My Pickling Video from The Daily

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Marisa

About a month ago, two very nice folks drove down to Philadelphia in a rainstorm and spent a day and a half with me. We wandered around Reading Terminal Market and made multiple batches of pickles and jam. The goal was the production of two short canning videos. The first has just been posted and it is fantastic. I particularly love the stop-action animation they did of the carrots, asparagus and green beans climbing into the jars!

Update: Here are the links to the recipes we used for these recipes. Carrots. Beans. Asparagus.

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Food in Jars Cookbook Events This Weekend

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Marisa

16/365

I just wanted to drop in with a little Friday afternoon reminder that I’m going to be out and about this weekend doing canning demos, answering preserving questions and signing copies of the book.

Saturday, June 2
I’ll be at my home away from home, Greensgrow Farm in Philadelphia, PA. From 12:30 – 2 pm, I’ll be on hand to sell and sign books, answer canning questions and offer you an array of pickled delights. Come on out and say hi!

Sunday, June 3
From 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, I’ll be at the Dupont Circle Farmers’ Market in Washington, D.C. It’s a canning demo and book signing and it should be lots of fun.

There’s also a last minute addition to the Washington, D.C. schedule. The lovely Cathy Barrow (some of you might know her at Mrs. Wheelbarrow) is hosting a little post farmers’ market party for me at her home from 2 -4 pm on Sunday. If you’d like to attend, email Cathy at mrswheelbarrow AT gmail [dot] com to be placed on the list and to get all the details. Hope to see some of you there!

 

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Homesweet Homegrown Sneak Peek + Giveaway

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Marisa

The fact that it’s possible to grow food in a tiny patch of yard or a basic window box is nothing short of a miracle to me. I grew up in a household that gardened religiously and throughout my childhood, there was always something delicious growing within steps of the house.

These days, my one frustration with my life as a high rise dweller is the fact that I have no place to combine seeds, soil, water and light to create my own edible miracle.

Home Sweet Homegrown spine

Despite my complete absence of garden space, I still love thinking about vegetable gardens. Each spring, I pick up a new gardening book or two and imagine what I would plant if I had a plot.

This year, my new favorite gardening book is a little volume called Homesweet Homegrown: How to Grow, Make and Store Food, No Matter Where You Live by Robyn Jasko (she’s the founder of Grow Indie, a fab website with lots of great resources for the grow your own type).

Home Sweet Homegrown contents

What’s so nice about this little book is that fact that’s both comprehensive and comprehendible. So often, gardening books contain a heck of a lot of more information than is possible to digest. This one is easy to swallow and so, so useful to boot.

As you can see from the above photo of the table of contents, the book will walk you through the entire gardening process, from those first initial steps all the way through to what to do with your harvest. If I wasn’t already a gardening convert (at least, theoretically), I’d be entirely convinced by the first section in which she breaks down the cost of home grown food as compared to grocery store or farmers market produce. The difference is staggering.

Home Sweet Homegrown canning

Towards the back of the book, there’s a nice little section that hits the basics of canning (as well as freezing, fermenting, dehydrating and other storage methods). While it doesn’t go into the deep minutia of canning, for someone who’s generally familiar with the process but needs a little refresher, this chapter is absolutely perfect.

I also love the instructions Robyn included entitled “How to Pickle Everything.” It’s an excellent reminder that pickling isn’t some mysterious thing. It’s really just the combination of vinegar, spices and fresh produce. There’s really no need to make yourself crazy over it.

Home Sweet Homegrown end paper

This is the best handbook I’ve seen for home gardeners who want to have all the basic information they need right at their fingertips. It makes me itch to get my fingers into the dirt. Hopefully someday!

Thanks to author Robyn Jasko, I have two prize packs (each contain a book and a seed pack) to give away to Food in Jars readers. Here’s what to do:

  1. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and tell me what you’re growing this summer. If you don’t have a garden, share what you wish you were growing.
  2. Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Sunday, June 3, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) and will be posted to the blog on Monday, June 4, 2012.
  3. Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian readers.
  4. One entry/comment per person, please.
Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book. The giveaway packs were also received at no cost to me. My opinions do remain entirely my own. 

