Pickles and Preserves - (Savor the South Cookbooks) by Andrea Weigl (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Andrea Weigl defines the year by her canning sessions. In the winter, she makes bright yellow Jerusalem Artichoke Relish from her backyard crop. In the spring, she conjures up sweet red Strawberry Preserves. In the summer, it's savory Yellow Squash Pickles and peaches, pickled, brandied, or as a thick butter. And in the fall, she folds her Fig Preserves into a cake famous on North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Today's revival of pickling and preserving, which became widely popular in the South only after the Civil War, when sugar was easier to obtain, is part of the booming interest in do-it-yourself kitchen craft, farmers' markets, and gardening. Blogs are devoted to canning, cooking schools offer classes, and canning jar manufacturers report surging sales. With complete, easy-to-follow instructions and troubleshooting tips, Pickles and Preserves highlights the regional flair that southern cooks bestow on this traditional art of survival in preserving the South's bountiful harvest. The fifty classic and inventive recipes -- from Dilly Beans and Pickled Okra to Muscadine Jam and Habañero Gold Pepper Jelly -- will have beginners and veterans alike rolling up their sleeves.

Review Quotes

"[A] splendid series." -- Los Angeles Times

"A complete and easy to follow compendium of the pickling and preserving art." -- Mobile Press-Register

"A comprehensive and useful guide to preserving. Canning is a simple and straight-forward process, and Weigl has managed to make it sound that way, covering food safety thoroughly yet without making the process sound terrifying. There is indeed a resurgence of interest in home preserving, and she has provided a thoughtful, accessible guide to the process that will surely appeal both to novices and to experienced home canners. There are a number of comprehensive 'bibles' of canning available, but there are few small books that are this concise and accessible." -- Damon Lee Fowler, author of Classical Southern Cooking and The Savannah Cookbook

"A multipurpose manual to get and to give." -- Charleston Post and Courier

"Canning enthusiasts will love [Andrea Weigl's] recipes." -- The New Orleans Advocate

"For any homesteading novice who's been intimidated by the idea of preserving, Weigl's book can be a confidence-booster." -- Edible Charlotte

"Freezer jams and refrigerator pickles to get you started! No pressure canners needed! What more could the home canner want? Recipes, of course, and what an extraordinary collection you'll find in Andrea Weigl's Pickles and Preserves. So why not 'butter' those biscuits with Soft Refrigerator Honeysuckle Jelly or Peach and Blueberry Freezer Jam? Perk up those black-eyed peas with a scoop of Quick Pickled Cucumber Salsa or Green Tomato Relish? With Pickles and Preserves to lead the way, you can't go wrong." -- Jean Anderson, James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame, author of Jean Anderson's Preserving Guide and A Love Affair with Southern Cooking

"Perfect for novices and loaded with recipes that experienced canners will enjoy." -- Durham Independent Weekly

"Savor sweet and sour of the South." -- Southern Pines Pilot

About the Author

Andrea Weigl was the food writer and editor at the News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a decade. She spent six years working as a documentary producer, including working on the PBS shows A Chef's Life and Somewhere South starring North Carolina chef Vivian Howard. She now works as a publicist for restaurants, hotels, and other clients in the Carolinas.