, apple butter, and apple preserves!!!

I also like it because it also covers freezing to preserve.

Overall a great basics canning book!

The Book to Turn To when Canning, June 4, 2006
This is the resource book everyone refers to when canning. This book has information about canning safely, canning methods, recipes and more. If you have an abudance of some fruit or veggie this book will have a recipe to help you save your harvest for eating later. This has been an invaluable resource and has paid for itself many times over in the money we have saved canning just some of the simple things like jams.

Information I needed., August 28, 2006
With my mother-in-law moving away, this year I had the job of putting up what I could out of my garden. I have known of this book for some time but never owned a copy. Trying to find a book to help me I came across the Ball Book. It ended up being one of the best books I have as far as gardening is concerned. It gave me the info I need to put up my items from the garden and explained the process to me in terms and words I could understand. You will not go wrong if you buy the book. michael beck- florence, alabama

Delicious and Fun, July 20, 2007
I love this book. I made the pork and beans with tomato sauce and also the Boston Baked Beans. They were both delicious and excellent. The best beans I've ever tasted! The information in this book makes it a must have for people who can food.

Great book, buy it elsewhere!, July 12, 2008
Amazon itself had a decent price for this book originally. Now they can't get it and want you to buy it from one of their partners for 21 bucks. You can get this book on multiple other websites in the seven dollar range, which includes shipping and handling. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Step-by-step instructions for drying almost everything with or without a commercial dehydrator. Includes more than 200 delicious recipes using dried foods. ... Read more

Reviews

Compare to How to Dry Foods, February 1, 2004
This has more methods of drying (including sun-drying), it has information on pretreating foods.

How to Dry Foods on the other hand has metric to american conversion, and it tells how long specific foods last while dry.

If you want methods buy this book, if you want specific facts, buy How to Dry Foods. Personally, I'm buying this one.

Similarities to previous out of print Garden Way Book, May 9, 1997
This book will be a happy surprise for those of you who are looking for the out of print and hard to find "Garden Way's Guide to Food Drying" by Phyllis Hobson. This is basically the same book, with all the tips and hints for drying vegetables, fruits and herbs, but with even more recipes than the out of print book. Both the author and the publisher are the same.

Making and using dried Foods, June 16, 2008
I'm a first time drier and got several other book on this subject but this is my favorit. Highly recommend.

A complete guide., August 2, 2009
I first checked this out at the library. There is so much good information in here that I decided to buy the book. Most dehydrating books will tell you how to dehydrate but this book also gives you recipes and tips on how to use what you dehydrate. I definately recommend this book if you are getting a dehydrator.

Great resource, March 9, 2010
I bought this book soon after buying my dehydrator. Being new to dehydrating and preserving food in general, I wanted a little more in depth guide than the instruction manual to my dehydrator. This book fits the bill. It is very well written with easy to understand/follow directions. ( I mention this because I have a little one and can sometimes be a little scatter brained) It covers fruits, vegetables, herbs, jerky and much more. Includes many recipes that look pretty good and I will definitely try some in the future. It also gives advice on choosing a dehydrator. Having a newborn I was interested in the chapters on making your own baby food. Definitely recommend.

Awesome, November 8, 2007
This book is great. Very informative. Bought a dehydrator, Nesco American Harvest FD-75PR. Already dehydrating foods to take on flying trips.

Love it, October 11, 2010
A very comprehensive book in short form. Covers grains even, something I hadn't seen before. (I am a vegan) Has recipes for camping as well as home use. I have been dehydrating foods for years, and still learned something from this book. I use it for reference often and the recipes are awesome. I would recommend this book even if you already are an avid dehydrater.

This is a great book!, December 27, 2008
This book is chock full of information on making and using dried foods. The recipes are great too!

A helpfull book, April 27, 2009
Being new to dehydrating,this book was very helpfull in how to use many of my dried foods

Dried Foods, December 12, 2008
After ordering the snack machine dehryder I need a book quickly and had recieved this book very quick. I love the service I get from this site. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The majority of books written on making sausages do not tackle the subject of fermented sausages at all. The topic is limited to a statement that this is an advanced field of sausage making which is not recommended for an amateur sausage maker. Well, the main reason for writing this book was that the authors did not share this opinion. On the contrary, they believed that any hobbyist could make wonderful salami at home, if he only knew how. Highly technical papers were published in Food Technology journals which unfortunately were written in very difficult terms. Thus the idea of bridging the technology gap that existed between Meat Science and the requirements of the typical hobbyist was born. With more information obtainable every day, and commercial starter cultures available to the public, there is little reason to abstain from making quality salamis at home, regardless of the climate and outside conditions. ... Read more

