conserving is a matter of feeling good. when you stand at the stove and stir up a batch of chutney, or tenderly fold pieces of pepper-studded cabbage into a fermenting crock, you can rightly take pride in your efforts. the reason? Preserving, from sweet jams and chunky pickles to spicy kimchi and other ferments, is a wonderful blend of nostalgia (“just like Grandma used to do!”) and eco-friendly and economical harnessing of what’s plentiful at a particular point of the year.
Jam tends to get most of the attention, but salty preserves and lacto-fermented vegetables are also extremely satisfying to make (and make great gifts).
You are reading: Best books on pickling
here are six books (in no particular order) that are not only packed with great recipes and information, but are a delight to read. even if he is an experienced conservator, he will find many things to like and learn here.
1. well preserved traditions
old is new again (hb, $39.95, from fowlers vacola)
stephanie alexander writes in the foreword to this sweet book that she has strong memories of her mother’s canning kit and the jars of peaches, apricots and tomatoes she produced each year. she’s talking about the unique Australian fowler’s version of waterbath conservation (more on that here), and many of us have memories of our mothers or grandmothers doing the same thing. It was a tradition that seemed to be on the verge of extinction, but as the food world has embraced preservation and pickling in recent years, bird hunters have also enjoyed a newfound interest. Launched this year to mark the melbourne-based company’s 100th anniversary, old is new again, featuring recipes that use the fowlers system of rings, jars and lids, along with others that just require stirring in a pot at the stove and seal in the jars daily. There are recipes from top chefs, including alexander, alla wolf tasker, and maggie beer and matt wilkinson (whose recipe follows), plus award-winning farm show competitors and cwa members.
Best: Edited highlights from 100 years of tradition, including “Mrs B. Thrifty: The Original House Goddess” who appeared in advertisements in the 1930s and 1940s.
cook the book:
pickled zucchini slices (pictured above)
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See Also: 52 Top Websites to Post Your Book for FREE | Savvy Writers & e-Books online
See Also: The 20 Best Horror Books for Teens – Broke by Books
See Also: 52 Top Websites to Post Your Book for FREE | Savvy Writers & e-Books online
2. stir up a storm on the savory side
Savory Preserves: Traditional Handmade Sides for Meat, Cheese, or Fish by Guy Tullberg and Becky Vale, Recipe Photography by Dan Jones ($35 Pavilion, HB)
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sorry, I have to say it. this book is packed (boom boom! although there are really only two jams, no sweets, in the book) with information on the whys and wherefores of conservation. I thought I knew how to make a decent jar of jam or chutney, but I learned a lot about safety (when you can and can’t play with ingredient proportions), the crucial balancing act between sugar and vinegar (if you want add vinegar to make a sharper preserve, you need to remove some of the sugar), why relishes tend to have a shorter shelf life than other preserves, and the difference between light pickles and sweet pickles (the former involves whole vegetables, such as onions; the latter combines mixed vegetables in a thick liquid). but it is by no means a dry textbook. the “learn” is easy to navigate, and the recipes… well, let’s put it this way, there are a lot of little paper flags marking things I want to try. it’s great to see a book devoted to the savory side of canning (tracklements is a British company that makes specialty condiments, the kind of thing that pairs wonderfully with meats or cheeses). there are family heirloom recipes; a recipe involving contraband: roasted shallot and garlic chutney; six types of homemade mustard, including a beer version that the authors say elevates cheese on toast to new heights; some very fiery pickles; various ketchups and sauces; savory jellies, cheeses and fruit butters… and more.
best: a quote on the contents page, from herbert mace, the author of a 1940 book called storage, preserve & pickling: “…in the great race to the cities, the old traditions were lost…restoring knowledge can be a way to make people happy and content, because there is more to this than reducing the cost of living; there is the satisfaction that comes from creative and productive occupation, and the culture of self-sufficiency that is the backbone of freedom.”
