Canning and Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys and More Hardcover – 6 April 2010

Excellent primer and invaluable resource on canning and preserving

My husband and I attended a seminar on dairy by Ashley England We were so impressed with her knowledge of science and ability to present it in a friendly appealing manner that we've now read all her books. My husband remembers his grandmother canning and wanted to try it. After meeting Ms England, I agreed. We used this book and Ball Jar Company's online book to do so. Ms England offers options in everything she does, so you can choose the method that works best for you.We've now made yogurt, butter, canned goods and lavender infused honey the England way, All came out exactly as expected. I'd made butter before - in fact I've taught many a child how to do it, but Ms England explained things I didn;t know, and now when I make it it keeps much longer. We've put her books at the top of our list of gifts to give this year.

I knew nothing about canning until I picked up this book, and I must admit, I was intimidated by the whole prospect of preserving food! Alas, my fears were laid to rest when I started reading. Ashley English has a friendly writing style, the book is easy to read, full of truly helpful photographs for the beginner, and most of all, she takes the fear and mystery out of canning. Providing very practical advice, this book spices up (pun intended!) what might be a difficult/complicated/boring subject to read about, and makes it fun by providing the Profiles of a Canner sidebars and a conversational voice. By the end of the book, I felt encouraged to take a trip to the farmer's market and start boiling some water.This book is the perfect gift for a beginning canner or someone interested in getting started. Easy to read, helpful pictures makes this a go-to book through your first year of preserving (and beyond!), and includes unique recipes you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else!P.S. Love, love, love that it's printed on recycled paper!!

I bought this book because we can at home and I really heard great things about Ashley English books. But I found the intro information to be too basic for me and the recipes were not very unique or different. Based on her Small Measures posts, I sort of expected some great NEW ideas and would have even settled for variations on a theme: roasted tomato ketchup or chipotle ketchup or some fun relish or even a good salsa. But the recipes are sort of the standard classics, which are certainly good! But nothing new.That being said, although this book didn't meet my expectations, it is probably perfect for anyone less adventurous in canning or simply new to canning. It would be a great beginner book with thorough descriptions of the process and lots of encouragment. Also, as expected from her other work, this is simply a beautiful book with lovely pictures. The hardback makes it feel upgraded too. Many things to like about it, but in the end, my Ball book has basically the same stuff and certainly more of it.I did recently check out "Put 'Em Up" from our library and I think that's more up my alley with some different recipes and variations. Still could be a beginner book since it thoroughly covers canning procedures (hows and whys) but lots more recipes and some unique ones at that.

Like many of the folks who contributed to the writing of this book, I grew up in a household that spent summers canning peaches, tomatoes, beans and applesauce. I recently decided to take the plunge and start doing it for myself and my own household instead of relying on my aging grandmothers to do the work for me. This book was the first book of canning advice and recipes that I purchased and am thrilled with the practical advice and well detailed instructions inside its covers. I am excited to begin and have page marked the recipes I plan to use already.A few 'new' ideas that you might not think of when it comes to canning are in the seasonal chapters in the back of the book. It was here that I discovered peach-lavender butter, apple butter, winter squash chutney and several relishes that I am anxious to try. With the local farmer's market brimming with fresh peaches now, and looking ahead to picking apples in September and squashes in the fall, I know I'll be turning to this book again and again.