Home canning and preserving has been a long honored tradition for generations. With the abundance of fresh, organic ingredients available at local farmers’ markets today’s home cooks are discovering the pleasures of this wholesome and economical art as well. In Preserving, Pat Crocker offers practical, easy-to-follow information on home canning and freezing to get novices started and inspire experienced hands.

Focusing on simple but effective concepts, this practical guide, organized by season, provides easy-to-follow, accurate and thorough information on preserving a diverse range of foods for the pantry, from asparagus and blueberries to peaches and winter squash. Here are techniques on canning, jamming, and freezing everything from the most basic hot-packed fruit recipes to gorgeous, internationally flavored chutneys and relishes. Filled with safe and detailed instructions, step-by-step photography, and over two hundred recipes for using preserves in everything from appetizers and soups to main course dishes and desserts, Preserving is a kitchen essential that is sure to become a classic.