Can it!

The Perils and Pleasures of Preserving Foods

Gary Allen

$39.99

Hardback

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English

Reaktion Books
01 June 2016

History; Food & society

Unfortunately most foods are perishable, and humans have long been faced with the problem of seasonal over-abundance and subsequent food scarcity. To solve this our ancestors developed many ingenious methods to preserve food - drying, smoking or salting - sometimes alone, sometimes in combination. Their most clever technique was the intentional use of fermentation, which is actually nothing more than controlled spoilage. They knew nothing of the chemistry, physics or biology behind their methods, yet they succeeded in storing perishable produce, simultaneously creating a multitude of new foods. Raw foodstuffs were fundamentally altered: wine is more than old grape juice, just as cheese and yogurt are nothing like modern dehydrated milk. The transformation of cabbage into sauerkraut or kimchee preserves the vegetable, but it also creates new flavours and textures that reflect the tastes and cultures of the cooks who have prepared them for centuries. Can It! celebrates those transformed, and transforming, foods - born out of necessity - that have done so much to create the diversity of cuisines around the world.

By: Gary Allen
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 208mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 726g
ISBN: 9781780235721
ISBN 10: 1780235720
Publication Date: 01 June 2016
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for Can it!: The Perils and Pleasures of Preserving Foods

Can It!: The Perils and Pleasures of Preserving Foods at first glance might seem to repeat the contents of numerous 'how to can' books on the market; but any foodie making such a hasty evaluation would be doing a disservice to themselves by passing on this book with the presumption that its information mirrors others on the market. It's not a recipe or 'how to can' guide but a history and scientific coverage of the changing world of food preservation which surveys all major canning techniques including salting and fermentation, pairing historic with modern recipes and examining different cuisines and approaches from around the world. . . . Any cook interested in not just recipes but the wider-reaching history of food preservation will find Can It!: The Perils and Pleasures of Preserving Foods an unexpectedly lively, fun read. -- Donovan's Bookshelf