It's fall, and America's farms and gardens are brimming with a cornucopia of edible plenty. The harvest is here, and there's so much fresh produce available that try though we might, it's impossible to eat it all. And so comes the locavore's annual autumn lament: If only there was some way we could set a table like this all year round.
The short answer is you can. The secret lies in the lost art of do-it-yourself food preservation, a once vital family tradition that the many conveniences of modern life have let most of us largely forget.
Home food preservation lets us save, or "put up" as our great-grandmothers would say, fruits and vegetables harvested in season for winter and other times of low availability. The practice, which was essential in the days before refrigeration and supermarkets, lets us feed our families a healthier diet that preserves much of the spectacular flavor and superior nutrition of freshly picked produce. It also provides an important measure of self-sufficiency and freedom from today's industrial food chain. And it saves money by letting us stretch our own harvests, or buy foods in bulk when prices are lowest.
Many people think that home food preservation is too difficult, time-consuming, expensive, or just too risky. While it does require some time and an initial expenditure, it's actually extremely simple, can be quite safe, and the delectable rewards will always far outweigh any investment you make. Here are some ways to serve up summer every day of the year:
- Invest in a stand-alone freezer. Your purchase will only cost a few hundred dollars and will be extremely energy-efficient thanks to new federal standards. Choose a chest-style, Energy Star-rated model without automatic defrosting and maintain it at 0° for maximum efficiency. If you live in a cool climate, consider placing your freezer in the garage where it will require little energy during the winter.
- Freezing is the simplest and most versatile method of food preservation. Some foods require a quick encounter with boiling water called blanching before freezing, but many can be frozen as is. Berries, for example can be frozen whole. Foods like tomatoes or peaches must first be pureed.
- You can also turn fruits and vegetables into cooked dishes for freezing. The apple harvest, for example, can be converted to homemade applesauce and frozen. Tomatoes can be turned into a tomato sauce.
- Canning is another popular preservation method. Canned food has the advantage of being storable at room temperature. It's a little trickier than simple freezing, but if you can boil water and follow a few basic instructions, the joys of homemade jams, jellies, pickles, chutneys, sauces, relishes, spreads, and more are yours for the serving. These foods can be eaten a year or more after canning, and they spice up meals with lots of fresh flavor. Successful canning requires the use of basic sterilization techniques that ensure a safe, bacteria-free result, but these methods are easy to follow. (The resources below will get you started.)
- Many fruits and vegetables can also be dried for cooking and snacks. Fruit purees can be dried to create fruit roll-ups. Use an extremely slow oven or a food dehydrator, or, if conditions are right, the sun.
- Dry herbs with the same methods used for produce or hang loose bunches upside down in a tied paper bag with holes poked in it. Some herbs, like basil, mint and chives, do better frozen. Or freeze prepared herb pestos in ice cube trays that create individual portions for cooking and eating.
- Root vegetables like onions, carrots, and potatoes can be stored in a dry dark place whose temperature is between 32° and 38°. A space in most basements can be created to permit the entry of cold winter air and maintain ideal conditions that will store most root vegetables in a nearly fresh state for months.
Strategies like these can make your own harvest last all year long and provide your family with a bounty that's fresher, tastier, less expensive, and more nutritious.
