Contents Acknowledgments........................ xiii Introduction: The Welcome Pantry and the Welcome Table..................... xv Part One: Independence Days 1. Nine Meals from Anarchy and the Theory of Anyway................... 3 Real Independence Days.................... 3 Preservation Wherever You Live............. 12 The Theory of Anyway, Peach Jam and Why We Do Too Have Time for This....... 14 Sleeping Beauty and Why You Should Prepare for Hard Times (Even If It Seems Much Nicer Not To)..... 18 Depression Cuisine....................... 20 Depression Sunshine Strawberries and Cherry Preserves........ 23 Scalloped Corn......................... 24 Challenges........................... 25 2. Local Eating, Pantry Eating................... 29 Making the Best Use of What We Already Have to End Hunger....................... 36 Clean Plate Club: Food Waste and Its Relationship to Food Storage and Preservation............ 38 What Can Food Storage and Preservation Do?....... 39 v
vi Independence Days Salmon Cakes with Chipotle Mayonnaise......... 42 Wealth............................... 45 3. How Much Food Should You Store?............ 47 Project One: Getting Started................. 52 Getting Your Household Onboard with Food Storage..................... 56 What Does a Three Month Supply of Food Look Like?.......................... 59 Baby Steps............................ 65 Dry Goods: How to Sort Out What to Buy Locally and What Not to Worry About............. 66 Storing vs. Hoarding: The Ethics of Food Storage..... 68 Black Bean Dip......................... 73 Very Basic Wheat Bread.................... 73 Ready or Not........................ 75 4. Food Storage on the Cheap: How Food Storage and Preservation Can Help You Keep Eating When Times Get Tough.................... 77 Five Dollars a Month Food Storage for Emergencies and/or Inflation for People Who Think They Cannot Afford Food Storage............ 78 More Ways to Build Up Stores Inexpensively........ 88 Getting the Tools for Storing and Preserving on the Cheap........................ 93 Pancake Syrup.......................... 96 Pumpkin Pancakes....................... 97 Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup Base........ 97 Creamy Greens Casserole................... 98
Contents vii Recipe Dreaming...................... 99 5. Eating From Food Storage Every Day........... 101 How To Get the Actual People In Your House To Eat the Food....................... 104 The Joys of Food Storage and Preservation......... 108 Hearty Hearth Corn Muffins................. 109 Potatoes, Peas and Onions with Tomatoes and Mustard Seeds..................... 110 Smoky Black Bean Stew.................... 111 Part Two: Food Storage and Preservation How-To Pleasures............................ 115 6. The Mechanics of Food Storage............... 119 Buckets.............................. 119 Grain Basics........................... 120 Storing Water.......................... 126 Capturing Water from the Sky or Ground......... 129 Posole Verde........................... 132 Creamy Quinoa and Butternut Squash........... 132 Golden Coconut Rice..................... 133 Tex-Mex Millet......................... 134 Oops............................... 135 7. Energy Conscious Food Preservation............ 137 The Food Preserver s Year................... 148 Pickled Jalapenos (or Other Hot Peppers)......... 155
viii Independence Days Happy Tummy Tea....................... 156 Pumpkin Leather........................ 156 Homemade Yogurt....................... 156 Beets with Tahini Sauce.................... 157 Winter Feast......................... 159 8. Root Cellaring and Season Extension............ 161 Season Extension........................ 161 Making the Most Out of Your Garden Mistakes...... 164 Root Cellaring.......................... 168 Stuffed Cabbage with Dried Fruits, Mushrooms and Wild Rice................ 172 Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil........ 173 Balsamic Glazed Onions.................... 174 Root Vegetables Massaman Curry.............. 174 The Easy Way Out.................... 175 9. Dehydration............................ 177 The Basics............................. 178 Dehydrating Meat........................ 181 Dehydrating With or Without the Sun........ 182 Dehydrated Foods Our Favorites............. 185 Peanut Butter-Banana Balls.................. 187 Salmon Jerky........................... 188 Dehydrated Sweet Corn.................... 188 Soybean Succotash....................... 189 Dehydrator Apple Granola Bars............... 189 10. Canning............................... 191 Water Bath Canning...................... 192
Contents ix Pressure Canning........................ 196 Making Good Use of Canning................ 203 Crunchy Chicken s Raspberry-White Chocolate Jam with Coffee Liqueur.................... 204 Vanilla-Amaretto Strawberry Jam............... 205 Salsa Verde............................ 206 Bestest Everything Pickles................... 206 Apple Cider Syrup....................... 207 Canned Meat Broth...................... 207 The Best Beef Stew....................... 208 Old Ways and New..................... 209 11. Fermentation........................... 211 Fermentation in General.................... 211 Lactofermentation in Particular............... 213 Salting.............................. 216 Preservation in Oil and Alcohol............... 217 : Fermentation Homemade Kimchi....................... 221 Kimchi Tofu Soup....................... 222 Wine Sauerkraut......................... 222 Japanese-Style Rice-Fermented Greens........... 223 : Salting Preserved Lemons........................ 224 Salt Pork............................. 225 : Preservation in Oil Grilled Vegetables in Oil.................... 225 : Alcohol Grandpa Orlov s Vodka.................... 226 The Barn in Winter................... 229
x Independence Days 12. Replenishing Stores: Gardening, Seed Saving, Raising Animals................. 233 Ten Mistaken Assumptions About Growing Food and Keeping Livestock................... 234 Seeds............................... 239 Storing Seeds.......................... 245 Thai Salad............................. 246 Bamboo Shoot Soup...................... 247 Human Hands......................... 249 13. Putting Tools in Perspective.................. 251 What You Need, What You Don t.............. 253 How to Cook When the Power s Out............ 255 Corn Tortillas (With or Without a Tortilla Press)..... 259 Chili in a Solar Oven...................... 260 Dutch Oven Biscuits over an Open Fire........... 260 Seeking Health........................ 263 14. Medicines, Health Care and Special Diets......... 267 Special Diets........................... 267 First Aid Kits and Medications................ 271 Medical Care When You Can t Call the Pros........ 275 Prescription Medications and Supplies........... 276 Garlicky Oatmeal Soup.................... 282 Baked Apples with Dried Cranberries............ 283 Stuff................................ 285
Contents xi 15. Now What? Making Space and Managing Food Storage................. 289 The Chatelaine.......................... 291 Wait, Aren t I Done Yet? Allocating Resources..... 295 Minimizing Waste....................... 297 Perfect White Bean and Whatever Soup.......... 299 A Northerner s Attempt at Hoppin John.......... 300 The Water Fountain................... 301 16. Creating and Using Community Resources........ 305 But Won t Someone Just Take My Food Away From Me?....................... 305 Talking To Others About Food Storage........... 309 Building and Sustaining Local Safety Nets......... 311 Community Food Security Centers............. 316 Open House Roasted Vegetables............... 318 Almond Mushroom Wild Rice................ 319 Gingerbread for a Crowd................... 319 Just No............................. 321 17. Bringing It All Together Living Independently in a Better World........... 327 The Battle Cry.......................... 330 OK? Now What?........................ 331 resources.............................. 336 General Food Storage and Preservation Books and Internet Resources.................. 336 Food Storage Information................... 336
xii Independence Days Tools for Food Preservation and Sustainable Living.... 337 Dehydration........................... 337 Canning............................. 337 Fermentation.......................... 337 Root Cellaring and Season Extension............ 337 Living and Eating Frugally................... 338 Best Cookbooks......................... 338 Index................................. 340 Subject.............................. 340.............................. 347 About the Author........................ 349