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| Leonie2 |
Help me spend my Amazon voucher please (Haize)HaizePerennial Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 389 Posted: 16 May 2006 11:49 am Post subject: Help me spend my Amazon voucher please! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I know I want to have a go at jams and chutneys, but whilst browsing I found this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obid...ref=br_lf_b_0/203-5798337-1865521 It has slightly redirected me: I've figured I can probably get specific jam recipes easily, but this has info on other preserving techniques. Does anyone already have it or have a recommendation of another book along the same lines? _________________ Status of our house: No heating, no bathroom, no kitchen. Washing machine, fridge, and boiler sitting around in boxes. No door on room with toilet! http://www.manicfish.com/myblog.php?bbn=haize Back to top Jesse Site Admin Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 2188 Location: West Sussex Posted: 16 May 2006 12:16 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have that book Haize, I bought it last year and there are some good recipes and some awful ones. It's a nice book to have and I will be making some of the recipes again this year. I would say however that it covers all the different preserving techniques (smoking, drying, salting, pickling, preserving in sugar, bottling and canning etc.) quite briefly so if you're looking for a book giving detailed information about jam making for example then this is not the book for you, in fact there are only two recipes for jam in this book...fig jam and strawberry jam. The section about canning caught my attention and when I looked into doing it I couldn't find a pressure canner in this country, I assume a lot of the information about canning in the book is american based because they talk about altitude affecting the pressure and lenght of time it needs in the canner, altitude isn't a big factor in the UK because inland and coastal areas don't have a big difference as would some places in america. Also be aware that although the foreward is by Hugh F W the book and recipes are not written by him! I don't want to put you off buying it because as I say it's nice to have and I will be refering back to some of the recipes again this year, but if you do buy the book I doubt it will cover all the preserving information you want. Back to top Haize Perennial Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 389 Posted: 16 May 2006 07:24 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hmm, I'm still a little undecided then. I'm not bothered about it not being in-depth about jam, but the stuff about canning would not be relevant. Shall think some more and browse amazon more. Thanks. _________________ Status of our house: No heating, no bathroom, no kitchen. Washing machine, fridge, and boiler sitting around in boxes. No door on room with toilet! http://www.manicfish.com/myblog.php?bbn=haize Back to top Kathy Moderator Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 1008 Posted: 16 May 2006 07:33 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I found this one, looks like it might be a bit more what you are looking for. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obid...sr_1_2_1/202-9607012-7083066[url] _________________ Take care Kathy Back to top n Moderator Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 334 Posted: 16 May 2006 07:55 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think I would go with Kathy here. The Marguerite Patten isn't a coffee table book, it's a working book. For the most part, jam and chutney isn't a black art, the principles are fairly standard stuff. Most of it it on the web (including here), so I wouls start her and then once you know what you need to learn, go for a book then. I have a basic WI book which is good, without the "designer touch". Mine is out of print now but you could try this http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obid...bxgy_img_2_cp/026-1781212-2732403 I haven't seen it, but having used their other books, it's produced for its use-ability, not how beautiful it is. It is said that people only use 10% of the recipes in a cookery book and I know I use more than the 10% in my own WI book. natalie Back to top Jesse Site Admin Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 2188 Location: West Sussex Posted: 16 May 2006 08:29 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are quite a few recipes in the Preserved book that I'll never use, one that springs to mind is pickled octopus. It's a pretty book with nice photos and interesting looking recipes but most of which I'll probably never make, there are a few in there that I like but it's certainly not the most used book on the shelf. If you're interested in the canning section, before you buy the book, check if you can find a pressure canner for sale in the UK, of the 6 recipes for canning in the book, 4 must be made using a pressure canner which is something I could not find to buy last year when I looked, all the ones I found were US based and I wasn't prepared to pay postage and import duties on one. Whatever method of preserving you're interested in I think it's better to buy a book that specialises on the one subject e.g. if you want to try smoking then find a book that covers only smoking. When a book