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.
Want to get into cheese making.. Love to can, just about anything edible.
Larkie
The kitchen project that I need to tackle is finding, building, or reconfiguring shelves to hold the results of my canning projects, as well as other non-cupboard sundries. The ones that I have now are ugly and beginning to tilt like the tower of pisa.
I need this book I’m a newbie:) and I hope to tackle starwberry jam …It’s super hard for me. Can’t get it to set?
My kitchen projects are vast, I used to make all our bread and somehow have slid on that some, I have been reading a book about artisan breads and that will be my next project 🙂
I’ve been wanting to try to make my own mustard and ketchup! I know it’s simple but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. Before this year I didn’t even know you could easily make your own.
I want to learn to Can Sauerkraut this year.A friend of mine grows Kraut Cabbage.So my Daughters and I want to Can up a bunch of Sauerkraut for the whole Family.It looks like fun.And a little bit scientific. lol
Each summer I like to try my hand at a few new recipes. This summer so far I’ve made strawberry margarita jam & baked pies in my jars. My farmer husband loves loves loves the personal pies he gets in his lunch box. A happy farmer = a happy wife!
I have a really good bottle of balsamic vinegar that my goal is to use it up by the end of the year. I don’t use this much when cooking so this will make me try something new. It’s funny because the other thing I wanted to do was organize my spices…which I just got done doing a few minutes ago! Well, they are as organized as the are going to get. Is there a perfect system out there? The book looks marvelous. Thanks!
I would like to start making my own homemade yogurt and sour kraut. I don’t have enough space for large crocks of sour kraut though. I started small with a quart jar and just used up a bunch of my kale from the garden.
My biggest kitchen project right now is cleaning out the cabinets. Been way too long! Not near as fun as canning!
I think I am addicted to canning…every time I see a recipe I have to try it. My newly renovated pantry is already pretty full for a family of 4; and it isn’t even time for tomatoes (sauce, salsa and crushed for chili) or apples. I am super excited that I now have the pantry. I look forward to continuing to experiment with many more recipes, especially with pumpkin and butternut squash.
The kitchen project I want to complete this year is THE KITCHEN. This has been the bane of my existence since we moved into this ramshackle traditional (i.e. no central heating/cooling, not plumbed for gas, ancient electric service) farmhouse three years ago.
Right now, we’re in the throes of reinforcing the load bearing wall. This is after we knocked out most of the wall, tore up some abysmal flooring (things did not improve with its removal), and re-routing the water pipes (which were run OUTSIDE the walls).
I can’t find a lot of things right now. Today’s search was for my Ball Blue Book circa 1991. That’s the one I prefer, and it’s here…. somewhere….
I want to make a few more batches of blueberry-peppercorn vodka!
I want to preserve whole figs this year, unfortunately it is so dreadfully hot in the valley right now I’ve been eating them right off the tree. Also I plan to make loufa soaps from home grown gourds and pomegranate jelly in the fall.
This books looks like it covers everything and them some. Which would be good for me since I am a newbie to canning! 🙂
My biggest kitchen project that may never get done: tiling the back splash. Otherwise, I would like to try making yogurt. I know it’s easy, but I haven’t been forced to do so since finding really good local yogurt. I’m so intrigued by the homemade cereal recipes in this book.
I want to try to make some homemade wine. I realize it’s highly possible it could be TERRIBLE, however, I want to try. My partner’s dad has an abundant grape vine, and I think I can get him to donate some to my cause, heh.
I want to learn to make sausage!
I’ve really wanted to try preserving lemons. Sounds so easy and yet I’ve never taken the time.
I am going to build a really cute book rack, out of a pallet, for all of my cookbooks to rest on an be displayed. I can’t wait, I have the perfect spot on the wall just waiting for it.
Maybe not “technically” a kitchen project, but what Im hoping to tackle next is making a cover for my kitchenaid in a really cute fabric I bought specifically for this project! (hey my kitchenaid is IN my kitchen!!)
Next up on my preserving list: mustards. We usually have a half dozen jars of various sorts in our fridge, but I’ve yet to make my own. As my husband’s on a low-sodium diet, I’m hunting for salt-free recipes.
