UC Master Food Preserver

UC Master Food Preserver Newsletter

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In November of 2024, the UC Master Food Preserver Program launched a monthly newsletter that delivers recipes, how-tos, and food preservation inspiration straight to a subscriber's inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter here.

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Past Newsletter Full Emails

2026

2025

2024

Monthly Articles To-date

three groups of dried adobo peppers look alike

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

An Adobo Pepper Dehydration Experiment (April 2026)

April 11, 2026

Monica Gross, Los Angeles Co., Online Delivery Program VolunteerDehydration is one of the earliest preservation methods developed by humankind. There is evidence from Middle Eastern and Asian cultures that dehydration was used as a method of preservation as far back as 12,000 BCE. The hot sun was harnessed…

a close up of washed fresh red cherries

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

California Cherry Season is Coming—Try this Luscious Chocolate-Cherry Jam! (April 2026)

April 11, 2026

Chocolate paired with cherries is a match made in heaven. With the California cherry season approaching, consider making this delicious and decadent jam. Use it as an ice-cream topping, stir it into yogurt, use it to frost brownies, or top a cheesecake! The possibilities are endless. …

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Spotlight: Robyn Barker, 2025 MFP Volunteer (April 2026)

April 11, 2026

Living in California has given me a deep appreciation for food, gardening, and seasonality. Fresh produce is available year-round, from winter citrus to summer berries and the abundance of warm-season vegetables that follows. Gardening here makes it possible to experience food not just…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

What is Dehydrating for Food Preservation? (March 2026)

March 9, 2026

Tim Long, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Dehydration preserves food by removing 80–95% of its moisture, which inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds that require water to grow. It is one of the oldest preservation methods, dating back to 12,000 BCE. This…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Preserved Lemons: A Powerhouse Ingredient in the Kitchen (March 2026)

March 9, 2026

Kirsten Hansen, UC Master Food Preserver Online Delivery Program Volunteer The Master Food Preserve Online Delivery Program volunteers loved making preserved lemons this winter! Our Citrus 1: Citrus Without Canning class and Garden to Glass: Winter Mocktails classes featured two different…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

A Brief History of the Canning Jar (March 2026)

March 9, 2026

By Robin E Martin

Monica Gross, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer For most of human history, feeding a family involved navigating times when food was plentiful, such as at harvest time, and periods when it was scarce. Before methods of food preservation were developed, food insecurity was a…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Spotlight: Earl Weak, Class of 2024 MFP Volunteer (March 2026)

March 9, 2026

By Robin E Martin

Earl Weak, UC Master Food Preserver Online Delivery Program VolunteerCounty of residence: Alameda Earl Weak relaxes at his home after an orange harvest (used with permission)My name is Earl Weak. I became UC Master Food Preserver (MFP) in 2024 as a member of the first class of the Online Delivery…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Botulism Is Rare Because We Do It Right (February 2026)

February 15, 2026

By Travis R Alexander

Paige Weisskirch, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer “How Death Came, Unbidden, to Mrs. Sales Dinner Party”, an illustration accompanying an article reporting on a botulism outbreak due to improperly processed olives in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 30, 1919. Botulism Is Rare…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Candied Kumquat Flowers for Lunar New Year (February 2026)

February 15, 2026

By Travis R Alexander

Marina Hsieh and Henry Shaw, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program VolunteerKnown as Mứt Tắc in Vietnam, these delicious, candied tidbits are a traditional Lunar New Year treat. Just as you eat fresh kumquats whole, you candy all parts of the fruit, whether whole, sliced, or quartered. Serve with tea, in…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Salt, Sugar, and Safety in Baby and Toddler Foods (February 2026)

February 15, 2026

By Travis R Alexander

Joy Agcongay, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Why Salt and Sugar Matter in Preserved FoodsWhen we talk about salt and sugar in general cooking, we often think of them as tools to enhance flavor. In food preservation, however, salt and sugar often play a different role. They help…