The Complete Book of Freezer Cooking [antikvár]

If you enjoy good food but would like to cut down on cooking time and fuel bills, you are, like me, a freezer person I Contrary to popular belief, home freezers are not only for big'families in out-of-the-way-places. They are for everyone who wants better food, more conveniently. This is why freezer sales are increasing in the biggest kitchen revolution of our time.It is a revolution in shopping habits, in menu planning . . . and in increased leisure. You shop now when you want to, when you have the time. There need be no more last-minute trips to buy something you have forgotten in a crowded store, with nowhere to park the car. And it's the same with cooking. You can cook when you are in the mood to do it.If you are the mother of a young family, you can have a grand cook-in and stock up for the school holiday invasion, or just make an extra portion or two during normal cooking of favourite dishes, to be frozen and used when needed. You can bake and freeze a month's supply of cakes and scones in one afternoon. You can be prepared for impromptu picnics with ready-cut sandwiches and other portable foods stored in the freezer.The men of your family, if they are left on their own, can reach into the freezer to find a dish to reheat-and eat as well as if you were there at home cooking for them. That means you'll have more freedom to pursue your own interests, whether they be art classes, visits to the seaside or a game of badminton one evening a week.If you're a busy career woman, living on your own, a freezer is for you, too, because your time is precious and you don't want to spend it fighting your way round busy shops during your lunch hour or after work. And you can eliminate the boredom of eating the same thing two or three days running, of finishing up a dish just because it is there. On the contrary, it is worthwhile making, say, a goulash or a curry in larger quantities than you need and leaving one or two portions in the freezer to eat later in the month.If you do a lot of entertaining, the freezer will ensure you enjoy it. You will have more time to spend with your guests and less to do in the kitchen; you will have a stock of ready-prepared dishes and a supply of sauces, herbs and flavourings, so that you need never be taken by surprise when guests turn up unexpectedly whether they are old friends who drop in unannounced for a meal, business acquaintances of your husband, or a crowd of hungry children brought home by your youngsters after school.Those of you who live in the country will want to freeze the fruit and vegetables from your own gardens when these are at their best; town dwellers can make expeditions to buy produce in bulk when it is at its cheapest and freshest.There are benefits for older people, too. You can make fewer visits to the shops -no need to go out when the weather is bad - and you can save money, which is very important when you are living on a fixed income.A word about money saving; this is where bulk buying comes in. By sensible planning and buying the same commodities as you did before but in greater quantities at a time, you can save from 10 to 25 per cent on retail prices. Also, buying foods in season when prices are lower and taking advantage of special offers cuts down expenditure.Even if you actively dislike cooking, there are all sorts of gourmet foods that can be bought and stored in the freezer, then cooked in half an hour or so.Then there are the special treats that cost less. Fresh raspberries at Christmas used to be the prerogative of millionaires. Now you don't have to have them flown in by special plane; you can have them from your own freezer at any time of year.'^Matfi/pe offreejer-Principles of freezingFreezing, that is reducing food to a temperature at which bacteria become inactive, is the simplest and most natural method of preserving food. It is the one that most closely maintains the quality and texture and keeps food closest to its original state.Freezing food has been known since the 1 8th century when 'ice houses' were