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San Francisco Book Tour Events

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Marisa

from the Ferry Building

I promised to post a giveaway today, but the daylight got away from me and I wasn’t able to take the necessary pictures. And what’s a giveaway post without pretty pictures of the item in question? It will keep until tomorrow.

Tonight, I just wanted to take a moment to bring you all up to speed with the my San Francisco events. I’m going to be there for just 3 1/2 days, but I’ve managed to fill every moment of my visit.

On Wednesday, June 20 there are two events. From 4 – 5 pm, I’ll be signing books and answering canning questions at a lovely store called the HMS Beekeeper. Then, from 7 – 9 pm that evening, I’m teaching an apricot class at a gorgeous space called Cookhouse SF. That class costs $65 and you can sign up by clicking here.

On Thursday, June 21, I’ll be at Omnivore Books from 6 – 7 pm to sign books and lead a hands-on homemade quick pickle workshop. That one costs $10.

Friday, June 22 is my class at Cheryl Sternman Rule’s house. While that class is sold out, do contact me if you’d like to be placed on the waiting list.

Finally, just a note about tonight’s event at the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA. It was amazing. Enormous thanks to Joan, Sheila and Caitlin from Odyssey, as well as all of you (including Emily from the blog Relishments who drove 1 1/2 hours to be there) who braved the stormy weather to say hi, ask good canning questions and buy up every copy of the book they had in stock. I am so grateful to all of you who are making this book release so terrific.

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Signing at The Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA + Cookbook Giveaway Winners

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Marisa

I hope everyone out there is having a good Memorial Day. Scott and I have been up in Northampton, MA visiting friends for the weekend and we’re sticking around for an extra day so that I can stop by the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA tomorrow evening. I’ll be there a 7 pm, doing a quick pickle demo, answering canning questions and signing books. I even packed a few jars of pickles, jams and chutneys to share with all those who come out to see me.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter the Food in Jars cookbook giveaway. It was quite a thrill to be able to offer up my own book and I hope that those of you who have it in your hands are enjoying it.

The winners are commenter numbers 107, 118 and 438. That’s Aghavni Jabian, Marisa (what are the chances?) and Susan W. I’ll be in touch with all the winners shortly.

If you didn’t win, you can either buy a copy or wait until tomorrow, when I’ll offer a giveaway of another delightful volume. Your choice!

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“Ripe” Author Cheryl Sternman Rule at Reading Terminal Market

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Marisa

Ripe

Hey Philadelphia! Ripe author Cheryl Sternman Rule is in town. (I wrote about her gorgeous book here). She’s going to be at the Fair Food Farmstand at Reading Terminal Market on Friday, May 25 (that’s tomorrow) from 3-5 pm, talking about produce, the process of creating this lovely volume and signing books.

If you’re not rushing out of town at noon for the weekend, you should come out to meet Cheryl. She is just as delightful as her book. (I’ll be hanging around too, so make sure to stop by and say hi).

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The Food in Jars Cookbook + Giveaway

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Marisa

So often over the life of this blog, I’ve written about beautiful cookbooks. These posts are fun for me to write because I love any excuse to sit awhile with a new cookery volume and explore what it has to offer. Many of you take the time to write me an email or leave a comment, to tell me how useful you find these cookbook pieces, because they give you a chance to peek inside a book in a way that’s different from the experience on Amazon.

rear cover

Today’s cookbook feature is a particularly unique joy, because this time, I’m sharing my own book. Now, I realize that I’ve been talking about this book for many, many weeks now. Thing is, for all that excited chatter, I haven’t taken much of a chance to tell you what you’ll find when you open the cover and why it might be a good canning book for you.

dedication

To my mind, the book is a tangible embodiment of this website. It brings together the most popular recipes from the archives as well as a number of new recipes you’ve never seen before. All the previously-published recipes were retested and rewritten before being included in the manuscript to ensure that they were the best versions of themselves. Many were also scaled down to yield just three or four pints, to keep with the small batch theme.

