A root cellar is an old-fashioned winter food storage preservation method. In the broadest sense, cellaring is any form of storage that holds food in optimum condition for an extended period by controlling the temperature, humidity, and light. Today’s modern “root cellar” is the refrigerator. However, if you want to maintain a supply of food without the use of electricity,… …click to read more…
Apple butter and pear butter is a spreadable topping, made essentially by reducing seasoned applesauce to a thick paste. When cooked until thick, pome fruits such as apples and pears reveal earthy, plum-like flavors that are heightened with warm spices and a touch of sugar or honey. There’s no butter in it; it spreads like butter. Hence, the name. Compared to… …click to read more…
Use this simple recipe to make homemade fruit pectin from apples or oranges. Pectin helps jams and jellies thicken, especially when you want to make old-fashioned cooked jam or jelly using fruits and fruit juices that are naturally low in pectin. Low pectin fruits include apricots, sweet cherries, figs, kiwis, pineapples, rhubarb, strawberries, or any type of fruit that is… …click to read more…
Pectin, the substance that makes jams and jellies thick, occurs naturally in most fruits. When you cook fruit with sugar, the pectin will thicken and gel to make jam (if using crushed fruit) or jelly (if using fruit juice). However, this gelling process can only happen when there is the right balance of fruit, pectin, acid, and sugar. The amount… …click to read more…