cook the book:
bloody mary relish (pictured above)
green bean chutney
3. Is any of this still relevant? (actually yes)
preserve by ginette mathiot, revised by clotilde dusoulier, (phaidon, hb, $39.95)
In 1948, a Frenchwoman named Ginette Mathior published a book called Je sais faire les conserves (“I know how to preserve”). A bold statement, but it looks like she did it, and it’s the kind of knowledge that’s firmly back in fashion. So it’s not so surprising that Phaidon, known for publishing quirky tomes on niche subjects and translating national culinary treasures into English, decides to send Ginette’s book around the world. there are no photographs, just a handful of new colorful illustrations and a few line drawings from the original book, but there are recipes. Even for those who don’t want to preserve angelica or make their own dry-cured sausages (the book covers preserving meat, as well as herbs, milk, fruit, and vegetables), it’s worth a look. there are many recipes that are very useful today (the book has been revised to suit modern kitchens), including jams, dried fruits and vegetables, wines, liqueurs and other beverages, flavored vinegars, and even sauerkraut. We’re not sure how many people will need to know how to store cauliflower (answer: “in the attic (as long as it doesn’t freeze)”), but we like the info anyway.
cook the book:
pickled vegetables
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See Also: 52 Top Websites to Post Your Book for FREE | Savvy Writers & e-Books online
4. opens the door to the traditions of a nation
Preserving the Japanese Way: Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling Traditions for Modern Cooking by Nancy Singletom Hachisu (Andrews McMeel, hb $50, ebook $12.99)
For more than 25 years, California-born Nancy Singleton has lived with her husband, a Japanese farmer, and their three children on a farm in rural Japan. This, her second book, delves into the traditional methods, and some modern methods, of preserving fruits, vegetables and fish. It is a large book and in addition to 125 recipes, there are essays on traditions and craft producers and hundreds of photographs. there are entire chapters devoted to topics like soy sauce, fish sauce, and miso; Topics such as tofu, natto, koji, preservation with sake lees, sake preparation, and tea are also covered. some recipes show you how to make basic things or preserve things, others how to use them as ingredients. but this book is more than pictures or recipes. sometimes it is a very personal book, where nancy talks about what it cost her to adapt to life in another country and in a traditional family; to learn to appreciate new flavors; and of the long years she spent developing her skills with unknown foods and methods. this is a deep dive not only into the cuisine of one country, but also into a particular time and place. fascinating.
cook the book:
garlic embedded in miso
thinly sliced ginger pickles
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5. cool cafe write a book
We couldn’t do a roundup of our favorite conservation books without including cornersmith. Read our review and find four of her great recipes here.
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See Also: 52 Top Websites to Post Your Book for FREE | Savvy Writers & e-Books online
6. hot, salty and spicy, in many different ways
kimchi: essential flavors of korean cuisine by byung-hi and byung-soon lim, recipe photography by anna kern (pavilion, hb, $29.99)
This book inspired me to try making kimchi for the first time (a basic Chinese version of leaf, also known as wombok). and although the final product was excellent, I must confess that I did not follow the recipe. I couldn’t find gochugaru (Korean red chili powder) when I walked into my local Asian supermarket and wanting to make it now, I used a mixture of sichimi togarashi, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika instead. the result is by no means authentic, but it tastes great, so don’t let access to Korean ingredients stop you from trying it. This is a great little book for anyone interested in Korean food or fermentation; You’ll get an insight into the history of kimchi, along with over 30 recipes for making kimchi, or using it as an ingredient, as well as some other Korean classics. kimchis include a white version (not spicy, but with fresh red chili, garlic, and ginger for added zing); pumpkin kimchi (made with butternut squash); and chonggak kimchi, known as bachelor kimchi, because it’s so easy “even a bachelor can handle it.”
cook the book:
Chinese leaf kimchi (baechu) (pictured above)
carrot kimchi (tanggun)
7. conserving for one?
5-Minute Microwave Bottled by Isobel Webb (Five Mile Press, PB, $22.99)
If you live alone, you won’t always want to make a big batch. This little pocket book has great quick recipes, many of them in smaller batches. Along with jams, jellies, fruit spreads, and other sweet preserves, there are recipes for pickles, chutneys, relishes, nut spreads, savory sauces, and gravies. (also fruit drinks, cordials and fruit liqueurs!). no pictures but there is some very useful information if you use a microwave and would like to try conserving with it.
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See Also: 52 Top Websites to Post Your Book for FREE | Savvy Writers & e-Books online
See Also: The 20 Best Horror Books for Teens – Broke by Books
See Also: 52 Top Websites to Post Your Book for FREE | Savvy Writers & e-Books online