Canning is an easy, fun, and affordable way to enjoy fresh-grown local foods all year long. The Fresh Girl’s Guide to Easy Canning and Preserving provides all the information you need to know to start canning today, including basic steps to canning foods safely and easily; recipes for preserving everything from the standard tomatoes and jams to soups, sauces, and other hearty meals; and tips on where to find the freshest local produce. Includes a how-to DVD.
The Fresh Girl's Guide to Easy Canning and Preserving
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About the Author
Ana Micka taught herself to can several years ago. It only made sense—in the cold climate of Minnesota, canning is the only way to eat fresh, locally grown food outside of the short harvest season. Since then, Ana has been giving demonstrations on how to can for the Minnesota Horticultural Society. She lives and cans in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am a long time canner and enjoy reading new books on the subject both to find recipes and to identify good reference books to recommend to others. The Fresh Girl's Guide to Easy Canning and Preserving is a very basic book on canning and is designed as a starting point for a beginner. The author details the fundamental steps in canning and preserving.
The book is organized into the following chapters: Getting Started; Hot Water Bath Canning; Pressure Canning; and Around the World in 40 Jars. At the back of the book is a good index so a particular section or recipe can be quickly located. There are approximately 70 canning recipes included in the book. Most are basic although there are some delicious variations like the Cranberry Sauce. I prepared the recipe and used the author's suggestion to use ruby port in place of water which rendered a delicious distinctive flavor. And, the Around the World in 40 jars section includes some more sophisticated recipes. General categories of canning from hot water processing jams, pickles and sauces to the pressure canning products of low acid vegetables, meat, soups, chili and stews are covered.
The Getting Started chapter contains a helpful Growing a Canning Garden section which provides guidance for those wishing to grow produce suitable for canning. This taps into a current trend toward food self-sufficiency and quality control, as evidenced by, among other things, the current proliferation of suburban chicken coops and gardens.
I watched the included DVD from beginning to end, all one hour and thirteen minutes of it. The idea for the DVD is a good one -- seeing some of the canning processes may help alleviate fear for interested but intimidated potential canners. Unfortunately, the execution is flawed. There are inconsistencies. For example, in the safety portion it is discussed that only the highest quality of fruit and vegetables should be used. Over-ripe produce or items with rotted spots should not be used in canning. Simply cutting those parts off isn't sufficient because bacteria may have traveled through other areas of the fruit. But, during the salsa making section the person preparing the salsa said it was okay to cut any black areas out of the tomatoes, contradicting the person in the safety portion of the video.
Also, during the safety segment cleanliness is emphasized but during the Salsa making section the area is sloppy with multiple spills, etc. Little things that occurred during cooking segments, such as liquids being measured into dry measuring cups instead of wet, also sent the wrong message. Lemon juice added by sight rather than measure and simply saying during the video to carefully follow the recipe in the book and ignore what they were doing on the DVD may not properly communicate the importance of certain ingredients and the precise chemistry involved in their inclusion in the recipes. Lemon juice, sugar, salt and vinegar need to be precisely measured into precisely measured quantities of fruit or vegetables so the proper level of acidity is achieved to ensure safe canning. The steps aren't difficult but they need to be done properly.
The DVD, in an effort to show how easy canning really is, may have gone too far and reflected too casual an attitude. Mixed messages can only cause confusion to a novice without sufficient information to sift through what is right and what is wrong. At worst, the inconsistencies and errors may be the start of some bad habits that will need to be unlearned. If I bought this book for someone new to canning I'd throw the DVD out before giving it to them. On the publisher's website I found a television segment in which the author gave a very quick explanation and demonstration of hot water bath canning that was infinitely better than anything I saw on the DVD. During the interview the author also discussed a community program she works with which teaches people how to can food. In this context, her work adds meaning to this book project.
Much as I wanted to love the book and give it a hearty recommendation, there are sufficient issues to cause me to hesitate. A good book for a beginning canner is the Ball Blue book of preserving. Also the local county extension office is a great source for specific safe canning information and free recipes.
