UC Master Food Preserver Newsletter | UC Master Food Preserver

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 jars containing pickled vegetables

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Not a Bushel: Small-Batch Canning for the Rest of Us (June 2026)

June 11, 2026

Paige Weisskirch, Monterey County, Online Delivery Program Not everyone has, wants, or needs to preserve a bushel of anything. In my house, that's probably for the best. I have a small family and a garden that prefers to produce a little bit of lots of things instead of a lot of any one thing. I…

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UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Guacamole, Bruschetta and More! (June 2026)

June 11, 2026

Monica Gross, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer How do you know an avocado is ripe? It avocadon’t stay on the shelf for long!What did the avocado say to the toast? “You’re the best thing since sliced bread!” My love affair with avocados began when I was a teen and tasted guacamole…

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UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Spotlight: Marlene Suzuki, Los Angeles County, 2025 MFP Volunteer (June 2026)

June 11, 2026

My name is Marlene Suzuki. I became a Master Food Preserver in 2025. I grew up in Pennsylvania and watched my grandma can jars of tomatoes and other vegetables from her garden. We always went to grandma’s house to get something tasty from her pantry and garden.I just visited back east for my 50-year…

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UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Spotlight: Debra Barger, Butte County, 2025 MFP Volunteer (May 2026)

May 12, 2026

I learned how to can fruits and vegetables from my grandmother while growing up mostly in the Midwest. I loved the cool, earthy smell of a root cellar and took delight in perusing the many rows of colorful jars, especially when it was 95°F outside with 90% humidity.  Wherever the family moved, we…

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raw asparagus stuffed into a jar with flat end down

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Learning Through Experience: Pickling Asparagus for the First Time (May 2026)

May 12, 2026

By Robin E Martin

Four valuable lessons that will take the stress out of canning pickled asparagus.My first time making pickled asparagus at home, by myself, with a borrowed steam canner, was a lot of fun, a fair amount of work, and produced what I would call mixed results, but I have no regrets. The recipe I…

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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…

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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. …

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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…

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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…

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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…

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