Unless you know the secrets of how to capture and save those summer flavors in a jar.

Esther O'Donald, of Brambleberry Farms in Pequot Lakes, talked about different methods for canning and preserving food at the August Chautauqua program at the Crosslake Community Center.

Capturing summer was the topic of discussion at the August Chautauqua program at the Crosslake Community Center.

Esther O'Donald, of Brambleberry Farms in Pequot Lakes, makes her living by preserving the tastes of summer in jams, jellies, syrups and other tasty foods and selling them at her store at the Jack Pine Center.

O'Donald learned the secrets of canning from her grandmother, and she shared some of what she has learned over the years.

She also spoke about the aesthetic beauty of jars of canned fruits and vegetables.

"Nothing is prettier than a jar of peaches," O'Donald said.

Besides saving the flavors of summer, O'Donald said the act of "putting food by" adds a feeling of security.

"There is a real sense of security knowing that if you don't have a paycheck you'll still have food to eat," O'Donald said.

She spoke about many different methods for preserving all different kinds of food. Methods she discussed included water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing and dehydrating.

O'Donald said the canning method doesn't depend on the preference of the canner; it has to do with the food that is being canned.

Water bath canning is for high-acid foods, which is most fruit, all berries and tomatoes; pressure canning is better for low-acid foods such as vegetables and meats.

Some items, like salsa, can be a little trickier to decide what methods to use for canning because it depends on how many tomatoes, peppers and onions are used.

O'Donald said the best way to make sure you are using the right method and are not going to waste precious food is to use a pH tester.

O'Donald's No. 1 tip is to use good, quality jars when water bath canning or pressure canning.

"The best things to use are the good, old American Mason jar and two-piece lids. There is too much of a chance that the bad ones will break or won't seal," O'Donald said.

Another must-have for any type of food preserving technique is the yearly Ball Blue Book. Each year the company comes up with a new book that has step-by-step instructions for canning all different kinds of foods.

"It's an easy guide for how to do everything. It's worth every penny of the five bucks," O'Donald.

If you are going to use any other resource materials, O'Donald said they should be newer than 1994.

In 1994, she said, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stepped up and started having additional requirements for food processors that in turn spurred the Department of Agriculture and the literature that was published about canning.