ISBN: 97800778804826
Publish Date: June 2014
Publisher: Robert Rose
Suggested Retail: $29.95
I am still learning as I go, but I find it enjoyable to can fruits and vegetables. I did my first batch of pickles tonight and they all sealed. Woot! Woot! I am a water bath canner gal as a pressure canner still intimidates me.
Best of Bridge is a company headed up by eight women who have worked together to create 4,000,000 Best of Bridge books that are in print. Best of Bridge Home Preserving features jams, jellies, pickles, salsas, and more.
I should have taken a picture of this right after canning instead of jostling the jars downstairs for storage and then back up for a picture, but this is the Spiced Peach Jam from this cookbook. All of my family members love the taste of this jam and it is somewhat versatile – toast, spread with cream cheese, or even a topping for vanilla ice cream.
The 120 recipes in this book seem easy to follow. Food safety, equipment needed, and canning terminology are covered before diving into the recipes.
If home canning is something you currently love or want to give it a try as a means of preserving healthy food that you have control over personalizing, consider Best of Bridge Home Preserving. Here are a some recipes from this title to try and enjoy below.
Courtesy of Best of Bridge Home Preserving:120 Recipes for Canning Fruits & Vegetables by Best of Bridge Publishing Ltd. 2014 © www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission.
Kiwi, Pineapple and Orange Jam, page 84
Enjoy a tasty combination of fruits in this beautiful light green and orange jam.
3 medium oranges 3
3 cups finely chopped kiwifruit 750 mL
(about 8 large)
1 can (8 oz/227 mL) or 1 cup (250 mL) crushed pineapple, with juice 1
1⁄4 cup lime juice 60 mL
1 package (1.75 oz/49 or 57 g) 1
powdered pectin
51⁄2 cups granulated sugar 1.375 L
Peel and section oranges removing all pith, seeds and membranes, and chop the fruit, reserving any juices.
In a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot, combine oranges with juice, kiwis, pineapple with juice and lime juice. Stir in pectin until dissolved. Bring to
a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Add sugar in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Return to a full boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Stir for 5 to 8 minutes to prevent floating fruit.
Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1⁄4 inch (0.5 cm) of rim; wipe rims. Apply prepared lids and rings; tighten rings just until fingertip-tight. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Transfer jars to a towel-lined surface and let rest at room temperature until set. Check seals; refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to 3 weeks.
Makes about six 8-ounce (250 mL) jars.
Tip: If desired, add 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated orange rind to this recipe; grate before peeling and add with the chopped oranges.
Pear Butter, page 162
This caramel-colored butter has a lovely pear flavor and a hint of spice.
10 lbs ripe pears 5 kg
21⁄2 cups unsweetened apple cider 625 mL
41⁄2 cups granulated sugar 1.125 L
1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 mL
1 tsp ground ginger 5 mL
Cut pears lengthwise into quarters and remove stems, blossom ends and cores (do not peel); coarsely chop. In a Dutch oven or a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot, combine pears and cider. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, covered, for about 40 minutes or until pears are very soft, using a potato masher after about 30 minutes to break down pieces further.
Ladle fruit and liquid into a large mesh sieve and press pulp through; discard peel (or extract pulp using a food mill). Return pulp to clean Dutch oven. Add sugar in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Stir in cinnamon and ginger; cook over low heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, stirring often and reducing heat further as mixture thickens, for 35 to 40 minutes or until thickened. Test for doneness.
Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1⁄2 inch (1 cm) of rim; wipe rims. Apply prepared lids and rings; tighten just until fingertip-tight. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Transfer jars to a towel-lined surface and let rest at room temperature until cool. Check seals; refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to 3 weeks.
Makes about six 8-ounce (250 mL) jars.
Tip: Bartlett or Packham pears are good choices for fruit butters, as they have soft flesh that breaks down during cooking.
Tip: Pears ripen well after being picked, so they are picked green for better quality in transporting. To speed ripening, place them in a paper bag. When ripe, a pear yields to light pressure near the bottom of the neck.
Bread and Butter Pickles, page 218
Homemade are the best!! Try these on sliders (page 268).
10 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers 2.5 L
2 green bell peppers, diced 2
2 cloves garlic, minced 2
3 large onions, thinly sliced 3
1⁄3 cup pickling or canning salt 75 mL
12 cups ice cubes 3 L
3 cups white vinegar 750 mL
4 cups granulated sugar 1 L
11⁄2 tsp ground turmeric 7 mL
11⁄2 tsp celery seeds 7 mL
11⁄2 tsp mustard seeds 7 mL
In a large pot or bowl, combine cucumbers, peppers, garlic and onions. Mix in salt and ice cubes. Cover and let stand in a cool place for at least 4 hours or for up to 12 hours. Drain and discard any leftover ice. Set vegetables aside. In a large pot, combine vinegar, sugar, turmeric, celery seeds and mustard seeds. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in vegetables and return to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Using a slotted spoon, pack vegetables into sterilized jars to within 1 inch (2.5 cm) of rim. Pour in hot pickling liquid to within 1⁄2 inch (1 cm) of rim. Remove any air pockets and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding liquid; wipe rims. Apply prepared lids and rings; tighten rings just until fingertip-tight. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Turn off canner and remove lid. Let jars stand in water for 5 minutes. Transfer jars to a towel-lined surface and let rest at room temperature until cooled. Check seals; refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to 3 weeks.
Makes ten 8-ounce (250 mL) jars or five pint (500 mL) jars.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book to review. No other compensation was received for this post. The thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.
