Customer Reviews

Preserving in Today's Kitchen: Easy, Modern Canning Methods-With 168 Recipes

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This was a disappointment for me, as I was hoping to learn about canning the harvest of my garden. It has very little to do with vegetables. It is primarily focused on fruit-based products. I think it would be a great book if that's what you're interested in. But, please choose another book if you're looking for tomato, bean, and basic vegetable recipes.

This is an excellent book for the novice or the practiced preserver. Lesem begins her book with a summary of the equipment needed, a clear description of the basic techniques, and a market guide to buying and storing fresh produce. Then the fun begins. I have tried the basics--Apple Butter (made in a slow cooker--Yum!), Strawberry Preserves and Quick Dill Slices--and the exotic--Pickled Snap Peas and Fresh Green Chutney with Chinese Parsley and Yogurt. So far, SUCCESS! Now, I'm looking forward to trying Jalapeno Lime Marmalade, Tomato Peach Jam and Green Tomato Ketchup. The recipes are clear and often accompanied by an amusing or interesting anecdote. Helpful hints are scattered throughout the book. And the really good news is that most of these recipes are for small quantities, many 2 or 3 cups of finished product. There is also a chapter about microwave preserving, what works, what doesn't.

...then this is the book for you. First of all, this cookbook has probably the most amazingly good recipe for strawberry jam I've ever found. Right there, it's worth the price of the book. Her spicy blueberry jam with spices like cinnamon & cloves is what I'd call an "adult jam". Almost a chutney.

Jeanne gives you a large collection of commercial-pectin-free recipes that end up giving you a better flavor and contain quite a bit less sugar. She encourages you to think in terms of small, quality batches as opposed to the 15-quart batches my grandmother used to turn out.

I've liked this book so much, I've given something like 8 copies of it away to friends who came whining around looking for more jam. Now all of us are happily making jam.