It is stunning to me how much the world of information around canning, preserving and DIY food arts has expanded in the last couple of years. When I first started this blog in early 2009, it was so easy to be familiar with the canon of books on the topic. I had them all and they took up about 18 inches of space on the bookshelf.
Then suddenly, a new wave of books started to flow onto the market. One of the best of this first round was Karen Solomon’s Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It. It offered instruction on canning, easy home dairy items and a variety of other projects that were universally welcomed by home cooks who wanted slightly more control over their food.
Karen recently published a follow-up volume called Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It that is just as delightful as her first book. It includes a handful traditional preserves, as well as instructions for homemade cereals (cornflakes! puffed rice!), miso, rice milk, smoked nuts and so much more.
For those of you who were intrigued but overwhelmed by Charcutepalooza and its many meaty challenges, you’re going to want to take a peek at the Hunt It section of the book. Karen has included a series of accessible, easy to follow recipes for corned beef, pastrami and hot dogs (as well as instructions for how to transform those hot dogs into corn dogs.
Every time I sit down with this book for more than a few minutes, I start to itch for the kitchen. The urge to cook become irresistible. My apartment has seen her Sesame Rosemary Granola, the Basic Barbecue Sauce and the Pickled Grapes (so good).
Last fall when I was in San Francisco, I got to meet Karen. We were both judges at the Good Food Awards and during a break in the tasting, she bought me a cup of coffee and we shared tales of obsessive preserving and cookbook writing. Somehow, that led to a request that I write a blurb for the book’s back cover. Entirely flattered, I was thrilled to do it.
All that said, here’s the point I really want to make. Even if I’d never known the first book, never met Karen and never spent hours pouring over a xeroxed galley copy trying to concisely say why I thought it was so good, I would still like this book. The recipes are super solid. The head notes are full of personality. And the pictures are pretty. It’s definitely a buy it, use it, love it book.
So many tomatoes this year! I tried the tomato jam without perfect success, and would love to continue moving beyond salsa into tomatoland….
Right now I am hoping and praying that I will be able to keep up with the Roma tomatoes ripening ALL AT ONCE on the 25 plants that I brought up from seed this year! I have all my canning paraphernalia strewn all over my countertops, on the floor and on the kitchen island waiting for the BIG DAY! So my kitchen project will be to can all these tomatoes and then somehow get my kitchen back in order!
Dehydrating. I finally have access to a dehydrator, but I haven’t taken the next steps yet. I don’t know where to start!
This year I want to make real (lacto-fermented) full sour pickles.
My kitchen goal is to acquire and learn to use a pressure canner. I want to be able to preserve more than just pickles!
Waiting for new canning jars to arrive and then bring on the tomatoes …you can never have too much spaghetti sauce !!
I am soooo ready to start my spaghetti sauce. I just need all those tomatoes to turn red so that I have enough. I’ve changed the recipe 4 times now so we will see what this year turns out like.
I have had a canning awakening this summer; we inherited box after box of jars from family members, for the first time, more are full than empty… and the tomatoes are just starting to ripen here in Wisconsin!
This coming my bog kitchen project is making some jams, jellies and vinaigrettes. I also need to make some red cabbage sauerkraut to be canned and hopefully can the green cabbage sauerkraut. I am always adding to my to do lists and want to do lists from this blogs, other blogs and many books I find.
Would love this book to add to my collections and to my many projects.
This is sooo crazy!! I picked blueberries today and was looking on-line for a ,moist blueberry cake recipe and was thinking of trying to make jam and one of the links led me here! Tomorrow i’m going to make the jam!! Tonight i’m going to read thru your site!! I’m sooo excited!!
The photographs reminded me I have been meaning to make some soft pretzels…
More tomatoes! Every spring I regret not canning more tomatoes… this summer I have vowed to have a bigger collection so I need to buy fewer cans at the store. We’ll see if that happens… 🙂
I have never tried to can my own pickles but I’d really like to some day.
I love to try going beyond hot water bath canning by trying out some pressure canning (still gotta get one of those!) and dehydrating.
I want to repaint my kitchen a brighter shade of yellow.
I’ve been itching to make some fruity syrups, inspired by your recent series. Thanks!
I have 40 pounds of peaches that i need to put up this week!
