Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & More [Hardcover]

Ashley English (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 2010 | Series: Homemade Living

Yes, you CAN! More and more people have discovered what grandma always knew: canning and preserving supplies you with wholesome, tasty treats year round. And this Homemade Living guide provides all the practical, hold-your-hand basics along with plenty of step-by-step photos.

 

Learn about the necessary tools of the trade, crucial safety tips, and hot water bath processing and pressure canning. Discover the all-important science of salt and sugar, and how to select the best possible ingredients, favoring seasonal, organic, and local options.  Three topic-specific primers cover pickles, relishes and chutneys; jams, jellies, butters and curds; and whole fruits and veggies—and each offers at least two “Canning Classic” recipes with variation ideas.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A comprehensive and indispensible guide for preserving and enjoying the bounty of your local harvest. In it you will find the tools and inspiration needed to can with confidence and ease." – Terry Walters, author of CLEAN FOOD

 

"Accessible, thorough, and visually pleasing, this is a useful primer for beginners and a helpful brief reference for the more experienced. Highly recommended." - Library Journal

 

“Ashley English is the how-to voice of a new DIY movement." - Erik Knutzen and Kelly Coyne, founders of Homegrown Evolution and authors of The Urban Homestead

 

"An approach to urban homesteading that inspires both action and admiration." – Grace Bonney, founder of Design*Sponge

 

"The Homemade Living series is beautiful, in both aesthetics and intention. A friendly introduction to simpler living that people in barns and brownstones alike can appreciate." – Jenna Woginrich, author of Made from Scratch and blogger for Mother Earth News and The Huffington Post

 

"Beautifully designed and laid out with lush, full-color photographs and illustrations. Ashley knows her stuff and you will too after reading her books." --Mother Nature Network

 

“Perfect for the aspiring urban farmer on your list!...Tons of gorgeous photos, troubleshooting tips, and recipes makes these books a must have addition to any gardener's bookshelf.” --Re-Nest

 

“What I love most about this series is how Ashley presents all of these could-be-complicated subjects in a way that's achievable and encouraging. It all feels totally doable...not to mention fun and fresh in the way she shares it all.” --Amanda Soule, Author of The Creative Family and Handmade Home, Found of the popular blog Soule Mama

"Ashley English is one of the hardest working women in the homemade movement that I know." --Food in Jars

“If a bountiful harvest has you wondering how, exactly, to preserve all of this perfect fresh food to enjoy all winter long, Canning & Preserving with Ashley English is the perfect place to start. Full of information about canning, pickling, making jams and jellies, and other food preservation methods, this book is a crash course in learning how to "put up" food and stock a pantry...I definitely recommend Canning & Preserving with Ashley English for those new to canning and preserving. It's also a good read for those of us who find ourselves canning the same things year after year--you may just find something new to preserve! The relaxed, friendly tone of the book is encouraging, and the instructions are clearly written, taking confusion out of the canning process and helping you enjoy this seasonal task even more.” --About.com Organic Gardening

Book Description

Learn about the necessary tools of the trade, crucial safety tips, and hot water bath processing and pressure canning. Discover the all-important science of salt and sugar, and how to select the best possible ingredients, favoring seasonal, organic, and local options.  Three topic-specific primers cover pickles, relishes and chutneys; jams, jellies, butters and curds; and whole fruits and veggies—and each offers at least two “Canning Classic” recipes with variation ideas.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 136 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (April 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600594913
• ISBN-13: 978-1600594915
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Canning & Preserving

More About the Author

Ashley English has earned degrees in holistic nutrition and sociology. She has worked over the years with a number of nonprofit organizations committed to social and agricultural issues, is currently a member of Slow Food USA, has a bimonthly column for the popular blog Design*Sponge entitled "Small Measures with Ashley", a column for the quarterly publication "Taproot", a monthly pie-baking post on the Mrs. Wages website, and a monthly column in Verve magazine, entitled "English Lessons." She is the author of four books in The Homemade Living Series (Canning & Preserving, Keeping Chickens, Keeping Bees, Home Dairy), as well as A Year of Pies, all from Lark Crafts.