Reviews

Needs an editor and a proofreader, but still a bargain, December 14, 2008
Like other recent books by the Marianski's this one is self-published, through Outskirts Press, and it clearly has not benefited from the services of a professional editor or proofreader. The book is littered with grammar mistakes, typographical errors, and odd locutions. The way the text is organized, they end up covering the same subjects from multiple angles, with the result that they repeat themselves over and over. Sometimes the organization simply seems haphazard, with "notes" appearing at the end of a section which could be more accurately labeled "afterthoughts." The information presented is clear and accurate; just don't expect a gripping read.

This book is definitely a useful addition for any other meathead out there wanting to try and make fermented sausages at home. As a book dedicated to this subject, they go deeper into the issues of chemistry, microbiology, sanitation, and equipment (for smoking, fermenting, and drying) that all affect the quality of the finished product. The second part contains 50 detailed recipes, with precise measurements in grams, so that even a relative newcomer to this craft can proceed with confidence. This book usefully bridges the gap between simpler cookbooks and advanced textbooks such as Fidel Toldr�'s Handbook of Fermented Meat and Poultry (which sells for $200). At $20, even with all its faults on its head, this book is a bargain.

To read my full review, go to my website.

Update, 7/8/09: Just heard from Stanley Marianski that they have revised this book and it's coming out from a new publisher (Bookmagic). If you decide to buy, this is the edition you want-it has an index!

Worth Every Penny - 5 STARS, September 30, 2008
Worth every penny. There are some technical books on making fermented meats but they cost ten times more. This book covers all there is to learn and is simply written. I have made regular sausages many times but I was always reluctant to try salamis. The main reason was a lack of information on the subject. This book has answered all my questions and gave me more confidence.

For all sausage buffs, October 29, 2008
Whether making sausages is your craft, or a pastime activity, 'The Art of Making Fermented Sausages' is a quick read that will satisfy all sausage buffs. This book gives you a chance to apply the scientific knowledge and recipes thoughtfully outlined in the chapters to your own kitchen. This is one of the few works that addresses both the skill piece and knowledge piece of an often neglected subject, in an easy to understand manner.

Just the Best, January 7, 2009
The best source i've read for meat science. It pulls together all the other books that say pack meat and refrigerate for 48 Hrs. why? Thoughout the book certain aspects of meat safety are repeated so it becomes burned in your brain. Buy this before other sausage books.

Serious Info for Serious Sausage Makers, April 12, 2010
This is a book about the hows and whys of fermented and smoked sausage making. If you are interested in understanding the process then this is the book for you - there is nothing else that even comes close. It will not only allow you to make your own copies of those wonderful sausages you've seen hanging in that little ethnic store on the corner, but will give you the means to create your own variations. If you are the type that likes to know the details then you will love this book. If you are just looking for a recipe book then you will probably be disappointed - there are a few here, but this is more a book about understanding the process. Just what I was looking for.

Not too complicated and easy to understand, September 9, 2009
If you are going to try to make your own salami or other cured sausages this is the best book to start with. It can be a little intimidating at times but the author keeps it simple enough. There are a couple things I did NOT like about the book - but I still gave it 5 stars. Here are the things I found that I think should be fixed: The author jumps around to cover a lot of different ways to do the same thing - I wish he would always stick to the safest most modern way to make something and leave the other alternative methods out - so as not to confuse me.... The recipes should be divided into dry, semi dry, smoked, etc. instead they are in some other random order - so if you only want to make dry (cure #2) you have to dig around through them all. Overall these are not a big enough deal to lower my rating to 4 stars.

Great book, November 7, 2009
The book is great. Very technical, yet understandable in plain English. Not sure how soon I will be fermenting sausage but I am sure this book will make it possible. Living in Hawaii has it's drawbacks as far as sausage making goes because the temperature rarely drops below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.(If you could call that a draw back---Sorry to my family in Minnesota) This book provided the information I needed to build a controlled fermenting chamber, something I needed in order to master the art of fermented sausage in Hawaii. I would recommend this book to anyone who is really serious and wants to become a master sausage maker. Aloha!

