One of the joys of being someone who cans and preserves regularly is that I’m nearly always prepared when the need arises for a gift. During December’s gift giving season, I keep a box of summer jams and butters near the front door, ready to be distributed. I build couple-specific baskets for bridal showers and weddings.
Last summer, when I was scurrying around on book tour, I even kept a couple extra jars in my car at all times, for those moments when verbal thank yous just weren’t enough and I wanted to offer a physical representation of my appreciation.
Sometimes, even I run out of preserves good for giving (there are a number of trial batches in recipe development that, while good enough for home use, aren’t great for bestowing upon others). Other times, I just find myself out of fresh ideas. That’s when I turn to books and blogs authored by other creative folk, hoping that their various perspectives will gyrate me free from my regularly-trod paths.
The latest book to cross my transom that I’m turning to for kitchen inspiration is Lucy Baker’s Edible DIY. Initially based on the work she’s done on Serious Eats, this book is filled with candies, infused spirits, crackers, pickles, and sweet spreads that will send you hopping for the kitchen.
Recipes are arranged by type. You’ll find nibbly bits like crackers, spiced nuts, and popcorn in the Crunchy section. Boozy should be plenty self-explanatory (and goodness, do I want to try the Spiced Pear Gin pictured below). Sweet includes biscotti, marshmallows, truffles, and toffee.
The last two sections the most preserve-heavy of the book. On the savory side, there’s a strong assortment of Spicy Condiments, Pickles, and Snacks (flavored salts! pickled fennel! ginger sriracha!). Rounding out the book are the Jams, Jellies, and Other Preserves. Lucy has made tweaks to a series of reliable favorites (blueberry port jam and strawberry balsamic thyme jam, for example) which are all worthy of canning pot consideration. One recipe that I’m planning on making soon is the one for Cranberry-Champagne Jam with Crystallized Ginger (I still have a couple bags of cranberries stashed away).
One of the things I like most about this book is that it’s accessible. Not a single recipe goes on for pages (or days), making it approachable for all levels of canners, candy makers, and cracker bakers. As someone who rarely has the patience for recipes that require multiple days of fussing, I’m appreciative. That said, if you’re an expert baker/canner/sugarcrafter who is looking for a book to push your skillset to a new level, this one is probably not for you.
The maple syrup caramels with our home made syrup! I’m swooning….
I plan to do more canning this year. In my immediate future, I think I’m going to try a blood orange marmalade and your chestnut butter.
really want to try marmalade this year! Maybe even grapefruit.
My bucket list for 2013 includes canning tomatoes this summer.
Well. This year we really NEED to try canning some spaghetti sauce. I tried to do it last year – even got some wonderful sauce made, but life got in the way before it could be canned.
Can’t wait to start brewing beer again. Does that count?
This is the year I’m going to learn to home brew!
Homemade Granola and Preserved lemons. I know both are simple, I’ve just never taken the time to try them!
Strawberry jam is definitely on my list of things I’m going to try to make this year. And raspberry jam. Maybe some naan.
Top of the list is Ruby Grapefruit marmalade. If I had any cranberries left, I’d make some cranberry vodka….wondering if dried would work. Also, later this year, Purple Basil and Orange jelly. This looks like another book I will go buy, thanks for the heads up!
Oooh, there are so many things I’m wanting to try this year. I’ve just gotten into preserving over the holidays and I’m hooked!
First and foremost though I’m wanting to try your grapefruit jam. I have several in the fridge waiting for me to have some time to do it!
I think I should try something boozy this year, haven’t done it yet!
i am dreaming of trying your earl grey rhubarb jam this year. 🙂
This looks like such a delightful book! I want to make some more things in jars, even if not preserved. Probably this triple sec.
http://www.mrswheelbarrow.com/2011/01/canning-preserving-and-a-wintertime-tart/
i have been making mustards, salsas, ketchups, and many new jams, jellies, etc. this year but blueberry meyers lemon marmalade sounds like something i would eat on breae. i make marms but use them only to cook with
Now that I’ve read this post, sriracha’s on my list. It never occurred to me to try to make it myself!