Ashley has been featured in major publications, including Food & Wine, Delish, Edible Magazines, and Anthology. She has been a repeat guest on Martha Stewart Radio on SiriusFM. She blogs at www.smallmeasure.com. Ashley lives in Candler, NC with her husband, their young son, and a menagerie of animals.

People everywhere are embracing local, seasonal foods with an interest in knowing how and where it's produced, to become engaged in their community, with a desire for self-sustainability, and to enjoy fresh flavors. In this beautifully photographed series, Ashley English shows how you can participate in the homemade living movement, walking alongside you each step of the way with practical, need-to-know information; personal reflections of her own experiences; profiles of people living this lifestyle; and unique recipes you'll want in your repertoire. Filled with just the right mix of knowledgeable guidance and friendly encouragement, these books provide you with the essential basics to start enriching your own homemade life.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for a Beginner, Light on Recipes for the More Advanced Canner July 12, 2010

By Susan R. Morris

Format:Hardcover

This is a beautifully photographed and laid out book about canning and preserving. It's very thorough, the first half of the book contains detailed information about equipment and the process of canning safely. The second half of the book is filled with delicious sounding recipes, some are the typical canning recipes like: strawberry jam, grape jelly, crushed tomatoes or pickles. The seasonal recipe section is much more interesting and contains recipes like: Clementine Cointreau Curd, Curried Winter Squash Chutney, Peach Lavender Butter, or Cardamom Apple Cider Butter.

If you're already an experienced canner you might find this book to be a little less useful. Since half of the book is taken up with detailed information about the equipment and the process of canning, there are only 31 recipes in this 130 page book. The recipes in the Seasonal section are very interesting for those of us who like canning recipes that are a little unusual. I love recipes that incorporate herbs and spices and a few of them incorporate liqueur or wine.

I always am drawn to book with good layout, great photos and this book is no exception. The colors are fantastic, the layout is great, the recipes are good and the photos are inspiring. You do however have to balance that out with how useful it will be to you. If you don't have a Ball Blue Book of Preserving and don't know much about canning, this would be a great reference for you. If you're already canning you might find it to be a little light on recipes to make it worth the purchase price.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking the mystery out of canning. April 22, 2010

By Ming

Format:Hardcover

Although I have seen my mother can many times in my youth, I have never tried canning myself, and was nervous about starting. It seemed like alchemy to me! I spotted this book at my local library and checked it out, and, well, I had to have it after reading it! It explains everything quite clearly, has fantastic pictures, lots of profiles of professional canners/gardeners... It took the mystery out of canning and made it fun and easy for me to get started! The recipes included are absolutely wonderful, and I would recommend every aspect of this book very highly! I'm the sort of person who sometimes has trouble with written instructions, being a visual/hands-on learner, but this was written so clearly and with so many pictures that it was crystal clear on the first read-through! If I could give it an extra star, I certainly would!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful book just in time for the canning renaissance! May 11, 2010

By tigress

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

take it from someone immersed in the world of canning and preserving - and with more canning books than i care to admit: ashley's got it right with clear and easy-to-understand instructions, all the basic preserves that your grandma made, plus a lot of new ones with a worldly flair and exciting flavors! i love the look and feel of the book itself. and the best part imo, is the 'portrait of a canner' spots throughout the book that give insight into the diverse community that makes up today's canning revolution.

this is a book for experienced canners. i've been canning regularly for years and have ear-marked a good number of recipes i can't wait to get in my kitchen and try! and perfect for someone who has not yet put jar to boiling water - there is no guessing here. everything you need to know to can safely & surely.

a preserving handbook that calls to the new generation of canners...one i imagine will become well-worn with use.