The end of summer is all about dealing with the huge bounty that the garden or farmer’s market dished up. To answer the question of what to do with a hundred cucumbers, a giant bag of onions or a dozen head of cabbage, there is a very simple answer… preserve.
In the kitchen of France 44 (where I make charcuterie), I pickled my way through some of the farmers’ most common market goods. Making the tastes of summer last into the days of wind chill.
The preserves I made will be available at France 44 and St. Paul Cheese shops, but I encourage you to make your own — It’s really simple and there’s still a little time.
For shelf stable pickles and preserves I would recommend buying a book and following the proportions of the recipes and timing. Sugar, salt, acid and cooking time are all very important to prevent botulism. For fermented pickles and sauerkraut its a lot easier, just make sure your ingredients and containers are clean and you follow the simple brine and salt ratios. Some good books include: River Cottage Preserves, Putting Food By, Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, Wild Fermentation, and I’m sure there are a lot more.