So many kitchen projects that need completing, however, the ones relating to cooking/canning are pickles & jelly. I’ve even scouted out & purchased the best flour sack towels to use to strain my fruit & can’t wait to take it on 🙂
this book looks fabulous! i love her 1st book. my next project is blueberry lemongrass syrup & the recipe for nectarine rosemary jam you posted. yum!
sorry, apricot rosemary jam!
I really need to tackle my pantry. I need to go through & clean out old stuff so I have room for all the jars of things I’ve been canning this summer.
I need a giant pantry for all my canning!!!!!!!! Plus, have 35 tomato bushes…….they are calling my name………….
Haven’t stopped thinking about the variations on peach butter I want to make! The first batch is in the slow cooker now, batch 2 will have to wait until tomorrow.
I want to graduate from making my own ricotta to mozzarella!
I keep intending to make cheese with the kit my sister gave me.
I’m hoping to tackle an afternoon of fried pies with Dad’s crust recipe and Mom’s fillings. Growing up, if we made pie we always made extra crust and turned the leftovers into sweet and savory mini fried pies. I’m hoping to recapture some of the magic of those afternoons!
I want to add more cabinets where my stove is and install an island range top. Maybe one 🙂
Oh I hope I win!!!! I would love to tackle homemade cereals. I looked into it when my son was a baby and starting rice cereal but it seems way to above my skills. I haven’t picked it back up but would LOVE too have a book for that!!!!! I am sure everything else in the book I would like to try also!
I’m ready to make some strawberry jam!
I’ve been meaning to tackle a homemade cola syrup for weeks now. I think I’m afraid of how good it will turn out and the possible addiction to follow!
I want to make homemade salt water taffy. I have been looking at the recipe for weeks and just can’t get the courage to jump in.
I’d like to try making some cheese. Maybe mozzarella. 🙂
Homebrewing an IPA.
The kitchen project I need to tackle is THE KITCHEN! I’m in serious need of an organizing tips for small space. HELP!
The one gadget we have that I have still not tried is the pasta maker attachment for the KitchenAid. It has three parts, for rolling and cutting. Finally got some semolina flour, so it’s just a matter of time now…
I have been wanted to learn how to smoke fish. This book looks PERFECT for my next kitchen project.
My upcoming kitchen project is tomato sauce. At the moment the tomatoes are growing in the garden, and I plan to can enough to last the winter.
Kitchen project: make mustard, found a couple of easy recipes that I want to try. Homemade mustard will make a great gift for people who appreciate a good sandwich, everyone in my family.
My next kitchen project is the Apricot Rosemary Jam, and it begins in about 5 minutes! Since discovering Marisa’s blog just one short week ago, I have made the refrigerator dills, Breakfast in a Jar, Asian Inspired Pickles, Unfancy Jalapenos (I used banana peppers), AND ordered (and received!) my first batch of vanilla beans from vanillausa.com. HOW IS THAT FOR OBSESSED?
I’m itching to make more jam!
I’m hoping to master 2-3 soups via my new pressure canner.
I have been wanting to try to make and can my own salsa. I’ve done freezer versions in the past but i’d like to actually make and store it out of the freezer where i have more space.
I’m planning to start a small indoor herb garden soon. Just a few small pots with our most loved herbs.
For awhile now, I’ve been thinking about making an all homemade (and local) reuben sandwich. I’ve even grown caraway, so I love to try Karen’s corned beef recipe. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’ve been eyeing this book since Spring! I plan to tackle all sorts of dairy projects, starting with goat cheese and ricotta.
I have canned by water bath for years and this summer ventured into pressure canning. I would like to learn to can chili and soups. I want to be able to walk to my pantry and be well stocked with home canned wholesome food.
My next kitchen project is canning some local peaches next weekend!
At a family reunion a few years back I had some delicious homemade blueberry vodka. I’d love to try making my own flavored vodkas. What a special treat that’d be as a gift too! I better start now for Christmas!
My latest project is to rennovate my kitchen from top to bottom. I have a great start, the floors are beautiful and the cabinetry is gorgeous, but I have to find a way to store all of the things I use and love while choosing a color for the walls and decor I also can’t live without.
Right now I am dreaming of making some jalapeno jelly for dipping texas eggrolls in.
I’ve been wanting to learn to make pickles, do a bit of canning and freezing for the winter, and learn to use my dehydrator.