Böcker av Adam Marianski

Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles and Relishes is the book that teaches you how to lead a healthier and longer life. There has never been a greater consumer awareness about the food we eat. Our lifestyle has changed, we sit in front of computers or televisions hours every day, nibbling on potato chips and high caloric snacks. We cook less at home as in most cases we warm up commercially prepared foods that we buy in a local supermarket. Consumers are more educated now and are increasingly aware of the link between fat intake, excess weight and heart disease. The benefits of a diet rich in vegetables are well known. Unfortunately, most commercially produced foods are heated and that step eliminates many of the beneficial bacteria, vitamins and nutrients which are so needed by our body. We end up eating a product with a familiar flavor, but with little nutritional value. However, the majority of the healthiest vegetables can be fermented without involving thermal processing. This will not only preserve the original value of the nutrients, but will increase the count of beneficial bacteria, changing the character of the vegetable to a probiotic. Probiotics contain live microorganisms thought to be healthy for the host organism. The best example is sauerkraut which was crucial to the survival of people in harsh winters in Northern Europe. Once its benefits were better understood, it was required to be on board of every sea going vessel, whether commercial or the Royal Navy. This daily serving of sauerkraut had eliminated scurvy disease and saved the lives of countless seamen. What must be stressed here is that only fermented and uncooked sauerkraut exhibits those beneficial characteristics. Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles and Relishes explains in simple terms the fermentation process, making brine, pickling and canning. There is a thorough discussion of the necessary equipment, as well as plans for building your own fermenting containers. You will discover how easy it is to make perfect sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, chutneys and relishes at home. There is a collection of recipes which were chosen for their originality and educational value. Those recipes plus the description of the processes will enable the reader to understand the subject well enough to create his own recipes.

Curing and Smoking Fish provides all the information needed to understand the entire process of preparing and smoking fish. The subject of making brines is covered in detail and simplified by advocating the use of brine tables and testers. We don''t want the reader to blindly follow recipes, we want him to create them - this is the approach that has been taken by the authors. Fish can be dry salted or immersed in brine; salt can be applied alone or with sugar and spices; brine can be weak or strong; fish can be cold or hot smoked; wood chips can be dry or wet. There are many parameters to consider. To a newcomer, this can become confusing; however, all these details are mentioned and explained in such a way that the reader will feel confident to take control of the process. Master the basics, but not be afraid to apply this knowledge in real applications. Additionally, smoking methods are thoroughly described, as well as proper design of basic smokehouses. The discussion is not only limited to fish, but also covers shellfish such as clams, mussels, oysters and shrimp. To get the reader started, there is a collection of recipes for smoking fish, making fish spreads and preparing sauces for serving fish.

What makes "Home Canning Meat, Poultry, Fish and Vegetables" unique is that it simplifies the procedures that are used by the canning industry to process low-acid foods (meat, fish, vegetables). This knowledge enables readers to safely can their products at home. There is a thorough discussion of metal cans, can sealers and their operation, double seam defects, and more, all supported with many images and diagrams. Pressure canners and canning in glass jars is covered in detail. In addition, there is a large collection of recipes, both for glass jars and metal cans. This work is based on the U.S. government requirements as specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, with all relevant links listed. Home canned products do not fall under the jurisdiction of government agencies so the rules are not enforced. Therefore, home canned products account for the majority of food poisoning cases. The commercial production of low-acid foods (meat, fish, vegetables) is highly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and rightly so, since people get sick and die from eating tainted food. After studying this book, a newcomer to the art of canning will be able to safely process foods at home in both glass and metal containers.