Free Republic

aren Solomon’s new cookbook, “Cured Meat, Smoked Fish & Pickled Eggs: Recipes and Techniques for Preserving Protein-Packed Foods,” is, on the one hand, very Jewish. Ashkenazi Jews have been at the forefront of food preservation for generations and will appreciate recipes for gravlax, several types of herring and “Killer Smoked Fish Salad.” The book also has recipes for prosciutto made from duck, and for pastrami that Solomon considers one of her top crowd-pleasers. “People just love it,” she said. “There are certain things I make that make people really happy. Bacon tops the list, but that pastrami recipe is right...

The rise of the modern "prepper" is no accident, with shows like National Geographic Channel's, 'Doomsday Preppers' heralding a larger shift in social awareness. In the wake of storms like Katrina, Irene, and Sandy, even stubborn New Yorkers are realizing that Mother Nature packs a punch, and that most people aren't ready to roll with it. This, combined with rising concerns about economic troubles ans a bumbling government, has caused a flood of newbie preppers to take to the stores, eagerly looking for the security of stored food, water, and medicines. The prospect can be daunting, especially if you're trying...

1. Canned fruits, vegetables, meats, and soups 2. Dried legumes (beans, lentils, peas) 3. Crackers 4. Nuts 5. Pasta sauce 6. Peanut butter 7. Pasta 8. Flour (white, whole wheat) 9. Seasonings (vanilla, salt, pepper, paprika, cinnamon, pepper, taco seasoning, etc.) 10. Sugar 11. Bouillon cubes or granules (chicken, vegetable, beef) 12. Kitchen staples (baking soda, baking powder, yeast, vinegar) 13. Honey 14. Unsweetened cocoa powder 15. Jell-O or pudding mixes 16. Whole grains (barley, bulgur, cornmeal, couscous, oats, quinoa, rice, wheat berries) 17. Nonfat dried milk 18. Plant-based oil (corn oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, olive oil) 19. Cereals...

Huge sales on food items at the supermarket are so tempting. It's an opportunity to save lots of money and ensure plenty of cheap meals (and "pantry shopping" when you're out of money or time) for days to come. But food isn't cheap if it spoils and you have to dump it, and some foods have a shorter shelf life than you might think. Here's an overview of foods to stock up on, and those you should buy as needed.