Freeze Fresh

This book is an utter revelation! There is really SO much more to freezing fruit and vegetables in plastic bags! This is a great book for anyone who grows their own fruit & veg, or who pick soft fruits each year at Pick Your Own (PYO) farms. It’s also a must for people who just want to reduce food waste by freezing any excess fruit and vegetables.

I really learned a lot from this book, I hadn’t thought of shredding vegetables prior to freezing, or even making compotes/mashes/pastes to freeze. I also saw vegetables and fruits that I wouldn’t have considered freezing before e.g. cucumbers, melons and grapes, but I will certainly try freezing them.

Freeze Fresh is really well laid out with an explanation of the freezing process, different methods of freezing, the various containers and bags to use for the best results, tips on the best way to prepare fruit & veg for freezing. I also found the useful tips on maximising space in chest freezers (using cardboard crates) really insightful. The photographs of the fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and cooked recipes are really beautiful.

The added bonus was also having recipes for each fruit/vegetable which can either be frozen as a dish (listed as “For the Freezer”), or using the thawed frozen fruit/vegetable (listed as “For the Table”).

I really can’t wait to try some of the recipes using soft fruits that I’d frozen earlier this summer. And, going forward, I’m going to freeze access fruit and veg in a more imaginative way.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Storey Publishing for making the book available to me as an ARC for a fair and honest review.

This book is a perfect resource for anybody trying to save food but especially those wanting to get into food prepping but who don't quite want to stick their foot into the canning pool. We get a brief history of freezers and preserving foods in the cold which I found quite interesting. You also get a great run down of blanching (a skill that becomes very necessary in this book). I also really appreciated how the recipes included in the book made it clear if it was freezer friendly or if you'd have to eat them immediately. A great book to have in your kitchen to help save your groceries.

I've always wondered how to freeze fruit and veggies to use throughout the year. I've tried many methods, but none of them worked for me. This book is easy to understand and I followed the directions and it works great. Looking forward to freezing lemons this summer to use thought-out the year in my ice tea.

The variety of ways to freeze fresh produce goes way beyond what I thought. I love this book. It gives me ideas for all the seasonal fruit I love to eat as well as new recipes to use them. I never thought about making a compote with them.

I absolutely loved this book! I'm an avid home cook and always (unfortunately) buy too much produce. My frustration with things going bad had hit an all-time high. I'd tried a million different containers and products that claim to extend the life of my fruits and veggies, to no avail. And I'd, of course, tried freezing in the past, but there's a science to it and I simply didn't have the knowledge. This book has made a MASSIVE difference. It sounds so simple, but I learned how to freeze—and most important, how to prep for freezing and how to thaw/defrost. No more guesswork. Now, I have the tools and the knowledge to make it work. This book has been a serious game changer.

If you want to freeze fruits and vegetables, this is the book for you. It has alot of information but not in an overwhelming way.

The book starts off with why freezing fruits and veggies are a good thing and then explains the various techniques, types of containers that work best, and other supplies you may need. Then it lists the fruits/veggies from A to Z instructing you how to prep, freeze, and if there are any special thawing instructions. There are also some recipes to make with the frozen ingredients. My personal favorite was the Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting. It was so good and didn't last long. I also learned you can freeze lemon zest which means I don't have to waste part of the lemon when I just need the juice so there's less waste.

Freeze Fresh by Crystal Schmidt is superb! For me, the book should be titled the Freezer Bible for How to Freeze Produce.

From beauty, to layout, to fantastic information to quick ease of use this book has it all! Crystal for me is the Queen of Freeze! What more could someone want than this book for how to freeze produce? It has it all! From which methods, why freeze, the science of freezing, techniques, which containers to use for which produce, helpful tools and supplies, listing produce alphabetically, and recipes! There is also guidance on making desserts with frozen fruit which can get tricky and I took so much from that section Also, I made her Green Enchilada Sauce recipe from frozen tomatillos I had from last summer and fantastico! I am addicted to it! I put it on everything from eggs, quesadillas, anything I can think to put it on it goes there it's that good!

I am buying this book when it comes out and giving it as gifts to everyone I love. I have never read a cookbook where I have wanted to make every recipe but Crystal's photographs make me want to approach this like a Julia Child cookbook. I want to make the Vanilla Pear Sauce recipe like yesterday but will wait for pear season. Crystal Schmidt knows how to write a cookbook, celebrate food and inspire! I grow a lot of food on my average and teach how to grow food and this book will be well used throughout the year. Too much food waste happens and if more people are taught how to correctly freeze food and preserve food it's a great thing. All of us can benefit from this well-thought-out book. If you want a cookbook with gorgeous photos, a great layout, and recipes and the bonus of this book can save you money this is the one for many!

