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

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

The Overlooked Step That Protects Your Dehydrated Foods (July 2025)

July 5, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Joy Agcongay, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer The Overlooked Step That Protects Your Dehydrated Foods: The Critical Step of Conditioning in Food DehydrationWhy Conditioning MattersConditioning refers to the process of evenly redistributing any remaining moisture across a batch of…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Frozen Sour Grapes: A Cool Flashback with a Tart Twist (July 2025)

July 5, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Jadrian Johnson, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Image credit: Jadrian Johnson, 2025 If your childhood tasted like Atomic Warheads and early-generation Sour Patch Kids, you already know the joy of a good sour pucker. This recipe for frozen sour grapes brings that same zingy magic,…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Preserving the Revolution: Food Traditions That Fed a New Country (July 2025)

July 5, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Paige Weisskirch, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Image credit: capecodprof from Pixabay, 2013 This month, many Americans celebrated Independence Day with home-canned jams, pickled vegetables, and smoked meats, foods that connect us to a long tradition of preservation. What many…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Spotlight: Maria Giovanni, Class of 2024 MFP Volunteer (July 2025)

July 5, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Maria Giovanni, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program VolunteerCounty of residence: Previously Butte, now lives out of state (CO) Image credit: Maria Giovanni, 2025 Do you ever think about the “why” and “how” of food? I joined the UC MFP Online program from a different perspective than most…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Can You Reuse Commercial Product Jars for Canning? (June 2025)

May 30, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Henry Shaw, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer It’s sometimes possible, but it’s not recommended. Can one reuse mayonnaise and other similar commercial product jars for home canning? Some people have done so with some success. But although it’s technically possible, it’s…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Strawberry Jam to Jumpstart Summer Preserving (June 2025)

May 30, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Ariel Patton, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer I often kick-off my summer by preserving strawberry jam, as the bright, ruby-red fruit overflows tiny green baskets throughout markets in the late spring and early summer. In California, strawberries are abundantly available and easy to…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Freeze Drying at Home (June 2025)

May 30, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Tim Long, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Commercial freeze-dried foods have been around for quite a while.Astronaut Ice cream for example: Image credit: Public Domain, 2025. For those who may be hikers or back packers, as I was while working with Boy Scouts, the commercial…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Spotlight: Sherida Phibbs, Class of 2018 MFP Volunteer (June 2025)

May 30, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Sherida Phibbs, UC Master Food Preserver San Joaquin County Volunteer Image credit: Sherida Phibbs, 2025. "Being a Master Food Preserver isn’t just about jars and recipes — it's about resilience, community, and preserving traditions that feed both body and spirit." — Sherida Phibbs …

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Salt, the Only Rock We Eat! (May 2025)

May 2, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Henry Shaw, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Part 1: When is a tablespoon not a tablespoon?Common salt, sodium chloride (NaCl), is the most widely used condiment worldwide. It’s also the only rock we normally eat. (“Halite” is the geological term for rock salt.) Today, you can buy a…

UC Master Food Preserver: Article

We need to hear from you! (May 2025)

May 2, 2025

By Travis R Alexander

Travis Alexander, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Coordinator In our funding agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, we committed to conducting periodic evaluations (6-month, 12-month, 18-month) of our monthly newsletter. We would greatly appreciate it if each of…