The book is organized into the following chapters: Getting Started; Hot Water Bath Canning; Pressure Canning; and Around the World in 40 Jars. At the back of the book is a good index so a particular section or recipe can be quickly located. There are approximately 70 canning recipes included in the book. Most are basic although there are some delicious variations like the Cranberry Sauce. I prepared the recipe and used the author's suggestion to use ruby port in place of water which rendered a delicious distinctive flavor. And, the Around the World in 40 jars section includes some more sophisticated recipes. General categories of canning from hot water processing jams, pickles and sauces to the pressure canning products of low acid vegetables, meat, soups, chili and stews are covered.
The Getting Started chapter contains a helpful Growing a Canning Garden section which provides guidance for those wishing to grow produce suitable for canning. This taps into a current trend toward food self-sufficiency and quality control, as evidenced by, among other things, the current proliferation of suburban chicken coops and gardens.
I watched the included DVD from beginning to end, all one hour and thirteen minutes of it. The idea for the DVD is a good one -- seeing some of the canning processes may help alleviate fear for interested but intimidated potential canners. Unfortunately, the execution is flawed. There are inconsistencies. For example, in the safety portion it is discussed that only the highest quality of fruit and vegetables should be used. Over-ripe produce or items with rotted spots should not be used in canning. Simply cutting those parts off isn't sufficient because bacteria may have traveled through other areas of the fruit. But, during the salsa making section the person preparing the salsa said it was okay to cut any black areas out of the tomatoes, contradicting the person in the safety portion of the video.
Also, during the safety segment cleanliness is emphasized but during the Salsa making section the area is sloppy with multiple spills, etc. Little things that occurred during cooking segments, such as liquids being measured into dry measuring cups instead of wet, also sent the wrong message. Lemon juice added by sight rather than measure and simply saying during the video to carefully follow the recipe in the book and ignore what they were doing on the DVD may not properly communicate the importance of certain ingredients and the precise chemistry involved in their inclusion in the recipes. Lemon juice, sugar, salt and vinegar need to be precisely measured into precisely measured quantities of fruit or vegetables so the proper level of acidity is achieved to ensure safe canning. The steps aren't difficult but they need to be done properly.
The DVD, in an effort to show how easy canning really is, may have gone too far and reflected too casual an attitude. Mixed messages can only cause confusion to a novice without sufficient information to sift through what is right and what is wrong. At worst, the inconsistencies and errors may be the start of some bad habits that will need to be unlearned. If I bought this book for someone new to canning I'd throw the DVD out before giving it to them. On the publisher's website I found a television segment in which the author gave a very quick explanation and demonstration of hot water bath canning that was infinitely better than anything I saw on the DVD. During the interview the author also discussed a community program she works with which teaches people how to can food. In this context, her work adds meaning to this book project.
Much as I wanted to love the book and give it a hearty recommendation, there are sufficient issues to cause me to hesitate. A good book for a beginning canner is the Ball Blue book of preserving. Also the local county extension office is a great source for specific safe canning information and free recipes.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Cissa
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is not the book to get if you are an expert canner and are looking for new delights.
However- it IS solid book on the safe basics of canning.
I got it because I'm pretty experience3d these days with hot-water-bath canning... but have just got a pressure canner and it scares me. The instructions here- especially for canning basic stocks/broths- look reliable and solid, and I plan to do my first stock batch (turkey stock) in the pressure canner tomorrow.
It's not anything brilliantly intriguing! but it IS solid directions for starting canning in areas one might not have explored yet.
However- it IS solid book on the safe basics of canning.
I got it because I'm pretty experience3d these days with hot-water-bath canning... but have just got a pressure canner and it scares me. The instructions here- especially for canning basic stocks/broths- look reliable and solid, and I plan to do my first stock batch (turkey stock) in the pressure canner tomorrow.
It's not anything brilliantly intriguing! but it IS solid directions for starting canning in areas one might not have explored yet.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Pet Dragon
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book has been a wonderful find. I grew up with my Mother and Grandmother preserving and caning and never learned how now that both aer gone and I find myself interested... I needed help figuring it out this book is aces!
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