Pre-1650 food preservation-- class outline

[bunnyjadwiga]

What I want to cover:

1. Spreading out the harvest
1. diversity of cultivars
2. early/late starting
3. cool, dry storage
2. Preservation Methods
1.  Two main methods of preserving: excluding air, excluding moisture
2.  Fermentation/other bacterial/chemical methods; and why it is a special case
3. Drying
1. Grains
2. Fruits/vegs
3. Meat/Fish
4. Air exclusion/carbon dioxide
1.   burying
2. sealed containers
3. fat or aspic
4. other media, such as honey
5. Salting/Pickling, Fermentation
1.   salt
2. vinegar
3. alcohol
4. fermentation
5. cheese
6. Sugar preservation
1. qualities of sugar
2. suckets, comfits & preserves
7. Smoking: an add-on

Samples:
dried fruit
dried beef (not jerky)
dried peaches with sugar (de Nola)
pears in honey
keg sourkraut
pickles?
pear compote
candied lemon peel
sour cherry preserves

Comments and suggestions welcomed

Comments

[icewolf010.livejournal.com]

Wow! Looks comprehensive AND tasty. One of these days I'll get to Pennsic...

[spikywheel.livejournal.com]

when is your class?

[math5.livejournal.com]

The difference between 1. and 4. is the difference between drying and smoking?

[jacylrin.livejournal.com]

Suggestion... just make sure to drag me to the class!

Oh, and zukes arrived safely, thank you

:-)

[jillwheezul.livejournal.com]

Probably a technicality, but do you consider the cheese cultures a form of fermentation?