This is a wonderful guide on how to freeze fruits, veggies, and herbs in numerous ways, both by themselves as whole foods and preserves and as part of great freezer-safe meals!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. It is filled with really helpful information about the best way to freeze foods, how long it stays good while frozen, how to best defrost it, etc. I learned a lot from this book. And the pictures are beautiful as well.

This book is great. I freeze a lot of food as I grow my own vegetables and I also buy in bulk to take advantage of the seasons. I have learnt a lot from this book - who would have thought that one could freeze avocado, as well as other things. There is a great introduction to method and any problems that may arise such as freezer burn. Next is a beautifully photograph section, in alphabetical order of how to freeze the fresh item, and recipe and freezing information of the finished dish.
I really recommend this book, especially in these busy times - such a time saver in the end.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. I am excited to read and review this book because I am aiming to get into freezing foods to save money & waste less food product. I actually have bought a vacuum sealer and freeze meats, but I need to learn more about how to do other types of foods and best practices. Just glancing quickly through the book, you can tell that there are really high quality photographs and lots of content. The book itself is divided into Freezing Basics -- the why, how, when types of sections, and then a "freezing produce from A to Z" index (pretty cool idea). The produce a-z index has a variety of examples, not too many, and most are very common so it's useable information. The section about "the science of freezing fruits & vegetables" was very informative and provided some lasting knowledge that would help understand HOW/WHY you're freezing the foods and what the appropriate practice is for your aims/items.

The content is presented in quick, clear, and straight forward sections alongside high quality food photography. In some sections, there are step-by-step instructions with visuals and there are recipes. Really, this book provides important information, nice pictures, and useable recipes for anyone who wants to learn how to prepare and/or save food.

Excellent!! Jam packed with information on how to freeze for preservation of so many different fruits and vegetables. There were so many that I didn’t realize could be frozen, very informative and practical. It also includes a fantastic selection of various recipes for the featured fruits and vegetables. This is another cookbook that I will be purchasing upon release for my own reference and collection. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have had freezer disasters and I know I am not alone. But that is because I did not have this really well designed and useful book at hand.
It is very informative about freezing in general and this provides a really good basis for understanding the techniques that will turn a freezer disaster into a freezer paradise. And I found the whole section about freezing specific types of foods - apples, peas, beans, tomatoes, ginger, potatoes, mangoes, raspberries, plums, cucumber, herbs, corn, etc - very useful, interesting and often surprising. Everything is presented very clearly and pictures are great. The idea of including recipes one can make with the frozen foods is really nice and can inspire to create your own. I found them all attractive and some are definitely on my list to make like the sunbaked strawberry jam, the freezer pickles, or the pot of vegetable scraps to make my own broth.
This book is definitely one for fans of vegetable gardens. Everything grows at once in the summer and there is only so much one can eat fresh. Freezing homegrown vegetable brings your summer vegetable garden on the plate all year long. But even for those like me who do not have a garden, we often can get nice vegetables and fruits from friends, family or the local farm stall and knowing how to freeze them properly will make a big difference to your winter meals.
I am confident now my freezing disaster days are behind me because this book will definitely stay at hand in my kitchen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for giving me the pleasure to read this book on an advance reader copy and many thanks to Crystal Schmidt for giving me the key to freezer paradise.

I never thought that looking at photos of frozen fruits and vegetables would make me so hungry. This is a great resource for long-time cooks and anyone just looking to get more out of their produce.

Outstanding read! Ever want to freeze your fruits and vegetables from a garden surplus. This book takes you through blanching or direct freezing. Some people might find freezing food daunting and this was an excellent guide to overcome some of the overwhelming information usually accompanied from books. This was an easy to follow and an excellent source of information. I would love a copy of this book for my shelf! If you garden then this is a must have for a sustainable living. Five stars

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review.

This is exactly what I hoped for when I read the blurb for this cookbook. Freezer meals are so crucial for a working family nowadays. I would recommend this to everyone, and I have!