canning intro

It includes detailed canning instructions (with helpful instructional pictures!), tips on how to determine whether your jam has reached its set point, a guide for adjusting processing time for altitude and all the best safety practices.

blueberry butter

The recipes are sorted by genre, so that all the pickles are in one chapter, jellies in another and so on. Within each section, the recipes are arranged by season, so that each spring, you can start at the beginning of the jam chapter and then work your way through to the end.

boozy peaches

The book is also full of really gorgeous images. Truly, my jars have never looked better. The photography was done by Steve Legato, at his Philadelphia studio, and it was such a pleasure to watch him work. Also, I made all the canned goods pictured, so you can trust that your finished products should look pretty darn close to what you see.

cinnamon vanilla butter

Another way I tried to keep the book tied closely to this site is that it’s not just about canning. Towards the back of the book, you’ll find sections devoted to nut butters, granolas, bread and scone mixes in jars and even flavored salts. There’s also information about how to best freeze different fruits and vegetables, and some details on pressure canning low acid foods.

rhubarb syrup

Finally, the reason I think so many of you will like the book is that it’s me. It’s my voice, the same one you read here day after day. I’m always working to write about food preservation in a way that conveys the fact that it’s a joy, not a chore. That feeling ribbons throughout the book. I love joining so many of you in your kitchens through this blog and I hope I’ll get to do the same through the book.

Thanks to my kind publicist at Running Press, I have three copies of the Food in Jars (the cookbook) to give away to Food in Jars (the blog) readers. Here’s what to do:

  1. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and share your favorite kind of food in jars. Jam? Jelly? Pickles? Chutney? Canned peaches? Granola? Iced coffee? There is no wrong answer.
  2. Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Sunday, May 27, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) and will be posted to the blog on Monday, May 28, 2012.
  3. Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian readers.
  4. One entry/comment per person, please.

If you can’t bear to wait and see if you win the giveaway, you can always order a copy by clicking here: Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round.

Disclosure: I wrote this book. Running Press is providing three copies at no cost to me for this giveaway. 

 

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Recipe Reminder: Small Batch Strawberry Vanilla Jam

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Marisa

This week got away from me. On Monday, I mapped out five full days of posts in my mind and in the end, hardly managed to write a thing for this site. The combination of freelance commitments, book events and travel siphoned off my blogging time but good. Now the week is over and I’m moments away from collapse.

However, before I tumble into bed, I want to take a moment to show you that when it comes to squeezing food preservation into even the most busy days, I really and truly do practice what I preach.

smashed berries

On Wednesday, I met up with my friend Joy for an hour. We took a walk together and at the end, stopped by her neighborhood farmers’ market. I picked up a quart of strawberries, fully intending to eat them whole over the next couple of days.

They got a little beat up on my drive home and when I opened the fridge tonight (just after getting back from New York and being awake for 18 hours straight), I realized that they were not long for this world. So I did the thing I’ve so often recommended.

mixed with sugar

I plucked off their green leafy stems, packed them into a jar and smashed them with a wooden spoon (if they’re quite ripe, this is even easier than trying to chop or slice them). Eyeballing the volume in the jar, I estimated that I had about three cups of mashed berries. I added one cup of sugar and a split vanilla bean, put a lid on the jar and popped it into the fridge.

Instead of finding a rotten puddle in there tomorrow afternoon, I’ve placed those berries into temporary suspended animation and it took all of five minutes. They’ll hold happily like that until Sunday afternoon when I’ll be able to cook them down into jam. I’ll have something delicious instead of waste. A definite win in my book.

For a more organized and cohesive version of this recipe, check out this post from last spring.

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Classes and Demos: Blooming Glen Farm! Carlisle, PA! Whole Foods Market! And More!

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Marisa

spine

More and more now, copies of the book are OUT THERE. This means that it’s time for me to start getting out there too. Here are some of the places I’ll be over the next few weeks.

Thursday, May 17
I’ll be at the Glen Mills, PA Whole Foods Market (that’s this one) from 6 – 7 pm. I’m going to demonstrate how to make strawberry vanilla jam, answer questions and sign books.

