Customer Reviews

Home Food Systems: Rodale's Catalog of Methods and Tools for Producing, Processing, and Preserving Naturally Good Foods

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I first checked this book out to see what it had in the way of canning. This book is just jam-packed with little bits of everything. I have not returned my issue to the library, I just keep checking it back out everytime it is due, until I can find a copy of my own.

For those of you interested in the basics of gardneing, herbs, livestock, you name it, this is the book you need to read.

Somewhat encyclopedic in nature, but entertaining and readable, an extremely thorough anthology of the myriad topics for those seeking to produce and preserve more of their own food (or simply worried they -might- be forced to become more self-sufficient if a calamity such as energy-emergency induced food price spikes). You can either read it cover-to-cover (as I did ... what can I say ... I enjoyed reading encyclopedias as a kid!) or use the nice clear table of contents to flip directly to the subject-matter you wish to bone up on.

Although some "specialty" books may go into more elaborate detail than what was covered in this book (and if that is the case, the authors always recommended and review at least two credible resources), it's amazing how well the average person would be able to recreate and store a passably decent food product (such as beer, maple syrup or sourdough bread) from scratch from their instructions. What was especially nice about this book was that, not only do they explain the primary system of food preparation and storage (such as clear directions, with photos, on how to make yogurt), they also give a brief introduction to parallel ways other cultures may produce/use a similar product (for example, if you watched the movie Mogul, the book gives a brief explanation of how the fermented mares milk the Mogul tribes are portrayed drinking is made ... a process very similar to yet slightly different than making yogurt). So far I've experimented with sourdough bread, yogurt, dehydrating hot peppers, canned some pickles, and used the product ratings to order an affordable grain mill attachment for my Kitchenaid.

Although this book was published in 1981, the information is still up-to-date (interesting side-note for you 40-something former "low fat" dieters ... the authors were accurately warning about the dangers of highly processed, low-fiber, empty carbs decades before the Joslin Diabetes Center got on board). Nearly all of the books the authors referenced and/or reviewed are still available through your local library or the used section of Amazon, helping you decide what you might want to read next. Unfortunately, approximately 25% of the products they reviewed have been discontinued in the 2.5 decades since the book was published, but surprisingly many products are still manufactured today and the web-ratings still mirrored the reviews they made back in 1981. I just ordered this book for my personal library after reading it (for free) at the public library because it's just got too much valuable information to take notes on how to produce and preserve foods I'd really, really miss (like good mozzarella cheese) if food prices spike and $4/gallon gasoline becomes a fond memory the way Peak Oil/Climate Change experts are warning.

I borrowed this book from a friend's kitchen on Saturday night, read through most of it on Sunday and ordered in on Monday. It is full of great information and simple how-to instructions for everything from making your own yeast to pictures of simple pasta makers. Our kitchen just got a great new ally.