This book is very informative it takes you through the stages of preparation for freezing to ensure that you do not end up with a mushy pile on defrost. I particularly like the A-Z of foods and individualised instructions for each fruit/vegetable.
This book has helped me to economise and reduce waste. I previously had not realised that freshly prepared foods such as Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños could be frozen. I knew the individual components could be frozen but did not think that the end product was (my lack of personal knowledge!) This means that all left overs can be carefully packed in the freezer for fast meals midweek and less food waste all round.
Thank you!

Thank you Netgalley for a free copy of the ebook in return for an honest review.

If you have a garden and want an alternative to canning, you need Freeze Fresh. It clearly and concisely explains how to freeze your abundant harvests (or farmer’s market/supermarket sale finds). It covers 55 fruits, vegetables and herbs. It also includes recipes used before freezing and many more using the frozen bounty itself.

I was surprised by what you can freeze. Avocado? Yes! That will save me crying over the brown dried up ones in the bottom of the bag. Celery? Citrus? Surprising, yes! However, the item I can’t wait to make are freezer pickles. Recipes for three types are included.

Freeze Fresh is a great way to avoid food waste while ensuring that fresh produce is always ready in your freezer. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a simple premise but it is delivered in such a friendly, conversational tone, with lots of practical tips and fantastic recipes that you’ll want to either immediately plant something (guilty) or plunder the freezer and start making one of the recipes (guilty again)!

This is one of the few recipe books that honestly made me itch to make something straight away and part of the reason for that is that the author is authentically targeting home cooks. The Ottolenghis of this world make for great aspirational reads and dinner party recipes but it’s the Nigella’s that I return to for the everyday and this book fits right into the same category. Fab.

I was interested in filling the gaps in my freezing knowledge. Recently, I had surgery and had a need to freeze meals for the family while I recovered. I soon learned there are big gaps from knowing how to freeze bagged corn and freezing meals. This book delivered on filling those gaps!

This is a great guide to freezing fresh fruits and vegetables. The author provides great details about food prep time, freezing, what containers to use, and defrosting our items, cooking time.

I'm a visual learner, so I loved how many pictures were provided with detailed instructions. I better understand what freezes well, what may be better cooked before it is frozen, and how long to defrost items before cooking. The latter bit was what I was struggling to achieve correctly.

I loved that the author provides a recipe section and how to use the food we've frozen. Her instructions use basic language, simple directions, with a quick prep time. This allows us as parents to spend less time in the kitchen, and more time with the family.

Summer is coming. Each year, we try to find fun family activities to keep kids entertained when on summer break. If you haven't gone strawberries or apple picking with your kiddos,mine love it. There are a lot of jobs they can help with once the fruits or vegetables are home. Learning can be fun, and reducing waste is important. These fun memories will reappear when you make a nice fruit pie during the holiday and they helped.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storey Publishing for providing me with an ARC book for an honest review.

I grow my own veg and fruit and love to preserve so this book was great…loads of techniques and recipes to try!

"Freeze Fresh" by Crystal Schmidt is a wonderful resource for homesteaders, culinary enthusiasts and anyone interested in reducing food waste (and stretching their grocery budget).

I like how the book is arranged in alphabetic order by the name of the food. It makes it really easy to find the page you need. The recipes are simple, easy to follow and perfect for meal prepping!.

In addition to the food guide and recipes, the book covers numerous topics including :
- how to select food for freezing
- freezing preparation
- types of containers to use
- types of freezers and other helpful kitchen tools and,
- freezer organization

With the price of food on the rise, this book is well worth the investment!

If you often find yourself having to toss fruits and vegetables (I do!) , this book would be a great help. There is so much information pertaining to not only freezing produce and in what form to freeze them but also how to cook them afterwards. The recipes look so appealing, not to mention the gorgeous photographs spread throughout the book.

Fifty-five popular fruits and vegetables are talked about in detail here, but it seems to me that the info garnered would help us deal with any type of fruits and vegetables.

I have often been impressed with Storey publications, and this one was no exception.

Definitely adding this to my physical shelf, so many freezing options I never knew where there, or lost in today’s society. Recipes to help use the food you’ve frozen. Just a please to read and look forward to adding these item into my kitchen.

I really enjoyed this book - it was actually very helpful, having just got into doing bulk meals and staying on top of food waste which was common in our household until now, this book has acted as an aid to help up with that educating me in the knowledge of freezing food.

I've invested quite smartly in some freezer bags, even separating food in boxes to help with space as our freezer size isn't a great amount.

