Putting Up More by Stephen Palmer Dowdney is an excellent canning cookbook for those who want to push the boat out and explore a world of preserving projects that are outside the typical array of recipes.
Stephen Palmer Dowdney’s first book, Putting Up
While walking by the Cookbook Stall at Reading Terminal Market about a week ago, I happened to spot Putting Up More
One of the things that makes Dowdney’s books stand out in the pack of canning volumes is the perspective from which he writes. He owned a commercial canning operation for more than 10 years and so isn’t as tethered to the home canning practices to which we all cleave. He sterilizes his jars in a bleach solution instead of a canning pot or dishwasher, utilizes the inversion method for sealing, skips a processing step for hot pack recipes and even gives you the intellectual tools necessary to check the pH levels of your goods.
Though he doesn’t specifically say it, his instructions on how to test acidity and how to adjust to bring your goods into a safe range is the information so many of us have been looking for. As long as you’re willing to follow his directions (to the letter), this technique will finally set you free from the confines of tested recipes. If this sounds appealing to you, I recommend that you get your hands on both Putting Up
He includes a section of canning notes in each recipe, which details whether the recipe is one that will need to have its acid levels tested, what the yield will be, his recommendation for jar size (a hugely helpful bit) and whether the recipe can be safely increased or decreased. Dowdney has also taken a great deal of time to offer up suggestions on how to use and serve each recipe. For those of you who make things and then question what the heck to do with them, this is fantastic.
Other high points of this book include the safe for canning soups (including butternut squash, which I imagine will make some USDA canners devotees freak out), an entire section devoted to products made from hot peppers and an eggplant chutney that sounds incredible. As soon as the eggplant, peppers and summer squash are in season, I’m making it.
Because I think they’re excellent books, I’m giving away the pair of Putting Up
In totally other news, I just started another year of a photo a day over on my other blog, Apartment 2024 (I used my birthday as the start). If you’re curious about what else happens in my life, feel free to take a peek. Recently, I drank a really tasty glass of iced coffee with condensed milk, voted in my local primary election and took a day trip to New Hope courtesy of Chevy.
I am planning on preserving whatever I can this year, for the first time ever. I’m a Newbie and have lots to learn!
I can’t wait to make raspberry jam from the berries in my garden.
I’m having visions of homegrown tomatoes going into jars. Now just have to get those plants planted…
I can’t wait to make salsa and try a new pineapple recipe I just got!
Im missing being in India..mangoes are in full season this time…And i love all sorts of jams and pickles of mangoes which we make for the full year and also small jars for friends 🙂
Hi! I’m a new reader and new to the world of canning. I’ve only made small pickle and jam batches, but I’m so interested in canning soups and salsas. I didn’t even know you could do that! I get a CSA, so really I’m interested in canning just about everything that comes my way- and it’s always a surprise!
So looking forward to turning the Tavera beans in my garden into dilly beans. The books look like my new must haves!
the first rhubarb jam is always awesome, but i’m really looking forward to pickles–we’ve eaten everything from last year long since. more pickles this year for sure!
Looking forward to canning some strawberries
I love canning and I can’t wait to try something NEW this summer!!! I hope I win so I can find some new recipes!
I just found your blog, I love it!! I am looking forward to canning EVERYTHING this summer!!! I love canning applesauce, jelly/jams and want to learn much more about canning other new things to love!
I am looking forward to canning some meat, beans and ready-to-eat meals this summer, along with my usual jams, tomatoes, vegies, fruits, etc. I’d love to win!
There are so many things I’m looking forward to putting up this year but mostly, I think it has to be the garden medley mix. It reminds me of when we were kids and my mom told my sisters and I that the cauliflower and broccoli were “little trees”.
I am so looking forward to making some hot salsa this year. Last year we did not get a good crop of tomatoes so no salsa was made. Although I am sad to report that storms yesterday had hail in them that did alot of damage to my tomato plants so as soon as it is dry enough I will have to replant. Thank you for the chance to win this very interesting sounding book.
This year I most looking forward to canning everything! this is my first year and I am hoping to put back about 200 jars this year mostly tomatoes, pickles and peppers
Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes and maybe some tomato chutney. 🙂
This isn’t VERY exciting, but I have a goal of canning all the tomatoes I will need for the whole winter this summer. We’ve had some bad tomato seasons the last few years, but I am going to try my best anyway!
I’m looking forward to making orange marmalade. It’s been a favorite of mine since childhood.
