Save the Season

December 2025

Welcome to the fourteenth edition of UC Master Food Preserver Program’s monthly newsletter. Our mission is to extend culturally appropriate, research-based practices for preserving food in the home.

Each month, you’ll receive recipes, how-tos, and inspiration straight to your inbox. Thank you for subscribing and feel free to reply with any food preservation questions.

Monica Gross (used with permission)

Spotlight: Monica Gross Class of 2025 Master Food Preserver Volunteer

The Master Food Preserver training naturally pairs with the Master Gardener Program training. I have learned how to preserve most of the crops that I grow. It is a beautiful combination!

If you are interested in food preservation, I highly recommend becoming an MFP! You’ll find a kindred community of like-minded individuals who value preserving the bounties of the garden!

The Genius of Fruitcake: A 2,000-Year-Old Food Preservation Hack

By Paige Weisskirch, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer

Every November, I open my pantry and face the same situation: half-empty bags of dried apricots from the previous year’s baking; figs I dehydrated with good intentions; some crystallized ginger that seemed essential at the time; and at least three bags of raisins I can't quite remember purchasing. They sit there, taking up valuable real estate, slowly hardening into little fruit pebbles.

This is exactly why I fell in love with fruitcake, or at least the idea of it.

The Joy of Grape Jelly

By Ariel Patton, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer

Gentle pinch. Twist. Tug. Plop!

The thousandth grape drops into the bowl. As the wilting days of summer soften into crisp fall mornings, I pick bunches and bunches of grapes from my garden. I dutifully wash and separate the fruit from the stems, one grape at a time.

I love this annual ritual of making grape jelly.

Pumpkin is more than home décor!

By Robin Martin, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer

Although the best pumpkins for cooking are the smaller, sweeter varieties of pumpkin, pretty much any pumpkin can have its life extended after its role as an autumnal decoration is concluded.

Prepare and freeze pumpkin purée for soups, cakes, butters, pies, and even lattes and cocktails! It’s so easy, you wouldn’t believe it.

We Want to Hear from You!

Have you been enjoying Save the Season newsletter? Do you have ideas on how we can make it even better?

Let us know by filling out the below survey by January 10, 2025. We will select one respondent at random to receive a prize.

Complete Survey Here

Answer from a Master Food Preserver:

Meyer lemons are sweeter and less acidic than typical Eureka lemons. As such, you cannot substitute Meyer lemon juice for other lemon juice in recipes. Even within one variety of lemons, acidity may vary. As a result, the USDA recommends that bottled lemon juice is used in recipes because it is produced to be a standard 5% level of acidity. Safe home canning relies on specific pH levels to ensure safety by preventing the growth of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism poisoning.

Have a Question? Submit yours here

Previous Courses for Apples and Holiday Food Gifts Now On Demand

Click below to access the recordings of two recent classes, more can be found on Recorded Events page.

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Upcoming Online Events (Register via: https://mfp.ucanr.edu/Upcoming Events/)

Ask a MFP - Live Q&A

December 21, 4:00PM PT

Mushroom Madness!

January 13, 7:00PM PT

If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments regarding Save the Season, please email UC Master Food Preserver Program Coordinator Travis Robert Alexander at tralexan@ucanr.edu

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