This book gave me lots of ideas on how to start organising more and reducing the size, bulky veggies do take up a lot of room so shredding them gives a whole new load of room for me. I originally stayed far away from compote and things like that but now I have a slight idea of what I'm doing this will help, I now have a Ninja Foodie which makes things like that far more easier for someone like me and this has given me more time and reduced food costs which is brilliant at a time like this!

I particularly liked the beginning part which was interesting and touched on a time before modern freezing and I think this where we need extra education to generations such as mine, who has only ever known there to be a fridge or freezer, now we have a pantry and live in and older house this has opened the world up to me on what will keep and for how long.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read a FREE ARC in return for my review, I'll definitely be going out to buy this book and it's honestly going to be one for the kitchen shelf for me!

I just started gardening and I want to plant some fruit trees. But I know my family will not be able to eat everything. Crystal Schmidt does an amazing job teaching step by step how you can freeze fresh produce. She gives picture to help you understand what to do. She even shows you how to organize your freezer, combine different veggies, and even how to freeze juices. One example I love is that she freezes shredded apples. That way when you need it in baked recipes or in yogurt it's easy! The book also comes with tons of recipes you can use with freezer food!

This is a brilliant recipe book filled with not only instructions on how to freeze different fruit and vegetables, but also recipes using the frozen items. The recipes are varied and make good use of the frozen fruit and vegetables. The author has selected a good range of pictures to illustrate how it is done and the recipes they may be used for. She has also given brilliant descriptions and instructions on how to do things properly, and best practice.

Freeze Fresh is a wondrous compendium of practical freezing ideas whether for produce you have grown yourself or bought in a market or store. The photography is spectacular and the information is written simply and in a friendly encouraging tone. The book contains information on produce freezing techniques, 100 recipes which freeze well and utilizing 55 fruit and vegetables in the best specific way (for example, when some produce thaws it becomes mushy; Crystal Schmidt gives tips on how to use it in its mushy state). She discusses food safety, thawing, freezing in various containers (including glass jars), reasons for freezing, freezers themselves and how our ancestors preserved food. Have you frozen garlic cloves, beets, figs, mushrooms, cucumbers or asparagus? Why not, right? No idea why my freezing repertoire has been lackluster...but that is changing, starting today. It seems there is more produce one can freeze than can't! Inspired, I froze apple slices and celery slices.

Schmidt's explanations and directions make so much sense! Just makes me wonder why this hasn't been done before?! But it has now, thankfully. She is systematic and thorough without being the slightest bit overwhelming. This is so doable for any gardening/cooking/preserving level.

Amongst the 100 included recipes using said frozen produce are "Lazy" Chocolate-Covered Frozen Banana Slices, Seedy Beet Crackers, Caesar Roasted Broccoli (am making this tomorrow), Cabbage Roll Soup, Honey-Butter Carrot Mash, Cherry Butter, Grandma's Sweet Freezer Pickles, Fig Cookie Smoothie, Garlic-Sesame Green Beans, Salted Caramel Pear Butter and Garlic Herb Blend in Greek Meatballs.

Whether you are starting out with freezing fresh fruit and vegetables or have done it for years, you will certainly experience many aha moments here and put much of what you learn into practice. Fresh Freeze should be required reading for every Home Economics student; heck, for everyone! It is almost a three-in-one book. It is pure gold for gardeners, foragers and preservers such as myself.

My sincere thank you to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading/learning from this epic book! I could not possibly be happier with a book on this topic.

Freeze Fresh is an accessibly and clearly written resource guide to freezing fresh produce along with some recipes curated and written by Crystal Schmidt. Due out 19th July 2022 from Storey, it's 208 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

The included tutorials and recipes show how to select, prepare, and pack produce for preservation by freezing to maximize taste and quality. Essential and helpful equipment lists are included and explained very well. When I first started processing our garden produce, my tendency was to process -every- single fruit/vegetable no matter how misshapen, overripe, squishy, or blemished. I hated to 'waste' (compost) -anything- unnecessarily.The author makes a good case for selecting the best fruits and vegetables to freeze and shows how.

The following chapters include processing and recipes grouped alphabetically from apples to zucchini.

The recipes themselves are easy to read and understand. They include a header bar along with yields and a description. Ingredients are listed bullet point in a sidebar. Measurements are given in imperial (US standard) units only. Preparation instructions are enumerated step by step. Substitutions and alternative preparation or serving information are given in highlighted text boxes throughout.

Photography and food styling are very well done and prep and serving pictures are appealing and appropriate.

