There is little in this world better than a cookbook that hits the mark perfectly, and in this case Mary Norwak has done it. From bottling to smoking, chutneys to crystallizing to liqueurs, this book has home preserving covered in every respect. Published in 1978, the photos are few and far between, and the food styling isn't quite up to today's standards, but if you are seriously considering preserving anything this book is the one to beat.
Not only is Mary comprehensive in her coverage of preserving subjects, but within each she explains the preserving process before providing a wide variety of recipes. Interested in potting meat, fish or poultry? Her chapter on potting details the best pots to use, how the meat should be prepared as well as how to clarify your butter for the essential layer of fat to preserve the meat. The recipes range from
Potted Herrings and
Potted Lobster through to
Potted Mushrooms and
Potted Pigeon - just in case you weren't sure what to do with that pigeon you caught crapping on your car.
Prefer to preserve something a little less unusual? Mary can get you cooking up a batch of
Blackberry Jam, making your own
Pickled Beetroot, creating your own
Tomato Sauce or making
Candied Chestnuts like a pro. Whether you're interested in
Curing bacon at home, brewing your own
Mead, or steeping some
Sloe Gin, there are comprehensive instructional recipes, with excellent notes outlining how to get the best results from each preservation method, and troubleshooting should something fail.
This book is my favourite when it comes to preserving anything at all, so much so that when my mother wanted her copy back I tracked down one for myself and had the 35 year old copy shipped from the other side of the planet.
A fantastic resource from a noted author, this book is recommended for any cook wanting to stretch their preserving skills.
- Kath
