Preserving Everything: Can, Culture, Pickle, Freeze, Ferment, Dehydrate, Salt, Smoke, and Store Fruits, Vegetables, Meat, Milk, and More (Countryman Know How)

I hardly know where to start. This book is beautiful. Well organized, well laid out, well photographed. But that's not even the important stuff. This book is a must read for everyone interested in food preservation, from beginner to the experienced preserver. I put myself in the latter category and while I knew I'd enjoy reading it, I wondered how much I'd actually learn. Ms. Meredith sure showed me! I can't wait to try a few of her smoking and cheese-making techniques, not to mention the dehydrator jerky. I collect cookbooks and food preservation books and as I read this (from cover to cover) I thought to myself, "This is the new Ball Blue Book, only better." The thing that appeals to me most is that the author teaches us the methods, helps us understand them (why they work), and encourages us to make them our own. Sure, she gives us demonstration recipes for each technique, but love the idea of understanding why something works the way it does, then being able to tinker on my own. This is an essential book for anyone interested in food preservation. Essential.

I'm already loving this book! It has it all! Everything it promises and more including a troubleshooting section. Everything is explained well and easy to follow. Photos are gorgeous! One of the best books on methods of preserving all kinds of ways and it's all in one book! I can't imagine anyone would be disappointed by this purchase.

This book is "Jam" packed with knowledge and recipes.Bought this book to learn how to preserve some food, it is a great starting point. The text had plenty of easy recipes for beginners.I found it lacking only 2 things:1. The length of time the items store well. Some recipes had it buried in the text, others not at all. Probably some stupid FDA rule preventing this2. I wish there was more Information on salt curing and long term meat storage. It has some but I would have enjoyed more.Overall well worth the money and a good read.

I saw this book in a store, so I loaned it from the library. After paging through it, I loved how useful it seemed so I had to buy it! I've read it cover to cover twice now and it is a great resource for preserving almost any food! It's very easy to understand and its recipes are unique from any i ever had growing up! I love that's it's not just another canning book. It's a must have for any preservation lover like me!A few things that I have noticed though is it is missing a some key bits of info in a few of the recipes. For example, the elderflower champagne does not say how much of the flowers is needed. Also I would wish that there was information on how to identify elderflowers. Also the ricotta cheese recipe calls for "3/4 citric acid dissolved in 2 Tbsp. cold water". It doesn't say how much citric acid is needed. These are just a couple of the editing errors I've picked out.Leda Meredith wrote an easy to read, very useful book. Overall, I definitely recommend this book, but I look forward to a second addition that fixes these errors.Useful note: I found the same recipe for elderflower champagne on a web site that lists the amount of elderflowers needed. "7 to 8 large (6 inch or so diameter) or double that of smaller elderflower clusters"

This book is absolutely the best of the best. I have an enviable collection of similar books from which I compare. Preserving Everything impressively covers every imaginable method of preserving and preparing food and drink. The directions are clear and easy to follow. Photos are wonderful. The book is well organized, educational and so very enjoyable to read. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, I found this book to be packed with fabulous recipes for pickling, fermenting, drying, freezing, smoking, preserving in oil or alcohol. There are traditional types of recipes and methods of preserving as well as recipes that will develop your palate and preservation experience. Thank you, author Leda Meredith!

Tired of seeing books on single-topic methods of food preservation, I was anxious to get my hands on a copy of this book. It hasn't disappointed. It not only offers new pointers and insights into things I was already familiar with (culturing, yogurts) but gives me the perfect practical introduction into methods new to me like lacto-fermentation, salting and smoking, and more—not to mention the perfect set of guidelines for freezing and dehydrating dozens of foods.The only disappointment I feel is when I come across a great recipe for preserving a food that has already left the farmer's market for the year. But until I get the chance to shop for those foods next year, there is plenty to keep me occupied. I only need more counter space for all of these jars...

Single handedly one of my most favorite books. There are great preservation ideas from a good selection of different techniques.We use the apple scrap jelly recipe all the time and have made ACV from this book as well. It is easy for a beginner to use as well as interesting for the seasoned canner/ preserver. I have enjoyed the interesting food combinations and money saving tips on dehydration and pickling. Would highly recommend this book.Only minor complaint is that while using the book for the recipies it does not lay flat.