In A Pickle - Sauces, Pickles, Chutneys & Relishes

In A Pickle

Sauces, Pickles, Chutneys and Relishes

by Kirsten Day

                                RRP $29.99 - Bateman

In today’s society there is a growing consciousness of food miles, along with a commitment to eat fresh, slow and seasonally. Alongside this is the growing unease about preservatives and additives in shop-bought food, warring with concern about food waste ... But don’t get in a pickle about it! Kirsten Day has a solution by using natural methods that allow you to enjoy local and seasonal fruits all year round.

Kirsten shows how easy it is to preserve your own produce, and how to pick up great tips on getting the best out of you preserving. This delicious collection of recipes will appeal to both beginners and the seasoned preserver, and additional recipes and meal ideas highlight the wonderful ways you can use the preserves you make.

The sauces, pickles, relishes, chutneys and jams contained In A Pickle provide tasty and flavoursome treats that will add some zest and flair to the blandest of meals. Showcased by sumptuous photographs from the talented Todd Eyre, In A Pickle is a visual feast.

In A Pickle also includes recipes for companion pieces — crackers, sables and biscuits, breads, pastries and dough, and even ricotta, as well as meal suggestions, from snacks to salads, barbecues to full meals, and even a cake.

‘I love that the flavours you get in home preserves are far superior to any of those you will find in store-bought products. Once you have made a recipe a couple of times, you will feel confident enough to experiment with different combinations of fruits, vegetable and spices to create your own unique preserves,’ says Kirsten.

‘I try to preserve only the quantity I know we will eat in less than a year, although this is sometimes hard when the fruit trees produce more than you can eat. Over the years I have installed an empty-jar policy to everyone I give my preserves to: if they return the jar, I will refill it and give it back. This saves me having to buy jars every time!’ she says.

Kirsten discovered that, by giving away some of her pickles, chutneys and sauces to family and friends, she got a feel for which recipes were going to become favourites. These tried-and-true favourite recipes fill the pages of In A Pickle.

As many recipes currently available cater for large quantities, Kirsten has reduced the size of many of the recipes in her book so that you can have smaller quantities but a wider range of preserves in the pantry.

Kirsten says, ‘I love to enjoy the produce from my garden and the local markets all year round, which preserving allows me to do. I am learning more and more about preserving, the more I do. I enjoy the process in preserving — there is something therapeutic in the aromatics in the air as you gently stir your next creation. And there is a sense of self-satisfaction when you have created a delicious product for everyone to enjoy.’

Kirsten is the author of Kiwiana Cupcakes, Cake Pops and Whoopie Pies published in 2013.