Would you like to make your own preserves, like raspberry and mango
jam, gooseberry-lemon verbena jelly, or plum marmalade with rum? Read our
interview with Anne Gardon, author of 'Preserving For All Seasons.' She has
tips and advice on how to create easy-to-prepare preserves.
How did you become involved in
preserving?
When I moved to the country 12 years ago, I had the ambitious project
of being (almost) self-sufficient. I planted herbs, fruit trees and berries
and I made a big vegetable garden.
So it was only natural that I preserve part of my crop. Of course
I went overboard, freezing, drying, canning just about everything, as if
it were a sin to waste carrot or beet leaves.
With time, I have learned to preserve the best and just enough to
get me through the winter. I also learned to keep the fun in preserving instead
of making it a chore. Live and learn!
What do you find most enjoyable about
preserving?
First and foremost, I like the actual work of preserving. I find
it almost zen-like. I sip a glass of wine, I listen to my favorite opera
(full blast) - makes everybody flee the kitchen, which is just fine with
me - and I forget all my worries for a couple of hours.
I also love the fact that, when Christmas time comes, I just have
to open my pantry to find all the presents I need for my friends.
And I feel good knowing that what I eat is natural and has been
preserved in the best possible way.
What five items does a person need to start
preserving?
Most of what you need is probably in your kitchen already : heavy
pot, ladles and so on.
You also need :
* canning jars
* a wide-mouth funnel
* clamps to handle hot jars
* a thermometer
* a timer. I use a kitchen chronometer, which is less noisy than a regular
timer.
Tell us about the alternative to the "water-bath"
method of sterilizing jars that you write about in your
book.
Most cookbooks recommend to boil empty jars - for jams, jellies and
pickles - for 20 minutes or more to sterilize them before filling. But you
don't need to turn your kitchen into a Turkish bath to do so.
Sterilizing in the oven (for 15 minutes at 375 º F) is just
as effective. I have learned about this method talking with other preserve
aficionados and it has never let me down.
What are the five most common mistakes most
people make when preserving?
* Preparing too many jars at one time is the most common mistake.
It takes all the fun out of making preserves and invites sloppiness, which
leads to food spoilage.
* Doing all the preserving in summer when it can be done all year
round.
* Using ingredients that are not top-quality. Preserving shouldn't
be a way to use "tired" produce.
* Changing the recipe (mostly reducing the sugar content and complaining
afterwards that the jelly didn't set),
* Keeping preserves for too long, as if a pantry full of jars was
a security blanket.
What are some ways to save time by using modern
appliances?
A pressure cooker cuts cooking time drastically while preserving
moisture and nutrients,
* A food processor chops and purées vegetables in a
jiffy,
* A spice grinder - or an ordinary coffee grinder used solely for
this purpose - is useful to grind herbs.
* A food mill, though not really modern, is a favorite utensil of
mine. It quickly and efficiently removes skin and pits from cooked fruits
(apples, pears..)
What is your favorite preserve recipe for
the spring?
It has to be Strawberry-tarragon jam. The combination of these two
unlikely ingredients is absolutely wonderful.
What is your favorite recipe for summer
preserve?
Pickled beets with star anise is my favorite. Dinner guests have
often told me, they taste like candies.
What is your favorite recipe for winter
preserve?
I like my butternut-maple butter just as much as my orange-parsnip
marmalade. But if I have to choose, I will go with the first.
Butternut-maple butter tastes very much like expensive French
"Crème de marrons" (chestnut cream) and it is so versatile. Mixed
with whipped cream, it can become a mousse (served chilled in tall glasses),
a pie filling (sprinkled with roasted slivered almonds) or a frosting for
cake. I even use it to make delicate turnip-butternut flans that I serve
with meat.
How do you keep preserves
fresh?
Follow instructions for packing and sterilizing. Store jars in a
cool, dry and dark place, ideally a cold cellar or a basement. Always write
the processing date and use within a few weeks or months.
Did you invent the recipes in your
book?
Yes, I invented all the recipes in my book and I keep coming up with
new ones (here is an example. If you grow beebalm (monarda) in your garden
or can get your hands on some flowers, replace tarragon - in Strawberry-tarragon
jam - with a handful of beebalm petals. Fabulous!!!!).
I have read somewhere that people shouldn't take pride in their
talents (like physical beauty, your are born with it), so I have no qualms
about saying I have an innate talent for creating recipes, whether preserves
or others. I follow simple rule too. Here they are:
* I use seasonal ingredients. For example, raspberries and mangoes
are in season at the same time, It made sense to combine them in a
jam.
* I am not afraid to try any new idea, even if it seems far-fetched.
A food critic asked me once "why make marmalade with parsnip?" I replied.
Because I love parsnip, because it is cheap and because it takes good. Try
it! I said and he reluctantly agreed it was goodÉ very good.
* When I find a winning combination, I make the recipe several times
to perfect it.
What are your ten best preserving tips for
beginners?
* Start with an easy recipe,
* Read it thoroughly, make sure you understand the instructions
and follow them to the letter,
* Start with a clean workplace, free of clutter and with all ingredients
at hand.
* Do not prepare too many jars at one time. (I'll never repeat it
often enough).
* Buy or pick only what you can process at one time,
* Do not pour boiling jam or jelly in jars, they could
burst.
* Boil flat metal disks for 5 minutes to soften rubber and get a
tight seal,
* Do not eat any preserve that looks or smells funny, is mushy,
discolored or moldy. Don't even taste it.
* Eat your preserves within a few months.
* Remember! Making preserves is fun.
What are your five best preserving tips for
those experienced preservers?
* Do not cut corners or rush the process. Just because you can make
preserves with your eyes closed doesn't mean you have to be sloppy.
* Try exotic recipes from far-away places. My Chinese pickles could
be a start.
* When inventing a recipe, make only a small amount just in case
it doesn't turn out, and write down quantities, cooking time,
method
* When in a gourmet store, check the preserves section for
ideas.
* Think of new ways to use your preserves. Chutney mixed with cream
cheese makes a delicious spread or dip. Herb jellies are wonderful to deglaze
a pan and make a sauce for meat. |