I need to tackle going through all the cupboards in my kitchen and downsizing / organizing all of the contents. I also want to try my hand at canning….
There are so many! I am going back to work for the first time in 8 years, so my kitchen time will be less than I’ve had but I really want to make some jam and bake madelines. I missed making pickles this summer since I was getting things ready to go back to work in the classroom, so no pickles for us over the winter. :o(
I’m finally tackling canning, Tonight! I have a rhubarb strawberry jam to try out and plenty of cucumbers about to be ready from the garden for pickling this weekend. My garden and the preserving are a first me so am super excited.
I have been reading your blog for a little while now, mainly through Facebook. It is getting me ever closer to actually canning something for the first time. I know that once I do it I will be hooked and will can everything in sight but alas, the task has been daunting having never done it before. That being said, I have a huge amount of boysenberries, basil and cashews waiting for me to do boysenberry jam and basil, cashew pesto. It’s like being poised on the edge of a huge cliff, once I jump off there is no turning back….
I’d love to try more ferments than our usual yogurt and kefir!
I bought a pressure canner at an auction about a week ago and BOXES of jars. I’m anxious to try out pretty much anything with it. But on my short list right now are tomato sauce and barbeque sauce.
I have been dying to try pastrami.
Chile season begins any day now!!! I will be canning and freezing chiles and will be making salsa to can as well. Still perfecting my peppered strawberry jam for the fair as well. And it’s 100+ degrees every day which can make the kitchen battle rough some days. But I persist! 🙂
My goal is to use my pressure canner more and can meals in a jar like beans and weenies, pinto beans and baked beans. I also want to do potatoes as well.
I love to can, and have been up to my eyeballs all week with tomatoes, beans, okra and corn. I would love to win this book to learn the preserve more items.
I just started my first jug of wine. Really want to try cheesemaking next.
The big kitchen project I want to tackle this year is decluttering/downsizing. It is a HUGE project. 🙂
I had been wanting to learn how to make jam and can it- today I made my first batch of blueberry jam with my mom!
I desperately want to make homemade jam of some kind for Christmas gifts this year, along with homemade vanilla. This is virgin territory for me and I have a lot of trepidation, but I just think they would be the coolest gifts!
I have a long list in the kitchen… but am looking forward to making hot sauces once the hot peppers in my garden ripen. First thing is first though… i need to turn my box of apricots into jam this afternoon.
I’m intrigued by cheese-making. Homemade mozzarella is supposed to be easy, but I haven’t found the time for that project yet!
I have been wanting to make salsa this summer–haven’t had time for it yet!
I would love this book! Thank you for the generous giveaway!
Lisa
I never win anything in these giveaways, but hope springs eternal!
I want to try making yogurt again. My last batch didn’t turn out very well. I also have 2 bushels of peaches that I need to get canned this week. We love our peaches.
As soon as my tomatoes start rolling in, I’m going to make salsa!
I have been following your post always inspired , never seeming to find the time to actually do it, I mean can anything. Although, all inspired by your posts. But, I think actually now with the “smoke it” part I can encourage my husband to do that part (he loves to smoke things on his smoker) we can do it as a couple. And, if you have been married as long as we have (26 years) you find as a wife if your husband becomes interested in the things you are interested in they are much easier to get done and a lot more fun to accomplish together. And, you share in the deliciousness of your culinary accomplishment!!!!
I am wanting to try some candied citrus peels –maybe chocolate dipped for holiday gifts.
Looks like a great read! In addition to all the other preserving I do, I’m looking to try making kefir, hot dogs and bacon.
Would love to get another batch of kimchi started but first need to wrap up crock #1 of 2011 sauerkraut.
Chinese Plum sauce is next on my list. This is my first summer of canning and I am loving it!
I would love to make blueberry jam! I know it’s probably basic, but I have no experience with canning!
The list gets longer every day for kitchen projects, but seeing that my father in-law’s birthday is this weekend I have a good excuse to tackle the following: Guinness Cake with Irish Cream frosting. I know, it’s a popular one, but I’ve had my eye on it forever and can’t wait to make it this weekend!
I’ve been wanting to try Char Siu – Chinese roast pork. I don’t normally like pork but I’ve had some really good char siu and want to try and recreate it at home.