Preserving & Canning Food

Summertime brings an abundance of cucumbers and is the perfect time to make your own pickles. A common question preservers have about homemade pickles is how to keep the cucumber crunchy....

Quite possibly THE BEST way to use up excess cucumbers, this bread & butter pickle is delicious served alongside meats, in a sandwich or burger, with cheese or pate. This recipe provides a...

Winter brings a completely different vibe to a preserver's kitchen. Contrary to popular belief, there are a wide range of preserves that can be made over winter. And, you'll find that those winter...

Have you been wondering, "Can I freeze food in glass jars?" If so, the answer is yes BUT not all glass jars are suitable.

Glass jars can be really handy for freezing soups, stocks, broths, sauces,...

I shared some tips on getting sticky labels off preserving jars in a recent newsletter. It was quite a popular topic and many of you emailed me back with your own tips and methods for doing this....

We all know that we should plan for an emergency but it's something that most people put in the too hard basket and it never progresses from an idea in their head to an actual plan with all the...

Balsamic onion chutney (often called balsamic onion jam) is a favourite in my house! It's a great accompaniment to bangers and mash, cold meats, eggs, popped in a panini or with cheese in a...

Do you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with? This classic tomato relish recipe is perfect for using up a few kilos and you'll enjoy it with cold meats, cheese and crackers or in a...

On the (almost) one year anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle devastating our region in Gisborne, New Zealand, I look back on our experiences from that time and reflect on what did and didn't work well...

This garden pesto recipe is one of those truly adaptable recipes where you can just use what you have. 

If your garden is flush with basil, make it with just basil. If you have lots of...

Who'd have thought that home preserving could be a tool for healing? I know it was never on my radar when we first started to preserve our own food but I have a little story to tell you. A little...

This apricot jam recipe is so simple, has much reduced sugar levels than its traditional counterparts and doesn't include any commercial pectin. It has my family's seal of approval and recent...