The Coastal Dry-can Kitchen: Meals From Dehydrated Delights & Niche Cooking Book

The Coastal Dry-Can Kitchen: Meals from Dehydrated Delights by Juniper B. Marshall is a salty love letter to dried seafood canning, born on Newport, Oregon’s rugged coast. Juniper, a Central Coast native, grew up drying fish with her fisherman dad and canning with her herbalist mom, a legacy she’s spun into this coastal cookbook. After studying sustainable ag at Oregon State, she settled in a cedar-shingled cottage overlooking Yaquina Bay, where she dries and cans with crabber Eli, tends an orchard, and crafts “Coastal Crunch” granola. This home food preservation guide blends dehydrating for beginners with pressure canning recipes, turning seafood—salmon, clams, tuna—into lightweight, ready-to-eat meals.The Introduction dives into Juniper’s world—dockside drying, kitchen canning, and the pull of Newport’s tides. It pitches dried seafood canning as a joy and a lifeline, shrinking catches into flakes then sealing them into stews. Chapter 1: Drying & Canning Basics sets the stage—dehydrators, pressure canners, and safety tips (botulism’s no game), with hacks for novices. Chapter 2: Dried Fish Meals offers 10 dried food recipes—salmon chowder, tuna hash—dried crisp, canned rich, paired with Newport beers or Oregon wines. Chapter 3: Dried Shellfish Mixes jars 10 shellfish gems—crab broth, shrimp stew—capturing Oregon’s briny best with coastal sips.Chapter 4: Full Meal Jars combines fish, shellfish, and veggies into 10 complete meals—seafood stew, cod chowder—dried light, canned whole, ready to heat. Chapter 5: Tips, Tricks & Coastal Hacks shares Juniper’s grit—kelp boosts, texture fixes—with 10 recipes to test ’em, like clam chowder boost, all with drinks. Chapter 6: Coastal Dry-Can Extras rounds it out with 10 add-ons—fish bone broth, kelp side—dried scraps turned gold, paired with local fizz or stout. The Appendices pack charts—drying times (6-12 hrs), canning times (25-100 min)—safety specs (moisture, pH), and resources like Oregon Sea Grant.Final Thoughts seals it with a tale: a stormy salmon-canning night with Eli, beers flowing, jars traded for oysters—a testament to the fun and worth of Oregon seafood preservation. Juniper recalls winter stew from fall hauls, proving the craft’s value—security, flavor, portability—in every jar. This 350-page (est.) coastal cookbook is for preppers, campers, and dehydrating beginners, blending pressure canning recipes with Newport’s wild charm. It’s practical—step-by-step, safety-first—yet alive with Juniper’s voice and drink pairings (Rogue Ale, Pinot Noir, ginger beer), making dried food recipes a blast. From dock to shelf, it’s the coast, dried and canned, one ping at a time.