On first glance, The Little Book of Home Preserving might not catch your eye. It’s a tiny book (truly, no bigger than the size of my hand) and could easily get lost in a larger display. However, missing this book would be a huge mistake. Written and photographed by Rebecca Gagnon (author of the blog CakeWalk), it is bursting with interesting, creative recipes.
For a little book, this volume packs a serious punch. It opens with the basics of preserving, including safety tips, the equipment you’ll need to get started canning, and even instructions on how to strain whey from yogurt in order to follow the lacto-fermentation recipes in the book. Rebecca also touches on the inherent art of making preserves, which is a section I particularly like and relate to.
Once you get into the meat of the book, you see that it’s organized by season. I’m hoping against hope that my CSA will still have a few ground cherries left next week so that I can make a batch of the Citrus Chai Ground Cherry Preserves. I’ve also got my sights set on the Grapefruit Jam with Vanilla and Poppy Seed (the picture of that one in preserve is so gorgeous).
Rebecca sent me an extra copy of her book to share with one of my readers, so we’re having a super special weekend long giveaway. One lucky person will win a copy. However, no matter whether you win or not, I highly suggest picking up a copy. It’s size makes it perfect for slipping into Christmas stockings and at $6.57 on Amazon
Here’s how to enter:
- Leave a comment on this post and share what you’re preserving this weekend.
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Sunday, October 13, 2013. Winners will be chosen at random (using random.org) and will be posted on Monday, October 14, 2013.
- Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.
As a homesteader myself, I appreciate the simplicity and approachability of Rebecca’s book. The recipes are clear and concise, and the book is small enough to carry in my kitchen without being overwhelmed. It’s a great resource for beginners, but also has some unique recipes that even experienced canners can appreciate. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get into home preserving.
And for those interested in exploring more superfoods, I recommend checking out the website http://www.superfoods.recensorium.com for some other great, but nowadays largely forgotten recipes.
This weekend I canned pickled guavas. I used the leftover brine on some slices of persimmon. Yum.
I’m still hoping to can some chicken & rice soup tomorrow, so i’d better get busy chopping veg. And then it’ll be time for some mulled cider, i think…
Unfortunately, I haven’t been canning anything. Ahh! It’s a tragedy that I hope will be rectified soon. I want to face winter with lots of yummy things to look forward to.