Katherine Riddell in her Christchurch kitchen: 'People are struggling and want to learn the old ways again.' Photo: Katy Gosset
Nearly every surface in Katherine Riddell's Christchurch home is covered in jars of pickles and preserves - including a banana chutney that's slowly cooking "for free" on top of the wood burner.
If you're into good food - and saving money and waste along the way - then Riddell reckons preserving is a no-brainer.
In the latest episode of RNZ's Thrift podcast, Riddell shares the secrets of her trade - from how to hustle for cheap fruit and veg to what kit you need.
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Riddell has turned the preserving skills she learned from her grandmother into a career, and now teaches people all over Aotearoa how to turn cheap seasonal produce into long-lasting culinary goodness.
"It's the right time," she says.
"People are struggling and want to learn the old ways again."
She says nothing beats the feeling of teaching people how to make the most of what's around them.
"It's just giving people skills and confidence just to give it a go, and then they're feeding their families."
Preserving is a great way to make the most of cheap seasonal produce, she says, but people often don't know where to start. Local orchards are a logical first stopping point, but there are ways to find bargains even if you're an urban dweller.
"Go to your greengrocer and say, 'Do you have any fruit out the back that you'd be happy to sell me cheap?'"
Alternatively, if you have neighbours with laden trees, ask them if you can pick some of the fruit. Swapping finished pickles and preserves for produce is a good way to ensure they'll be happy to see you next year, Riddell says.
Preserves, like jam or chutney, make the most of gluts. Photo: Supplied
While you can use almost any kind of fruit and vegetables, most chutneys and relishes also have vinegar and sugar as preservatives. The acetic acid in the vinegar helps kill off microorganisms and prevents spoilage.
"It's really important that you have that kind of acid, because that's what helps preserve it," Riddell says.
She stocks up on vinegar, spices and sugar throughout the year to spread the cost (and ensure availability) and is adamant that you don't need fancy kit to get started.
"Ask your friends for pasta jars or jam jars, as long as the lids on the inside aren't dirty, rusted or damaged."
Cleanliness, however, is non-negotiable. Riddell says everything needs to be hot when preserving - sterilise jars by washing in hot soapy water, then heating in the oven at 100C for at least 15 minutes: "Hot jars, hot product, hot seals. If you can pick the jar up with your fingers, it's probably not hot enough to be putting product into."
What if a jar hasn't sealed properly?
Riddell says it's not the end of the world: "You can just chuck it in the fridge and eat it first, but do keep checking on any pickles you have stored. If the lid is bulging or it smells bad, then discard it.
While Riddell is very generous with her recipes and skills, there are two family heirlooms - her grandmother's tomato sauce and garlic sauce - that she's keeping to herself until she can pass them down to her son and daughter-in-law.
"I've told them that I'm going to hide it in the house somewhere, and leave a treasure map in my will, so at least I'll know that they'll go through everything before they dump it in the skip."
