Classes at The Pantry at Delancey in Seattle and an Event at the Book Larder

Posted on January 25, 2012 by marisa

rhubarb/sugar/rosemary
Every time I announce my class schedule, I hear from bunches of you that you wish I could come and teach a class in your town. This summer, I’m going to be doing a bunch of traveling and teaching as a way to help promote my book and hopefully, I’ll be able to make a few of your wishes come true.

The first firmed up, official book-type dates I have to announce are those in Seattle in early June. On Sunday, June 10 at 11 am, I’ll be at the Book Larder, doing a canning demo and book signing.

Then, on Monday, June 11 and Tuesday, June 12, I’ll be at The Pantry at Delancey, teaching a pair of identical classes that will feature four recipes/canning skills. We’ll be making gingered pickled sugar snap peas, slightly spicy pickled asparagus, rosemary rhubarb jelly (you can see the jam version of that recipe above) and strawberry vanilla jam. Those classes are filling up fast, so make sure to reserve your spot soon.

For those of you who don’t live in Seattle, I’m also currently working on events in Portland, Eugene, San Francisco, LA, Austin, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC.

If your city isn’t on the list and you want me to come to your town, let me know. Because I’m funding this tour entirely on my own, what I’m trying to do is schedule pairs of paid classes and free events everywhere I go so as to help cover costs. If you can help me find ways to make that work, I’d love to hear from you.

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Posted in classes | 51 Comments

Cuppow Review and Giveaway

Posted on January 24, 2012 by marisa

cuppow front

When I worked in an office, mason jars were a regular part of my commuter food world. I layered oats and yogurt into wide mouth pints for breakfast and I toted coffee in those discontinued pint and a half jars freezer jars that I love so much.

There’s one very large issue with drinking coffee from mason jar (particularly the taller ones that I like so much). The very significant risk of spillage. More than once, I nearly knocked over an open jar. A dangerous things when your work machine is a vulnerable laptop.

cuppow back

Though I work from home now, I still find myself reaching for an empty mason jar when it comes time for morning coffee or tea. Because of this habit, as well as the fact that I’m generally crazy for any new jar-related item (all in the interest of research), I ordered the Cuppow approximately 12 seconds after hearing about it.

For those of you out there who are wondering what the heck I’m talking about, here’s the scoop. Cuppow is a reusable (BPA free) plastic lid, designed to fit on a wide mouth mason jar. You use a standard ring to fasten it into place. It works equally well with wide mouth models of pint, pint and a half (if you can find them) and quart jars.

cuppow

So far, I love everything about this product, from the eye-pleasing, letter press packaging to the heft and feel of the Cuppow itself. I spent the morning using mine to drink my milky tea (coffee and I are on a break right now) and it performs exactly as I hoped it would.

It offers a similar drinking experience to that which you have with a disposal Starbucks cup, down to the slight whistle from the vent hole on the opposite side. No leaking, no mess and far less risk of spilling all over my workspace.

cuppow jar cozies

There is one issue when you use a mason jar for hot liquids. That is the inevitable heat transfer to your hand. Because I’ve been using jars for coffee and tea for years now, I have a small stash of hand knit and crocheted cozies from a few of my readers to slip around my jars. However, you don’t have to get something so fancy. A clean, orphaned sock would also do the job nicely.

cuppow on full jar

Because I asked nicely, the guys at Cuppow have given me one (1) of these mason jar lids to give away to a Food in Jars reader. Here’s what to do for a chance to win.

  1. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and tell us about your morning beverage ritual. Do you drink coffee or tea? Hot or cold? Or you like my husband, who prefers his caffeine cold and carbonated?
  2. Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Friday, January 27, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) and will be posted to the blog on Saturday, January 28, 2012.
  3. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents (so sorry, Canadians. I’m not controlling the shipping on this one).
  4. One entry/comment per person, please.
Disclosure: Cuppow is providing the giveaway unit. I bought and paid for my unit with my own money. All opinions expressed remain entirely my own. 

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Upcoming Classes for February through May

Posted on January 23, 2012 by marisa

252

January has been a blessedly quiet month for me. I haven’t taught a canning class since the beginning of December. It’s been a nice break, but it’s time to get things moving again.

If learning to can was one of your resolutions for 2012, you should come and take a class with me!

I have monthly Philadelphia-based canning class scheduled February through May (I plan on adding summer classes soon). These classes are on Saturday mornings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and cost $50. Students take home a jar of what we made in the class, as well as a printout of the recipe. These classes are all held at Indy Hall, 20 N. 3rd Street, in Old City.

February 4 – Meyer lemon jelly
March 3 – Blood orange marmalade
April 7 – Pickled asparagus
May 12 – Strawberry rhubarb jam

Currently, all these classes have availability but will all fill up. Email me at foodinjars@gmail.com to sign up!

I’m also teaching another class at the Kitchen Potager in Bucks County on April 14. We’ll be doing a pickled asparagus and vanilla rhubarb jam. Click here to register for that class.

