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Step-by-step illustrated instructions, informative charts and a host of delicious recipes make this an indispensable kitchen reference. Covers freezing, canning, drying and pickling produce fresh from the market or garden.

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This 304 page cookbook offers 225 easy-to-make recipes. There are recipes with zucchini as the main ingredient and many illustrate ways to subtly incorporate this delectable vegetable into a dish.

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Discover 85 recipes for homemade cheeses and other dairy products, including teaching basic cheese-making techniques that employ the freshest ingredients and offer the satisfaction of turning out coveted delicacies. Home Cheese Making includes step-by-step recipes are cheddar, Gouda and a 30-minute mozzarella. Other dairy recipes include yogourt, keifer, sour cream and buttermilk.

About the author:

Ricki Carroll is the founder of the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company, in Ashfield, Massachusetts, which has been offering cheese support and expertise since 1978.

Recommended Product for Wiser Living: Today, more than ever before, our society is seeking ways to live more conscientiously. To help bring you the very best inspiration and information about greener, more sustainable lifestyles, MOTHER EARTH NEWS is recommending books and products to its readers. For more than 30 years, MOTHER EARTH NEWS has been North America’s “Original Guide to Living Wisely,” creating books and magazines for people with a passion for self-reliance and a desire to live in harmony with nature.

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In this 231-page book, author Ben Watson explores the cultural and historical roots of cider. He introduces us to the different styles of cider and gives complete instructions on how to make them at home with minimal time and equipment. This is sure to interest not only apple aficionados, but anyone who appreciates good food and drink. As seen in the Seed Savers Exchange catalog.

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Food drying has become very popular in recent years, with electric food dryers now available in almost every department store. But instead of using costly electricity for the job, you can easily build yourself a dehydrator that uses the power of the sun to dry your food.

The Solar Food Dryer describes how to use solar energy to preserve your summer's harvest. With your own solar-powered food dryer, you can quickly and efficiently dry all your extra garden veggies, fruits and herbs with free sunshine and enjoy their goodness all year long! Solar food dryers perform amazingly well under a wide range of conditions, working effectively in almost any climate where you can grow fruits and vegetables. As a bonus, solar food drying is a great way to learn about solar energy and experience the incredible power of the sun — as well as being a great deal of fun! The Solar Food Dryer includes everything you need to get started:

• Complete step-by step plans for building a high-performance, low-cost solar food dryer from readily available materials
• Solar energy design concepts
• Food drying tips and recipes
• Resources, references, solar charts and more

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This 215-page book by a leading expert on Amish cooking highlights traditional and contemporary recipes adapted from the kitchens and pantries of Amish cooks. Delicious and savory recipes fill this book with some of the best food you'll find anywhere.

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This collection of tried-and-true recipes represents the culinary skills of Old Order Mennonite and Amish cooks throughout North America. Many of these dishes have been handed down from generation to generation. This 368-page book also offers some of the stories, spiritual nuggets, and "chit-chat" that exemplify the Plain People's way of life.

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This 352 page book celebrates the seasonal cycles of fresh produce and will inspire delicious, healthful foods for your table. Stories and fresh insights, with a sprinkling of humor, by nutrition experts, farm shareholders, field hands and author "Farmer John" himself, introduce new ways to think about food and farms.

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A unique collection of nutrition and historical information regarding the sweet potato in a variety of civilizations, such as the Inca, Aztec and Chinese. More than 100 mouth-watering sweet potato recipes that reflect modern lifestyles also are included in this 224 page book.