Preserving/bottling and storing your produce.

Theveggardener

I have grown my own fruit and veg for the first time this year and we have far to much and don't want to throw it away when it could be preserved ect. I am keen to learn about and do some Preserving/Bottling and store some of what I have grown. Can anyone recomend a good book that I can buy so I can learn how to do this, I don't mind if I have to buy two separate books like one for preserving and one for bottling but would rather not have to buy loads of books. I have been saving jars and bought a few and also have a very large saucepan could you also tell me of anything else I would need. 

purplerallim

Your library would probably have books in these subjects, to give you an idea of what you might like to make.
 There is a recipe thread here too with lovely things to try ( like my cucumber soup, yes I know it sounds odd but very tasty veg soup)
If there is a particular veg/ fruit you need to use quickly @NannaBoo just ask and will post it here for use. 😁

purplerallim

Ps. Most of my recipes are from old books out of print now, or new ideas from the web.😁

Nollie

The River Cottage ‘Preserves’  by Pam Corbin explains all the basic preserving and bottling techniques and is packed full of recipes for chutneys, pickles, jams, flavoured vinegars, bottled fruit etc. It’s a regular reference book here.

Theveggardener

purplerallim sadly I can't get into town to the Library that's why I thought of buying a couple of books. Good idea re the internet didn't think about that.

Theveggardener

Nollie, I like River Cottage so apart from looking for info on the net I'll take a look at that book. It's my birthday in a couple of weeks and my son keeps asking what I'd like, now I have something to suggest.

Theveggardener

Opps meant to say thank you to you both.

Dovefromabove

Another recommendation for the River Cottage Preserves book 👍 

A good companion to that one is the River Cottage Veg Patch book which has information about planning and growing veg and recipes too

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6061329-veg-patch

treehugger80

the river cottage books in general are good, i have the mushroom one as it has the edible ones, the poisonous ones and recipes at the back (for the edible ones, its not a poisoners guide lol)

Theveggardener

Thanks for that Dovefromabove. I stupidly planted around 40 tomato plants (5 different varieties) and let them get to three bunches on each the stopped them. Next year I'll know better than to plant every one that's good and strong looking learning by my mistake. I have made sun blushed tomatoes, dried some and put then in the freezer made soup and sauces and still they keep coming. That's just the tomatoes I also have load of other veg and would like to bottle them for use over the winter.

purplerallim

I know what you mean @NannaBoo , planted far too many toms ( worse still over half grew as cherry ones unexpectedly from my heritage seed) so between my last post and this have been out and removed another heap of tom leaves and picked over 80 black cherry toms!  And a dozen Roma, so sauce time here I come.😁😋😁