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Photos From the Food in Jars Flickr Pool – Citrus Edition

Posted on January 22, 2012 by marisa

Did you know that there’s a Food in Jars Flickr group? Head over, join up and add your gorgeous jar-centric photos. I love seeing what’s coming out of your kitchens!

kumquat-habanero marmalade

Kumquat Habanero Marmalade from Rebecca at Cakewalk. I love that she kept her kumquat slices round. Makes for such a pretty finished product.

meyer lemon marmalade

Meyer Lemon Marmalade in the making from Melissa of Bridgman Pottery. I love that she added fresh rosemary. What an inspired combination!

Lime Pickles 3

Salt-Preserved Limes from Ingrid at Jammy Chicken. Like the ones they ate in Little Women. I’ve always meant to do that.

Vanilla Flecks

Vanilla-Flecked Old Fashioned Marmalade from Interchangeable Parts. Oh yum!

Meyer Lemon Curd

Meyer Lemon Curd. I am such a sucker for the stuff. Well done, chickenjulie!

Crafted House Strawberry Balsamic Jam and Mango Lime Butter

Strawberry Balsamic Jam and Mango Lime Butter. I cannot tell you how good Mango Lime Butter sounds. From MaAndrea.

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Canning Kit, Book and Jar Lifter Giveaway Winner

Posted on January 21, 2012 by marisa

Thanks to all of you who took the time to share the home canned products you’ve most enjoyed so far this winter season. It was such fun to read about all the things you made last summer and fall and have been eating recently!

The winner is commenter #370, the blogger behind the site Plateau Gardening. She said, “The canned blackberry pie filling is heavenly on a cold winter day!” Sounds positively delicious!

 

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A New Canning Rack

Posted on January 19, 2012 by marisa

trivet

My favorite canning pot is a basic stock pot with a flat rack dropped into the bottom. I moved to this system a few years ago, after rusting through a traditional enameled pot. The one weak point in this set-up has always been rack. I typically use a round cake cooling rack and I’ve found that I have to replace it at least once a season because it eventually rusts into pieces. What’s more, as it rusts, it releases metallic crud into the water that leaves residue on the outside of the jars. It was not ideal.

trivet canning rack

As I thought about how to solve this problem, the idea of a silicone disk popped to mind. It would be resistent to the heat levels, would do the job of lifting the jars out of contact with the heat and if it had enough holes in it, would also allow the water to circulate sufficiently around the jars. At first, I tried a basic round silicone trivet that I had in the drawer, but it wasn’t perforated enough and made a horrible amount of racket as the boiling water pushed it off the bottom of the pot.

trivet

So I searched until I found this flexible, flower-shaped trivet. Made of silicone, it hits all the marks. It keeps the jars off the bottom of the pot, allows the boiling water past and doesn’t break down into the water. So far, it’s been positively ideal. And for $9.99, it was a fairly inexpensive solution to a problem that’s consistently vexed me.

What’s your most creative canning solution?

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Marmalades From the Archives

Posted on January 18, 2012 by marisa

just part of my recent marmalade project

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been working flat out on a project for my publisher. Sometime next year, they’re going to be releasing a book dedicated to marmalades and so I’ve been testing a dozen of the recipes and making them look pretty for the upcoming photo shoot.

This means that I’ve been up to my elbows in citrus and yet don’t have a single thing to share with you folks. So let’s take a look at some of the marms I’ve posted in the past.

Small Batch Kumquat Marmalade. Yes, I realize I just posted this one last week. I didn’t want it to feel left out.

Cranberry Marmalade. Though the cranberry-based holidays are over, if you love tart and tangy spreads, this one is for you.

Three-Citrus Marmalade. This recipe represents the technique I use for the bulk of my marmalades these days. It yields deep but not too bitter preserve.

Honey Lemon Marmalade. I love the flavor that this recipe yields, though I think that if I were to make this one again, I’d double the water and let it cook a little longer, so that the lemon gets a chance to soften more.

There are two other marmalade recipes deep in the archives of this site, but honestly, they were made in my very beginning marmalade days and I’ve discovered that those recipes just don’t work as well as the ones above.

What’s your favorite marmalade recipe?

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Ball Kit, Blue Book and Jar Lifter Giveaway

Posted on January 16, 2012 by marisa

Home Canning Discovery Kit

Scott and I have been doing a bit of January cleaning. We’ve purged our bookshelves, sorted through dresser drawers and crawled to the very back of our deepest closet, all in the hopes of clearing out some of our clutter and extra stuff.

While I was taking inventory of the empty jars I keep under our living room couch (it has just enough clearance for cases of half pint and quarter pint jars), I discovered a cache of Ball products. These were part of a box of tools and ingredients that Ball sent my way last summer. I thought I’d given away everything in that box that there was to give away, but it appears I was mistaken.

Ball Blue Book and jar lifter

Happily, my summertime forgetfulness makes for a fun surprise in January. What I have to give away is a Ball Home Canning Discovery Kit (great for beginners and small batch canners), one of the new Secure Grip Jar Lifter and a copy of the Ball Blue Book.

