It seems that home preservation of food is the latest trend. I suppose that’s a good thing, at least for the most part.
It bodes well for our food security if we can become less dependent on others to grow and process it for us. It’s good for the health of the population, since home preserved foods will be fresher, free of preservatives, excess salt and sugar and questionable ingredients. We’ll eat more fruit and vegetables if we’ve grown and preserved them ourselves – presumably, anyway. And it will keep the skills and knowledge alive for another generation.
But preserving is also “trendy”, as in “cool”, “with it”, the “in thing” to do, and that’s not so good. I don’t know about you, but I hate it when the things I like or do become trendy!
Like keeping chickens or “going green”, we can’t open a magazine or newspaper without finding an article on preserving. (So far this trend seems to be limited to jams and other spreads, but I expect to see plenty of pickling articles this summer).
Expect the food channel to come up with a show on the subject, followed by copies of same on other cable stations. And the bookstores will probably have a number of new titles, mostly by celebrity chefs, on making jams and jellies and other preserving techniques.
On the plus side, preserving equipment and supplies will be easier to find. But it will probably also be more expensive, as increased demand usually means increased prices.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see a number of fancy new gadgets for paring, slicing and cutting coming out, as well as “designer” canning kettles and other supplies. Think Candy Apple Red Rachel Ray canning kettles and orange silicone funnels. I’m already seeing imported (and expensive) canning jars on Amazon.
But if you can make do with your old equipment for a few more years, I predict there will be bargains to be had once the fad becomes mundane, and all this stuff starts showing up at garage sales and in thrift stores. I’m looking forward to that day.
I couldn’t agree with you more! I continue to be frustrated, disappointed, and honestly a little annoyed that everything that I love and have lived for years is now trendy. I don’t do trendy. I have been canning and preserving since I was old enough to help my grandmother…over 25 years now. I hope that some good will come from increased awareness of what we eat, where it is grown, and who grows it. I just worry that when the thrill wears off “people” will go right back to their old ways. Thanks for the post…it is nice to know I am not the only one who thinks this way!
And I’m glad to know you agree, thanks.
I only learned to preserve food in the last couple years from some friends who’ve been doing it forever. My mom has done it since I was a child, but I’d carefully ignored the opportunities to learn until I had a garden and fruit trees of my own. Now, I can’t live without it.
Here in Japan, I don’t have a canner and jars are hard to come by, but I still do what I can. There are a ton of gadgets here for slicing and dicing as the Japanese make a variety of quick pickles in all shapes and sizes. I’ll probably stay old-fashioned and cut them by hand. I always feel like it gives me a better opportunity to really look at and think about what I’m making. Sometimes I tweak the recipe or cut to suit my mood or try something new.
Thanks for a great post!
My brother and his wife have done preserves for ever. They grow their own tomatoes and enjoy them all winter. Now that we know what’s in the lining of cans, even organic brands like Amy’s, BPA, I think I will ask them for a lesson.