This year I’m looking forward to making (much) more tomato sauce and trying some new things.
Strawberry jam! Here in socal you can’t go a mile without passing a strawberry stand
Pizza sauce! It’s killing me to not have home canned pizza fixings in the cupboard!
Apricot jam! I didn’t get to it last summer but I am determined to make some as soon as apricot season starts this year.
I am going to be farming in California this summer, so I am excited to can pretty much anything they have. It looks like there is a lot of good watermelon on the farm, so maybe watermelon rind!
I live in Newfoundland, so our summer is a bit delayed, but I’m really looking forward to pickling/canning garlic scapes. IMO, they’re the best treat ever.
Thanks for the giveaway! I’m looking forward to making a new kind of jam — what kind it is will be determined by what fruit is abundant and delicious.
This summer, I am looking forward to experimenting with BBQ sauces. I am intrigued by what SPD has to say about pH. I teach lab science and am bringing home some pH probes for the summer to do my own tests.
I don’t know if I’m most looking forward to rhubarb butter or my sour cherry/plum cross coming into fruit big time this year. Last year I got 4 half pints from two whole trees. This year should be good!!
canned peaches!! made my winter oatmeal so amazing.
Looking forward to tackling some antipasto and some rhubarb…..and salsa..yummy, sexy salsa from fresh Ontario produce……
I’ve no idea what I’m going to can this summer because I’ve never done it before! But I think I’m going to start with something like a tomato chutney with tomatoes from my garden. Thank you for offering this giveaway!
I don’t do a lot of canning (yet)… but sometime this summer I need to make spicy pickles!
Apricot jams. I have always had unreliable results with my consistancy with apricot, but last Christmas finally got some apricot pomegranate jelly that turned out fantastic. So I am excited to try some more apricot mixes. These books look so interesting. Thanks for the giveaway.
I am looking forward to trying pickles and preserves. Thanks for sharing about these books. Great information. Thanks
I want to give chutney a try this year. In the past I’ve stuck to basics like tomatoes, and dill pickles. Looking forward to expanding my repertoire.
What am I looking forward to canning? Figs, figs and more figs.
(And maybe some peach pie filling.)
These books sound like exactly the inspiration to creativity that I’ve been looking for!
I am so excited to make blueberry syrup this year! These books sound amazing!
This is going to be my first year canning and I think I am going to start with pickled asparagus! Just like you.
I’m new at pressure canning and exspanding in water bathing.
I love your blog you have given me so many new ideas.
This summer my plans are to can green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, corn, and many more of my garden goodies.
What I’m really looking forward to canning is Zucchini Salsa.
I love growing zucchini, so finding new ways to use it excites me.
Thanks for your wonderful blog.
i am lucky to have 5 grape vines,I put up 20 jars of jelly last year. I thought that would plenty,it wasn’t, so many people wanted it. so that,more strawberry, and Hot Pepper jelly, love that stuff!
I’m most looking forward to spicy dill beans. Unoriginal I know, as I’m sure they were in the very first Ball Blue Book – but they remind me of summers with my Grandma so I always enjoy making them.
I want to try canning lemon cucumbers from my back yard garden!
I want to can soup too! Plus, I’m waiting patiently for the strawberries to come in to make strawberry balsamic jam. Yum!
Oh, goodness, I can only pick one thing? I’m looking forward to making tomato sauce I think. Pickles, apple and pear sauces and butters, barbecue relish… the list grows every year. Yum. Oh, and vinegar peppers. Yum yum yum.
These books look amazing! Mostly looking forward to jam, hoping to try some more unusual combinations, so looking for inspiration.
This summer will be chutneys to go with curry!
I am looking forward to trying a whole bunch of new recipes with my new pressure canner. Looking forward to some good soup recipes.
I have a corn relish I would like to try. I almost killed some folks with some last year. I had foolishly started to can before I read about PH level
I am most looking forward to our tomatoes. We already have a ton that have been ready and right now I am processing my first batch using your whole tomato recipe. SO excited to really get into the height of the season.
After reading this blog and others, I am excited about putting up/canning a variety of things from my garden (i.e. tomatoes, okra, pickles, green beans, corn, etc.) I have learned a lot and look forward to filling my new empty jars and applying some of this blog knowledge and inspiration! Thanks for sharing so much with the rest of us!
Tomatoes. Mostly tomato quarters, cold-packed. A little salt. Enough to last the winter.