A superbly organized, unique, and highly recommended addition to personal and professional culinary collections, September 15, 2009
There is both an art and a science to the making of fermented sausages. And both will be found within the pages of Stanley and Adam Marianski's "The Art Of Making Fermented Sausages", a 272-page compendium of illustrated, step-by-step instructions that will enable even the most novice culinary hobbyist with all the information the non-specialist general reader will need to produce quality meats that would grace any dining occasion with friends and family. Readers will learn how to control meat acidity and remove excess moisture; select proper temperatures for fermenting, smoking and drying; both understand and exercise effective control over the fermentation process; choose appropriate starter cultures and make both traditional and fast-fermented products; select and operate the proper equipment, safety measures, and more. Of special note is the extensive section featuring fifty-one fermented sausage recipes. A superbly organized, unique, and highly recommended addition to personal and professional culinary collections, readers of "The Art Of Making Fermented Sausages" will also want to visit the Marianski website at [...] which is dedicated to the 'art and science' of smoking meats and sausages.

Required reading for home sausage making, November 30, 2010
Yes, this book has some grammatical errors but they do nothing to detract from the wealth of information contained inside. This book fills in the gaps present in almost every other book.

This book explains the technical details behind how the sausages dry, what factors increase or decrease drying time, what that means for the product, how to control it and how to control pathogens. This is all done in language and terms that any serious home sausage maker can understand.

Most valuable are the discussions and charts of the commercially available starter cultures and their characteristics. You don't find that anywhere else, not even the manufacturer's websites. Also discussed is how to build your own fermentation chambers and drying rooms. It's all laid out very straightforwardly.

I agree, this book is NOT the only book you should buy on the subject. Read a few others (like "Charcuterie") and then, when you're scratching your head, read this one and you will find the answers.

The Art of Making Fermented Sausages, December 7, 2009
This book is not designed for the beginner sausage maker, which is also prefaced in the book. As a sausage maker myself, I found this book to have very good information for most meat processors. Dry and semi dry sausage making is one of the most difficult, however with this book, you'll understand all the practices in which to make an authentic, old world, finished fermented sausage. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Step-by-step instructions to make traditional and salt-free pickles and relishes. ... Read more

Reviews

I made wonderful sour fermented dills after I read this book, March 2, 2001
I found this book in the local library several years ago. I read it from cover to cover. I just had to buy it! The front part of the book covers theory in detail. I learned all about fermenting pickles (full sours and half sours, etc.) There is information on making your own sauerkraut. Most of the recipes are for non-fermented pickles. There are recipes covering a wide variety of vegetables. An excelent book for both recipes and basic information on both fermented and non fermented pickles. I have tried many of the recipes.

Safe food preservation for pickles & Relishes, October 5, 2008
This book was revised in 2001. One of the people editing this is a Master Food Preserver Instructor, therefore each and every recipe is safe to eat if you follow the directions. Good selection of recipes, including some updated safe family recipes. Detailed instructions for the beginner and reminders for the experienced food preserver. A section on what possibilities caused your end result to go wrong, another learning lesson.
I'm very happy to add this book to my library for reference and additional learning.

Preserve your bounty, August 7, 2009
I get this book out every year around August to see what I can do with my excess cucumbers, zucchini, onions, apples, etc. There is a good chapter in here on equipment you'll need, another one on how to choose the ingredients for your pickling, one on fresh-pack and brining techniques, and following that are loads of recipes for relishes, sweet and dill pickles, dilly beans, sauerkraut, etc. There are no-salt recipes as well as refrigerator and freezer pickle recipes. You can't go wrong with this book in your cookbook collection!

Good Companion to the Ball book, October 6, 2008
This and the Ball book make a complete set of everything you need to "put up" your harvest. I made chutney for the second time in my life and find the recipes extremely sweeeeeet. Other than that, the recipes are cleanly laid out on the page, varied in taste, and successful.

Different Recipes, November 13, 2001
This book is packed with a lot of very different recipes. Simple basic instructions and ingredients to work with. I would definitely recommend it.

Great Recipes, October 14, 2009
This is one of the many pickling books that I purchased and used. It is amongst my favorites. The recipes are clear and concise. The pickles and relishes made with the recipes are tasty.

A great book to start pickling, August 7, 2009
This book offers a wide array of recipes for the beginner or someone who wants to add some variety to their pickle pantry. Recipes yield results in just a few hours or a few months, depending on the pickler's patience. I highly recommend this book.

Pickles and Relishes, March 2, 2010
A good book for any pickle and relish lover. Covers more than the basic salt brine and vinigar processing.

Good recipes, March 27, 2008
I have made a few of the recipes from this book and they turn out good but they are a little on the salty side. ... Read more