Small Batch Preserves: Chutneys and Relishes

Make PERFECT GIFTS for the Holidays for less than $1.00 a jar.

Small Batch Preserves: Chutneys and Relishes

Making your own preserves is a wonderfully satisfying hobby. In this book I explore the world of Small Batch Chutneys and Relishes.

Both Chutneys and Relishes originated in India and then migrated to Britain where they have become household staples.

Many people in North America associate relishes with the commercially available bright green hot dog relishes found on supermarket shelves everywhere. You can make your own version, including the bright green colored version, but without the other chemicals associated with the commercial products. You can also get more adventurous with numerous other relishes including beet relishes, carrot relishes and even some fruit relishes.

Chutneys are still seen to be exotic, and have price tags that go along with that. A small jar of chutney may sell for $12.00 or more. The fact is that many chutneys are easy to make. They are somewhere between a jam and a relish and are filled with wonderful fruits and spices. Chutneys have an amazing range of flavors, ranging from mild to spicy and hot.
Many of the chutney and relish recipes in this book can be made year round with either fresh ingredients or frozen ingredients.

Once the preparation stage of a recipe is completed, most of the kitchen time involved with chutneys and relishes involves letting the mixtures sit on a back burner to simmer. All you need to do is keep an eye out, stir every so often while you are working on something else. Make a big pot of soup or stew or create a batch of cookies for the kids and some goodies for the freezer.

Ten great reasons for making it yourself

1. You can save money. Lots of money! You can often make your own preserves for next to nothing, or if you follow the frugal tips, you can make a batch of chutneys or relishes for just the cost of vinegar and spices.
2. You will know exactly what ingredients are the jar. No weird, unpronounceable or dangerous chemicals.
3. It is incredibly satisfying to turn a batch of mundane ingredients into a gourmet goodie that would cost $12 or more if purchased from a specialty store.
4. It is FUN! Chop up some veggies with your knife or in the food processor and turn ordinary vegetables into taste sensations.
5. You can make low-cost gifts that impress recipients with your skill, caring and daring-do!
6. You can create goodies that are NOT available commercially.
7. You can make chutneys and relishes year round.
8. You can become eco-friendly. Jars can be recycled dozens and dozens of times. AND you can rescue used jars from friends, neighbors and the recycling center.
9. You can spend quality time together with friends.
10. Teach your children to make preserves. Not only will you be teaching them a life-time skill but you will be spending quality time with them creating their favorites. Imagine them giving Grandma a jar of her favorite Major Grey’s Chutney or favorite beet relish.

You will find a total of 42 Recipes:

• 24 Chutney Recipes
• 18 Relish Recipes

Here’s What Several Reviewers Had To Say:

This book delivers big with 24 chutney recipes and 18 relish recipes. The author, Chef Joe Bandler offers some compelling reasons for making your own preserves. Off the shelf products are filled with chemicals and can be very expensive. When you make your own, you are not only saving a LOT of money but you know exactly what’s in that jar.

In addition to the easy to make and easy to follow recipes, Bandler has chapters of some of the special ingredients you will need and how to choose the best for your needs. He also talks gives some money saving, eco-friendly tips. If you follow them you could be making a batch of hot dog relish for pennies a jar.

It’s interesting to note that many of the recipes take under 30 minutes of actual hands-on prep time. Then they need to bubble on the back burner for 30 min or more before pouring into jars. You need to stay in the kitchen to give the pot a stir now and again, but you can use this time to make dinner, or work on something else while you wait.

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The writing is simply delightful and the recipes are easy to follow. I have now made several of the Jam and Conserve recipes in Chef Bandler’s Jams and Jellies book. I had never had a conserve before and was thrilled with how good it was.

Based on my success with the Jams and Jellies book, I am quite anxious to try the Chutneys. I have only had commercial chutneys and now will be able to make my own.

I highly recommend Chef Bandler’s Jam book and am giving this one five stars also.

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Chef Bandler makes it fun and easy to cook the most exotic dishes – even for those timid home-cooks (like me). His recipes sound so delicious, that I want to try them all! Thanks to Chef Bandler’s book, I may never dine out again – or pay big bucks for that thin jar of chutney!