Renee Shelton - Butcher. Baker. Bibliophile. Breast Cancer Survivor. Not Necessarily in that Order.
I like pickles, and I like things that are easy. Combine them together and you get easy refrigerator pickles. I make my pickles with dill seed rather than fresh dill as that is handy year round in my pantry, and it tastes great when left …
There are two basic ways to smoke fish and seafood: cold smoking and hot smoking. Cold smoking involves smoking up to and typically not over 90 degrees F. This results in a RAW smoked fish (think of lox). If you want the fish cooked, then …
The Pickled Pantry is a fresh, contemporary guide to pickling the abundance. The book provides a whopping 185 recipes for putting up everything from apples to zucchini. There are techniques for making fermented pickles, salsas, relishes, and chutneys; freezer and refrigerator options; and recipes that feature pickles front and center. There are instructions for single jars and small batches, as well as ways to preserve a bumper crop of produce.
Chesman’s recipes are as diverse as they are delicious – from Korean kimchi to French jardiniere, from chutneys to chow chow, and from classic bread and butters to rosemary onion confit, Italian tomato relish, and even pickled watermelon rinds.
Beginners will prize the simple, low-fuss methods and Chesman’s calm guidance through the basics, while dedicated home canners will appreciate the large-batch recipes and the variety of flavors.
I really liked Pickled Pantry. My kids are pickle lovers and Chesman’s approach to pickling and instruction on canning made it easy to produce great tasting pickles with the kids – one jar at a time, too. You’ll find everything from Sauerkraut, Salt-Cured Dilly Beans, and traditional favorite dill and sweet pickled cucumbers. The book begins with basic pickles and progresses with complexity. Ethnic and classic American dishes are presented such as Kimchi (fermented cabbage) to Chow Chow (classic Southern condiment).
Book chapters include: All About Pickling; Fermented Pickles; Single Jar Pickles; Big-Harvest Fresh-Pack Pickles; Salsas, Relishes, Chutneys; Refrigerator and Freezer Pickles; and Recipes for Enjoying Homemade Pickles. The color illustrations and multiple charts make it an enjoyable book to flip through.
The different profiles throughout the book made Pickled Pantry more than just a collection of pickle recipes. Chesman provides great canning tips such as knowing which end is the blossom end of a cucumber (which should ultimately be trimmed as it contains enzymes that can soften pickles). If you get confused which one it is, Chesman cures the dilemma by simply stating “Can’t tell which is which? Slice both ends off.” That attitude in the book makes it a great read for both first-time canners and more experienced ones, too.
Book Information:
Disclosure: This eARC was provided by the publisher and any opinions are my own.
Market black box: Yellowtail from a fishing trip. What I did with it: froze some, and smoked a whole yellowtail. (Yikes! Never smoked before!) I love hot smoked fish. Depending on where you get it or who makes it, the flavors range from salty to …
