Ham, Pickles and Jam: Traditional Skills for the Modern Kitchen Larder

by Thane Prince

Many of us remember jams and chutneys made by grandmothers and great aunts who also seemed to know exactly how long to boil a ham and how to keep butter, and who had a magical pantry full of secret delights. These skills are increasingly in demand as more of us want to make use of home-grown produce, reduce the weekly food budget or rediscover cooking from scratch. A timely book for the new kitchen revolution, Ham, Pickles and Jam is not only a celebration of lost skills such as curing, rendering and pickling and a collection of fantastic recipes, but also provides advice on stocking a cupboard or pantry and the best way to store cheese, cooked meats and vegetables. At a time when we are all looking to shop more locally, cook thriftily and still enjoy great food, it is a book for how we live today.

Genres: Food

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 6, 2011

Reviews

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and I like the old-fashioned skills it resurrects. Although I'm unlikely to render my own lard anytime soon, it's still fun to read about. I have saved a few (lard-free) recipes to try when I get time.

[Arctic Tree Frog · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite line: "I have always felt that money spent on excess kitchen equipment would have been better spent on shoes."