Canning book suggestions,please

17 years ago

It's time for me to update my canning books..especially after lurking through these posts for a few weeks. I see alot of references to "Small Batch Preserving". so I know that is one I'll probably buy...however, the review in the bookstore says the book appeals to "Adult tastes", and I have a lot of children that prefer the simple stuff. Opinions, please.

What else are you all reading that would make a great addition to my library?

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Comments (9)

trisha_51
17 years ago
The only book i have ever used is Ball's Blue Book. Maybe i should look into some of these others, too. :) (Just for fun)
zemmaj
17 years ago
I have lots of them, but not the Small batch preserving, sadly. My favorite source of recipes is here. I love the Time Life one, which is a compedium of lots of other cookbooks. All the recipes I have tried so far are really good. I use Stocking up for ideas a lot, though canning wise the info is a bit old. Use the BBB, which I finally got, the Bernardin each time it comes out, Ann Serann also had really good but old recipes. I have over 30 books on canning but these come through time and again.

Marie
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The other thing you can do is utilise the public library system. If your local library doesn't have a book on hand, there is interlibrary loan - they can get it for you from wherever it is in stock - it might take a couple of weeks, but... If you really like a book, then you can buy it. Another option might be asking around to see if there are any local organic gardeners/producers - try the local Farmers Market or health food store for names and contact info - and see if they would be willing to let you pick their brains for a listing of good books. If you offered to help out with any necessary chores - weeding, etc. - then you might get a good response. While some of their books might be oriented towards a larger scale than you want, the principles would be the same. IOf there is a local source for organic fertilisers then they would possibly be able to help, both with other organic gardeners and with a list of good books - just be careful they DO know something, and aren't just rying to sell the most-heavily-stocked-book! That said you might try anything by Elliot Coleman - even though he is in Maine, the principles are the same. However, finding local sources, or at least southern sources, would make the extrapolations and adjustments a LOT easier. Depending on where you got the book from, and if you beat it up while reading it, you might be able to return it. I have often returned books to Waldenbooks or B & N, simply saying that they weren't what I wanted. If you don't have the receipt, you'll probably get a store credit.
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gibbsgirl, You definitely need to look into "Four Season Harvest" by Eliot Coleman. Also, you can look at "Winter Harvest Handbook" by Eliot Coleman. Basically, he says this: #1 - the goal is economically and biologically feasible, if you try to extend the harvest, rather than extend the growing. #2 - the goal also can be accomplished simply if you are choosing the right plants. You need cold hardy veggies. In general, these are the plants that do not FRUIT! Anything that you eat the leaves or root of are much better options than fruiting plants. Next, certain types of plants are far more cold-tolerant than others. If you time it correctly, and grow these types in late summer - mid-fall, they can get sufficient growth before the sunlight drops off drastically. From that point on, the plants will go semi-dormant (hibernate, as he calls it). The plants can handle freezing temps, but don't harvest, unless the temp is above freezing. A few of the veggies he mentions: Carrots, spinach, arugula, endive/escarole, beets, turnip greens, raddichio, kale and mache. Mache is the hardiest plant he says, and can form a nice base for a winter salad. As you may have noticed most of these are leafy greens. I guess mostly what you will get is salad fixings, with a few others. I wish I could speak from experience with these, but I am in the very infancy of this myself. I have just learned about these books, and wasn't able to plant early enough to have the plants for this year. The key is to HARVEST throughout the calendar, not to GROW throughout the calendar. Choosing correctly, as you seem to understand by your opening question, is the key.
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bluejean
17 years ago
I checked out every book on canning the library had and pretty much read them all cover to cover. I came up with 3 favorites:
Small Batch Preserving
Blue Ball Book
and The complete book of preserving (also by ball)

Happy harvesting!

bluejean in ohio
gardenlad
17 years ago
Marian, I have no idea what they mean aby "adult tastes." There are, to be sure, some rather sophisticated recipes. And there are numerous ones that combine ingredients not normally thought of as compatible. But there are plenty of fairly simple ones, too, in terms of tastes.

I would check it out if I were you, before eliminating it because of a review.
readinglady
17 years ago
I second the recommendation on "Small-Batch Preserving." The recipes are excellent and as gardenlad said, the majority would appeal to anyone. In many cases, too, spices and herbs can be reduced for more acute sensibilities.

You can save money by purchasing the "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving" which is essentially a compendium of the Ball Blue Book and the Bernardin Book of Home Canning. It has lots of good basic information also and helpful troubleshooting charts.

Those are the two I would say are the most generally useful. Also you can feel comfortable that all their recipes have been thoroughly vetted for safety.

There are other books I like for specialty interests like "Joy of Pickling", which is excellent, and "The Jamlady Cookbook" for preserves.

Carol
ksrogers
17 years ago
Check out some of the other canning books on the KItchen Krafts web site.
gran2
17 years ago
I just got the newest edition of the Ball book and it is beautiful! There are some very interesting new recipes,and even some changes in old ones.

My extension educator recommended a preserving book put out by the University of Georgia Extension Service. I don't recall the name exactly, but it can be ordered through the University. It's currently out of print. Not sure how to get it otherwise. It's also available at my public library. It's quite complete, nice and thick, and - above all - correctly safe.
A few years ago, I invested a few bucks in Mrs. Wages canning and preserving book. Sure wish I had my bucks back. What a waste.
readinglady
17 years ago
It's not out of print. It's "So Easy to Preserve," and in fact they've just released the new 5th edition. I have the 4th edition and have just ordered the 5th. An excellent basic source. The only reason I didn't mention it is most, if not all of the information, can also be found on the NCHFP website.

Here is a link that might be useful: So Easy to Preserve 5th Edition
jessyf
17 years ago
I like to bring to folks attention 'book shopping bots' - websites that do pretty comprehensive searches throughout all cyberspace for books, new as well as used. My general favorite is addall.com. The link below shows California results for 'Mes Confitures'. Happy shopping!

Here is a link that might be useful: Mes Confitures - best price with tax and shipping

Canning book suggestions,please

Comments (9)

trisha_51

zemmaj

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