Homemade preserves

In Soviet times, vegetables, fruit, salads and compotes were put in jars for the winter to preserve the harvest.

It was all the more difficult to get fresh fruit and vegetables in winter. Food was in short supply. But to feed a family was necessary every day. So many families made their own preserves: in the autumn – preserves for the winter, at the beginning of winter – sauerkraut, in winter – dumplings.

Every Soviet housewife considered it her duty to make preserves. The more the better. The Internet, where one could look up recipes, did not yet exist. There were handwritten recipes for baked goods. Cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, salads, juices, jams, compotes… From one’s own garden or bought – it did not matter. Of course, there were also canned vegetables on sale, but our own, homemade ones, tasted much better!

Nowadays, the tradition of making homemade preserves is slowly becoming a thing of the past. On the one hand, you can buy all kinds of preserved food in the shops. On the other hand, you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables all year round, which many people think is much tastier and healthier.

Nevertheless, many housewives still make preserves for the winter, paying tribute to habit and tradition. And many family members long for homemade preserved cucumbers or tomatoes in winter or early spring.