There's something to be said for simpler times, when our way of life was wholesome and healthy. There were less pesticides and growth hormones in our food. We were self-reliant and self-sustaining. It's easy to see why, with food costs on the rise, many people are returning to their roots-and root cellars-and finding solace in simple living. With Back to Basics: Traditional Wisdom, now anyone can:

• Save excess fresh vegetables and fruits while maintaining texture and nutrition by preserving produce in the freezer
• Learn different canning methods for easy cooking and cupboard storage
• Grow fruits and vegetables in a space as small as a windowsill
• Turn fresh fruit into jams and jellies
• Utilize space by drying foods and creating cooking ingredients
• Make chutneys and relishes that will be a hit at every occasion
• Discover an economical way to preserve foods by creating a cold storage unit
• Quench thirst with homemade beverages
• Bring homemade wine, beer, and naturally flavored vodka to the next family gathering
• Also learn to raise chickens and honeybees, make your own cheese, and more.

This book has easy-to-follow step-by-step illustrated instructions and detailed information about specific fruit and vegetable preparation that will enable anyone to create a truly self-sustainable lifestyle.

Andrea Chesman is a food writer and the author of many cookbooks, including Serving Up the Harvest, The Roasted Vegetable, 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans and Grains, and the James Beard Award-nominated The New Vegetarian Grill. She was editor of Yankee Magazine Church Supper and Potluck Cookbook and editor of and contributor to the Family Circle Good Cook's Book. She has also edited numerous gardening books, including The Big Book of Gardening Skills. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Vegetarian Times, Organic Gardening, Natural Health, and several other magazines and newspapers. She lives with her husband and two sons in Vermont.