Q:  What is pickling salt and how is it different from other salts?
A:  Pickling salt is pure salt, free of any additives such as iodine or anti-caking compounds often found in table salts.  When used in home preserving the additives may cause discoloration or clouding of the food contents. Pickling salt is fine-grained like table salt.  Kosher salt may be a reliable substitute, however, due to its coarse nature, quantities used may need to be adjusted.

Q:  What is botulism?
A:  Botulism is a potentially fatal illness resulting from toxin-producing spores of the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum.  This bacterium, which thrives in low acid, airless environments, requires the higher temperatures achieved through the Pressure Canning Method in order to be eradicated.  If you are experimenting with home canning, begin with high acid choices like that of most pickles, jams, jellies, and some fruits.

Q:  What is pectin?
A:  Pectin is a naturally-occurring part of many fruits and vegetables.  Pectin serves to thicken jams and jellies.  If the fruit being used for the jam or jelly is not naturally high in pectin, recipes often call for adding some.  Pectin is available in liquid or powdered form.  Some recipes add high pectin ingredients, such as apples, to the mixture. (See the recipe below for Natural Fruit Jams).

Q:  What is the white powder covering my processed jars?
A:   If a fine, white residue covers your finished jars, you probably have hard water.  The natural minerals abundant in hard water precipitate during the hot water bath and may coat the jars.  Simply wipe away the residue, or use a bit of vinegar on a cloth to dissolve the mineral, and rewipe with a clean water dampened cloth.