Tuesday: Preserving Food

I want to write more about this topic later, since I love preserving, mostly by necessity, due to our prolific garden and fruit trees, but I thought I'd pass on my suggestion for the best book to get if you are just starting out in this realm: The Ball Blue Book of Preserving. It's a slender, inexpensive, large-format paperback that I picked up at Laporte Hardware & Variety on the shelf next to the Mason jars. This book is the perfect reference, whether you want to make jellies and jams, can vegetables, dehydrate fruit, or freeze things. As it says on the inside front cover, it's the "classic American guide to keeping fresh-tasting food on hand. Its longevity is proof that good food is always good food, whether wholesome garden fare made in the home, or gourmet cuisine."

(With all the farmers market produce available this time of year, why not grab a crate of summer fruit and whip up a batch of jelly or jam, or try making your own fruit leather for snacks? Add this book to your cookbook shelf. It's ideal for beginner or expert alike.)

A typical day's canning when I get into a groove every summer! Seen here, mostly applesauce, raspberry preserves, and pickles made from both cukes and yellow squash.