If you’re interesting in a chance to win this assortment of Ball products, here’s what to do.

  1. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and share what preserve you’ve most enjoyed eating so far this winter.
  2. Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Friday, January 20, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) and will be posted to the blog on Saturday, January 21, 2012.
  3. Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents.
  4. One entry/comment per person, please.
Disclosure: Jarden Home Brands provided these products for this giveaway many months ago. My opinions remain entirely my own. 

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Cheese and Sunflower Seed Crackers

Posted on January 13, 2012 by marisa

cheese/seed crackers in a jar

January is a hard month for a girl who writes about putting food in jars. While there’s still plenty of inspiration out there if you know where to look (citrus! pressure canned beans! root veg pickles!), this time of year does not lend itself as naturally to the act of preserving as those lush summer and fall months do.

Right now, the bulk of my cooking falls under the heading “General Sustenance.” This includes things like pots of turkey chili, black bean soup, green smoothies and hard boiled eggs. What’s more, since this new year arrived, I’ve felt a pressing need to keep things simple, like I’m storing up quiet time for the days when things get hectic again.

There is one little extra that I’ve been sneaking in amidst the pots of soups and stews. These grain-free crackers. Made of just sunflower seeds, shredded cheddar cheese, a pinch of salt and a bit of water, they are a very nice snack to have around when we’re feeling nibbly. Because they’re just cheese and seeds, they’re surprisingly filling and satisfying. I got the recipe from a copy of this book that I picked up back in November for a dollar. Discovering this recipe made it a very worthwhile purchase!

Here’s how you do it. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pour 1 1/2 cups of raw sunflower seeds and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the seeds have broken down into a rough meal. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I like to use extra-sharp) and pulse three or four times, just to combine. Then, while the motor runs, dribble in 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (just enough to form a dough).

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scrape the cracker dough onto the middle of the parchment. Using damp fingers (re-wet often), spread the dough out into a thin layer. You can lay a second sheet of parchment on top of the dough and use it to help you press the dough out. I’ll warn you right now, getting the dough spread into a fairly even layer is something of a pain. But it’s worth it.

Once the dough is spread, bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crackers are crisp and just barely browned. When they are done, remove the pan from the oven and score the dough immediately into squares or diamonds (it firms up quickly, so do this while it’s hot). When it’s cool enough to handle, break the crackers into manageable pieces. Store in an airtight jar. They’ll keep in the pantry for 7-10 days.

This is a nice recipe to keep in the back of your brain for those times when you want to make a snack that works folks who are gluten or grain free. It’s also nice for the low-carb eaters (that’s what led us to this in the first place). I haven’t tried it yet with other seeds or cheeses, but I do plan on it going forward.

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Urban Preserving: Small Batch Kumquat Marmalade

Posted on January 11, 2012 by marisa

a pound of kumquats

Kumquats aren’t like other citrus fruit. Instead of having a tart rind and a sweet interior, they keep their sugar in the skin and have their pucker on the inside. It took me years to realize that the best way to eat them is to pop them into your mouth whole and take a big bite. That way, you blend the flavors into a single, delicious marriage.

quartered kumquats

If eating whole kumquats isn’t your thing, don’t think that there isn’t a place for them in your life. They just happen to make a luscious, if slightly energy-intensive, marmalade. Because they demand a lot in the chopping department, I find that it’s best to keep your kumquat marm batches tidy and contained. That makes them downright perfect for my every-so-often Urban Preserving category.

kumquat ribbons

Take one pound of kumquats and wash them. Pick them over well to make sure that you don’t have any that are turning to mush (I bought mine at an Asian grocery story, tied up in a mesh bag, and the ones in the center were liquifying). Cut off the stem end and slice the kumquat into quarters.

pectin bag

When all the kumquats are quartered, use a sharp paring knife to cut away the inner membrane and any seeds (reserve these! They will provide our pectin). This leaves you with a small piece of rind with some pulp still attached. Then lay these stripped quarters rind side up and chop them into ribbons (I warned you that it was energy-intensive).

finished marm

When all the chopping is done, you should have about two cups of chopped kumquat bits, and a scant cup of reserved seeds and membrane. Place the seeds and membrane in the center of a square of cheesecloth and tie it up well so that nothing can escape.

Place the chopped kumquat in a large pot with 2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups sugar (I used plain white sugar, but you could easily use unrefined cane sugar. Just know that your finished product will be a bit darker). Pop the bundle of seeds and membranes in there too.

two half pints of kumquat marmalade

Bring to a boil and cook for 15-25 minutes, until it reaches 220°F. The wider your pot, the faster it will cook (I used a 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset, and my cooking time was right around 20 minutes). Once it has reached temperature and seems quite thick, remove marmalade from heat. Funnel into two prepared half pint jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a small batch canning pot for 10 minutes.

I love this kind of canning. Small batches means you get to try different flavors and combinations. And when a recipe yields just two half pints it means you have one to keep and one to share.

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Posted in Urban Preserving | Tagged , , | 32 Comments