Five stars. This is a good addition to the home gardener's and smallholder's resource libraries. It's not a replacement for canning encyclopedias like Ball's Blue Book, but it's very good for specifics and tips for freezing produce with a collection of varied and useful recipes for using frozen fruits and veggies.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Freeze Fresh is an informative on freezing produce and is a wonderful resource, not just for anyone who grows their own food, but for any home cook. As pointed out in the start of the book, the techniques can be applied to produce that one buys at the farmers market or grocery store. The instructions were easy to follow, the pictures are helpful and I'm looking forward to using these techniques this summer with my garden produce.

A fabulous resource that has improved the equality of produce that I am 'throwing' in the freezer. Like many of us, we are trying to save on wasted food by utilising the freezer. This book has opened my eyes to how to get the best out of the quality of produce that is being frozen resulting in excellently preserved and ready to use when needed without the waste.

Freeze Fresh
by Crystal Schmidt
Pub Date: July 19, 2022
Storey Publishing
Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.
This is a great guide to freezing fresh fruits and vegetables. It goes into how to blanch, flash freeze, etc., and how to use the produce once you've frozen it. Lots of photos. There are some recipes to use some of the products. It covers most common garden produce like blueberries, melons, potatoes, greens, herbs, plums, broccoli, etc.
I recommend this book and I am purchasing it for our library. We get questions on this topic a lot and this is a good resource material
5 stars

My kind of book, as I hate food waste, so if I can get the most use out of my fresh food – I will! Thanks for the tips.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Title: Freeze Fresh: The Ultimate Guide to Preserving 55 Fruits and Vegetables 🌽 🌶 for Maximum Flavor and Versatility
Author: Crystal Schmidt

Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC

Publication date: July 5, 2022

Review:
This is a beautifully laid out, informative "ultimate guide" for farmers, home gardeners, and anyone with trees in their yard that give you a bounty of avocados, mango, lychee, or in our case guava, calamansi and tangerines. There are also great tips on freezers, organization and recipes that let you use the frozen fruits and vegetables.

If this is how I lived now, instead of in an apartment with an over the refrigerator freezer, this is definitely worth trying. I love this lifestyle of growing food, giving away or preserving the food by canning, dehydrating or now fresh freezing. It is the Mother Earth lifestyle that I have always dreamed of. But then the plethora of insects in Hawaii paired with my very skillful knack at killing plants, as well as the whole empty nest stage of my life means that the reality is not the dream. Still, I like to look at the pictures. I like to look at the recipes. I like to imagine someone I know finding peace in the process of preserving their rhubarb and zoodles for a different season. This book will help you fulfill that dream. For me, it is just wishful wandering into a different world.

From the Publisher:
Capturing the peak flavor of freshly harvested produce and preserving it for year-round eating is easier than ever with Freeze Fresh, the ultimate guide to freezing and enjoying more than 55 popular fruits and vegetables. Author Crystal Schmidt shares her time-tested preparation techniques that ensure color, texture, and flavor are retained in the freezer. From familiar favorites like apples, corn, potatoes, and peas to surprises like lettuce, avocado, and citrus fruit, Schmidt details the best ways to prepare each food for the freezer, including pre-cooking, slicing, blanching, and more. She offers more than 100 recipes that freeze well, such as Blueberry Maple Pancake Sauce, Pickled Sliced Beets, Mango Chutney, and Honey Butter Carrot Mash--as well as delicious ways to cook the frozen food after thawing, including Creamy Parmesan Confetti Corn, Tart Cherry Oatmeal Bars, Broccoli Cheese Soup, and Blueberry-Matcha Latte Smoothie. Home cooks and gardeners alike will love discovering how easy and economical it can be to fill your freezer with produce customized to your own tastes and needs.

I am so happy Crystal Schmidt chose to share all her hard-won experience and tips for using a freezer as a preservation tool. This book is jam-packed with great ideas for reducing food waste, whether you have your own garden or have bought too much produce at the grocery store. It is filled with best practices and delicious recipes. This is a fantastic book!

I simply love this book. The advice and inspiration is great. The recipes could be used with both fresh and frozen produce. I have a similar book about storing produce but this is even better! I will make use of it time and time again. Thank you!

As someone who has grown up from a young age with a large garden, I have been freezing produce for years. I love that this book offers something for beginners and those who have been freezing produce for a while. I love the recipes in this book and am excited to try them in my own home. The photography is beautiful.