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'Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It - And Other Cooking Projects'
By Karen Solomon
Photography by Jennifer Martine
Ten Speed Press -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Recession? Schmecession! No matter the country's economic straits, Karen Solomon's guide to DIY kitchen staples and handmade gourmet gifts is a must for crafters, armchair chemists, budget-conscious chefs, curious kids (and their parents) and anyone who's ever popped open a jar of processed preserves, a tub of watery ricotta or a plastic tube of sausage and thought, "I could do better."

The book is jam-packed with simple, flawless instructions for making marshmallows, bacon, cheese, pickles, lard, smoked fish, ketchup, olives and several dozen other edible treasures, entirely worth the effort and for a fraction of the cost of their store-bought counterparts.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.