Friday, May 18
I’m speaking at TECHmunch in New York City. I’m going to do a quick small batch canning demo from 12:30 – 1 pm and I’ll be around the whole day if you want to come and say hi (it looks like there are still tickets available if you’re tempted to attend).

Saturday, May 19
I’m teaching a strawberry vanilla jam class at beautiful Blooming Glen Farm in Perkasie, PA. There are still spots available in this class and I’d love to see some of you there!  Click here to register.

Wednesday, May 23
I’m spending the day in Carlisle, PA. In the morning, I’m teaching a (sold out) canning class. From 3:30 – 5 pm, I’ll be at the Farmers on the Square market doing a couple of canning demos and answering canning questions. From 5:30 -6:30, I’ll be at the Whistlestop Book Shop signing books. Big, big thanks to Christine Burns Rudalevige for orchestrating all these events!

Tuesday, May 29
You’ll find me at the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA from  7-9 pm. I’m going to do a refrigerator pickle demo and tasting and sign books. For more info, click here.

Saturday, June 2
I’ll be at my home away from home, Greensgrow Farm in Philadelphia, PA. From 12:30 – 2 pm, I’ll be on hand to sell and sign books, answer canning questions and offer you an array of pickled delights. Come on out and say hi!

Sunday, June 3
From 11 am – 1 pm, I’ll be at the Dupont Circle Farmers’ Market in Washington, D.C. It’s a canning demo and book signing and it should be lots of fun.

Monday, June 4
I’ll be at the Devon, PA Whole Foods Market from 5 – 7 pm. I’m going to demonstrate how strawberry vanilla jam again (it’s delicious and so seasonal!), answer questions and sign books.

Tuesday, June 5
I’ll be at the Callowhill, PA Whole Foods Market from 5 – 7 pm. This is my regular WFM, so I’m particularly excited to be there. Much like the other WFM events, I’m going to demonstrate how strawberry vanilla jam, answer questions and sign books.

Then I head to the west coast and things get crazy in a whole new way. I’ll round up all those events next week, so that no one misses out.

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Preserves in Action: Rhubarb Cake

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Marisa

Before I tell you about this cake, I have to take a moment to tell you all how appreciative I am for each and everyone of you out there. Thank you for all the kind comments you’ve left on my post about my cookbook jitters. Thank you for all the wonderful tweets you’ve been posting with pictures of my cookbook in your hands (truly, I can’t tell you how much I love seeing that). I can’t wait to be out on the road next month, meeting some of you and hearing how the book is fitting into your preserving life.

rhubarb preserves (June 2010)

Now, to the cake. As we all know, the spring months are prime time for rhubarb. I’ve been picking up a pound or two just about every time I see it in the market. I’ve done a couple small batches of strawberry rhubarb jam (I’ll have that small batch technique up later this week), a tiny batch of rhubarb syrup and this cake.

chopped rhubarb

It’s wildly adapted from the recipe for Rhubarb Buckle with Ginger Crumb from Rustic Fruit Desserts. I skipped the ginger crumb, used whole wheat pastry flour, added a bit less sugar and reduced the amount of butter.

To replace the missing butter, I used a generous dollop of rhubarb preserves I made in June 2010 (two years old and still mighty fine). If you don’t have some rhubarb preserves squirreled away, any other slightly runny jam, fruit butter or sauce would work. You could even cook down some additional rhubarb with a bit of sugar or honey and use that in place of the preserves.

unbaked cake

The rhubarb gets very thinly sliced and stirred into the batter at the end. The result is a cake is just barely sweet, moist from the fruit and hearty enough to feel like you could eat it for breakfast (which is exactly how I’m planning on starting my day tomorrow. I firmly believe in eating cake first thing on one’s birthday).

cake square

I added this cake to my Mother’s Day brunch this morning and we gobbled it up alongside  our scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit salad and waffles.

There’s just one thing to know about this cake. All those little chunks of rhubarb make it hard to get a clear read from a cake tester. When the bake time is up, the top should be nicely browned and it should feel quite firm when tapped. It needs to be moist, so take care.

Continue reading →

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