covers all the subjects it tends to be brief and lacking in detail. Back to top n Moderator Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 334 Posted: 16 May 2006 09:29 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I used to have a book produced by the Min of Ag about preserving. http://www.womens-institute.co.uk/archive/jam.shtml it was first produced during WW11 but continued until the 1980's amazon have it listed here http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obid.../ref=sr_1_2_1/026-1781212-2732403 canning is more tricky, and as far as I recall, the main danger is botulism which can be fatal http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/botulism/menu.htm I know this is what put me off in the past. The M Ag book talks about it, even the wartime version when any preserving at all was A GOOD THING. Freezing is a much more straight forward option, but of course requires power. natalie Back to top Jesse Site Admin Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 2188 Location: West Sussex Posted: 17 May 2006 07:12 am Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- botulism is what put me off canning, if you get it wrong you can kill your family, and the scary thing is that botulism can be present in the food without it tasting off. I decided to leave canning to the professionals and use freezing an a better alternative for me. Now if you don't already have John Seymour's Self Sufficiency book then I strongly recommend that, it has sections on jam making, freezing, bottling, harvesting and storing, cheesemaking and dairying, pickles and chutneys, cakes, brewing and winemaking...along with everything else you'll ever want to do in the smallholding lifestyle. A book that is brilliant and I wouldn't part with my copy....ever! Back to top alison Moderator Joined: 17 Feb 2006 Posts: 303 Location: North Devon Posted: 17 May 2006 07:10 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obid.../ref=sr_1_2_4/202-8544392-7464602 This is a well written book Back to top Haize Perennial Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 389 Posted: 17 May 2006 07:27 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Right, I think I'll definately get the John Seymour self sufficiency book, but might need to add something else to get the free postage (what a shame!) I'm torn between the WI books and Marguerite Patten's book. Actually, has anyone ever bought one of the other seller's books through Amazon? (from the "Used & New" bit on the right) If so, what happens about postage with that? I'm confused... _________________ Status of our house: No heating, no bathroom, no kitchen. Washing machine, fridge, and boiler sitting around in boxes. No door on room with toilet! http://www.manicfish.com/myblog.php?bbn=haize Back to top alison Moderator Joined: 17 Feb 2006 Posts: 303 Location: North Devon Posted: 17 May 2006 08:06 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I sell loads of books on marketplace you pay about £2.75 per book http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obid...h__brbx_c_2_0/202-8544392-7464602 and the price of the book. The seller sometimes makes a bit on postage and sometimes doesn't, swings and rounderbouts there. You can also get new books on marketplace, it is like dealing with other bookshops who use the amazon facia to sell with Back to top Haize Perennial Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 389 Posted: 17 May 2006 08:11 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ah right, ta. Pretty much the first thing I ever do when I find an online shop is try to find out what the postage costs are. It's amazing how some of them hide it, and you actually have to put something in the "basket" and go to checkout before you can find the info! However, often I just don't see the rather obvious link to the page _________________ Status of our house: No heating, no bathroom, no kitchen. Washing machine, fridge, and boiler sitting around in boxes. No door on room with toilet! http://www.manicfish.com/myblog.php?bbn=haize Back to top Haize Perennial Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 389 Posted: 24 May 2006 03:53 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ooh, I'm slightly glad I didn't spend my voucher yet, as this is happening: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obid...ure/-/1012401/203-5798337-1865521 Though without it, I'd have made sure I qualified for free delivery, and left it at that. Now I'll spend more... But I guess that's why they're doing it! I'm not making more than 2 orders in the time though, so if I get a voucher, spend it, and get a second voucher, I can make the last voucher available to someone here. The whole thing ends on 26th June. _________________ Status of our house: No heating, no bathroom, no kitchen. Washing machine, fridge, and boiler sitting around in boxes. No door on room with toilet! http://www.manicfish.com/myblog.php?bbn=haize Back to top somerset lad Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 249 Location: Taunton som Posted: 24 May 2006 06:08 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Along with John Seymoure it has to be 'Preserving ' by Oded Schwartz a must for anyone interested in preserving, jams. jellies, chutneys, pickles, sausages, pate's ,biltong and just about anything you wish to think of. _________________ grow it catch it eat it. Back to top |