Just got my copy of "So Easy to Preserve" today. Great resource at a great price. Frankly, it would be worth it for twice the price.

I also picked up a second 12 quart Mirro canner that came with the 1978 edition of the "Farm Journal's Freezing & Canning Cookbook" Edited by Nell B. Nuchols and Kathryn Larson. Reading through both books, it's surprising how little has changed in guidelines between then and now. They had already started discouraging steam canning, oven canning, microwave canning, canning dairy products and canning in half gallon jars, glass top jars, zinc lids, etc. They were already talking about adding acid to tomatoes and pressure canning only for meat and vegetables.

Another thing I found interesting is the talked of a "renewed interest in food preservation". I've also noticed this in my many home gardening books. I have gardening books from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's and they always talk of the "renewed interest". It seems there's a "renewed interest" every 5 years.

If anyone ever comes across the book at a flea market, I'd recommend it. If only just to compare then and now.

Not sure I'd fully agree that little has changed since 1978 as a lot of research has been done since then, especially on low-acid processing. But the really big notable change happened in the mid 70's and the USDA revisions of 1976 so I'd expect Farm Journal to have picked up on them prior publishing the '78 edition.

Hope you enjoy So Easy. I use it often.

Dave