Home canning, drying and preserving

This chapter is short — less than a page — and essentially describes the science of adding time to sterilization depending on altitude, whether the location of the canning is a thousand feet above sea level, or at sea level. Andrea suggests that for every 500 feet altitude, 10 per cent of the time should be added. She references the fruit and vegetable-specific tables given later in the book.

The information given here is useful, not only for safety but for a historical perspective. Looking back at Mrs A. Louise Andrea’s education, a reader can see that she was schooled in math and science as well as food safety in her culinary institute, and she uses examples to illustrate her explanations, continuing the conversational tone.