Clearly Delicious (DK Living) [Paperback]

DK Publishing (Author)

Book Description

Series: DK Living | Publication Date: September 15, 1998

An illustrated treasury of preserved, pickled, and bottled season foods as well as everyday ingredients. More than 200 step-by-step recipes and 300 color photographs instruct and inspire you to create exciting homemade delicacies.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Here is another beautiful book from the author of the invaluable Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices & Flavorings (LJ 11/15/92). Ortiz includes not only jams, chutneys, and pickles but also more unusual preserves such as flavored oils and vinegars. There is also a section on "finishing touches," with ideas for packaging and decorating. The gorgeous photographs illustrate both techniques and the results. A nice complement to Jeanne Lesem's Preserving Today (LJ
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This beautifully illustrated guide to preserving jams and relishes, flavored wines, and vinegars and oils also covers the basics of sterilizing, sealing, and storing containers. A recipe for marmalade, for instance, is depicted through step-by-step instructional color photographs showing stages of preparation and cooking. Then eight additional recipes follow--essentially variations on the same theme. A final chapter offers ideas for decorating bottles and jars to be given as gifts. Alice Joyce --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT; Reprint edition (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789437511
• ISBN-13: 978-0789437518
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #595,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Gift Ideas and Sumptuous Color Pictures, September 21, 2001

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clearly Delicious (DK Living) (Paperback)

The photographs in Clearly Delicious are clearly inspired. The cover is just a temptation into visual pleasures. The age-old craft of preserving the flavors of summer is displayed in picture after picture. Glistening bottles filled with jams, fruit dripping in syrup or seduced in alcohol, luxurious oils & vinegars, spicy treats, fruit cordials, syrups,. fruit curds and many more treats await.

Some of the recipes included are:

Pear and Damson Plum Jam
Brandied Carrot Jam
Gooseberry and Elderflower Jam
Cranberry and Apple Jelly
Peach Butter
Lemon Curd
Tipsy Apricots
Raisins in Genever with Juniper Berries
Pineapple and Lime Syrup
Mixed Vegetable Pickles
Spiced Oranges
Dark Mango Chutney
Fiery Chili Oil
Rosemary Oil
Mushrooms in Oil
Goat Cheese with Herbs in Oil
Spiced Blackberry Vinegar

The "Herbs and Spices" chapter was a very pleasant surprise. Have you ever wanted to make your own Garam Masala, Pickling Spice, Quatre Epices, Five Spice Powder, Herbes De Provence, Bouquet Garni, Seasoning Salt or Barbecue Blend? Well, here are the recipes!

The last chapter is, well.....just intriguing. I have never thought of painting one of those decorated bottles. It looks so fun. If you love "craft" projects...there are quite a few. To decorate the jars, they have some very creative ideas and some that are more traditional. Presentation ideas gives ideas of how you can make mini-gift baskets.

A handy index leads you quickly to your favorite recipe. The step-by-step instructions stress the value of careful preparation so you can be assured of delicious results ever time.

One of the most beautiful "cookbooks" I have yet to see! This is a completely illustrated guide to some of the most delicious recipes I have ever found all in one book!

If you make one "preserve" recipe in your life...make it "Lemon Curd." It will seduce you into trying more recipes or you just might make that one recipe again, and again, and again! You will need to head to the kitchen shop and also pick up a "zester." An interesting little tool to remove the "zest/yellow peel from lemons"" or you can use your grater. I found many places online that sell bottles or most grocery stores do have the cutest bottles with colorful lids or do a search online for "canning jars."

~The Rebecca Review

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gourmet recipes for your pantry and gift list, August 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Clearly Delicious (Hardcover)

I started canning jams as a food science experiment with a now out of print Harrod's book. Clearly Delicious (hardback) added recipes for preserves, marmalades, and flavored vinegars to try. The jam and marmalade recipes do not use commercial pectin, and seem more challenging than those found in the indispensible Ball Blue book, but turn out to be easy with clearly written and well-illustrated directions. Clearly Delicious is useful after a berry picking expedition, a trip to the farmers market, or mid-winter. I have made the wonderful lemon marmalade in December as a last minute addition to Christmas gifts and by repeated requests. The lemon marmalade is also good stirred into tea, in thumbprint cookies, as a cake filling, and for fast Chinese lemon chicken.

There is a separate section on packaging food for gift giving. In the hardcover edition, the food is shown in a variety of jars and bottles. This is ok if the food is to be refrigerated, and the author and publisher do note that the the food was photographed just after packaging and the jars shown are not all suitable for longterm storage. Longterm storage directions are included with standard canning jars, so this is not a concern.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clearly Delicious, May 3, 2001

By 

Cindy Jones (Livingston, LA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clearly Delicious (DK Living) (Paperback)

Enjoyed this book mostly due to the photographs. It does have alot of simple and easy, yet elegant recipes for jams and jellies that will be consumed by the average family. The label and gift wrapping ideas add a unique twist to the every day kitchen gift.