I am already dreaming of things I will try this July and August when my Mangoes come in – the tree is very late and hasn’t even started to bloom, yet, unlike others in the neighborhood. I will be doing a mango, passionfruit, ginger jam for SURE this year!
Carrot cake jam! A friend made it and I haven’t gotten her recipe, but here is one I found online!
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Carrot-Cake-Jam
I have a case of oranges that I will need to do something with. These are just a few of the recipes I want to try!
https://foodinjars.com.s164546.gridserver.com/arugulapesto/2010/03/orange-jelly-recipe/
https://foodinjars.com.s164546.gridserver.com/arugulapesto/2011/03/creamsicle-jelly/
I want to make a successful marmalade this year.
I want to make homemade pasta.
I want to make my own vanilla extract this year. I have the idea stuck in my head that this year may be the year of an entirely homemade Christmas gift giving. I figure between knitting, jam and preserves, and my husband’s beer we can do it. And hopefully discovering soap-making this summer.
I plan to learn fish en papillote!
I want to unbury my slow cooker and do more week-ahead-meals, especially good hearty lentil veggie stews and lots of bean casseroley things. And most definitely slow cooker pound cake! I found the recipe here:
http://healthyslowcooking.com/2011/06/17/vegan-pound-cake-from-your-slow-cooker/
Cheers!
This year I have two goals, to never again have to panic about what to make for dinner, or what to give as a gift from my heart…. Oh, and also to master the art of making homemade pizza from scratch.
I have some organic Buddha’s Hand in the garage. I would like to make a marmalade with it.
I want to make more Indian recipes this year now that I finally have more of the right spices on hand.
I’m itching to make blueberry and meyer lemon marmalade!
I’m hoping to make mustard and Julia Child’s beef bourgignon!
I am going to try to make my own kombucha.
The chocolate-peppermint thumbprint cookies that I’ve been wanting to try for the past year! 🙂
definitely want to try these twinkie flavored cupcakes.. I never really liked twinkies, but I’ve been craving them since they’ve disappeared.. http://www.toddlindsey.com/p/food.html?recipe_id=6040667
I’m hoping to learn how to make marshmallows this year.
I want to try some more BBQ sauce.
one of my resolutions was to bake more – so I want to try more bread, etc recipes. would also love to make mustard 🙂
At the moment I am trying to find the perfect homemade bread recipe to use as a replacement for store pre-sliced bread. It’s proving a challenge. Specific recipe that I really want to try is the Chickpea Pot Pie at OAMC. Then I want to find a way to cut it down into individual pockets like I used to eat when I was a kid.
I’m going to try my hand at our own ketchup, mustard, and bbq sauce this year, and I cannot wait!
Years ago I bookmarked pistachio souffles and have never quite gotten around to making them. This year I think I’ll plan a gathering around those souffles and finally try my hand at them.
I don’t have a specific recipe, but I want to try a dairy soy free scone. I had to go off of both for my nursling and it’s tough man.
I really want to try the Tangerine Vanilla Marmalade recipe in Elizabeth Field’s Marmalade book!
How delicious! So many good things to make in those long winter months, MMM.
I love to make jams and jellies. However, I’ve not made wine jelly. I think this summer would be a great time to do so.
I love ginger, so I want to try the ginger sriracha!
This year I have a list of things to make that’s longer than a roll of Charmin, but I think I’m most excited about pressure canning veggies from my garden this year for the first time.
I want to try to make a chocolate chipotle souffle. My souffles never turn out, but the mistakes sure taste good!
I’m thinking about putting this galette on the superbowl menu:
http://casayellow.com/2013/01/16/a-galette-of-winter-greens/
I want to try to make kimchi this year.
I’d like to try fermentation that isn’t as disappointing as fermented cukes (I simply prefer vinegar brines):
http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.com/2012/09/ruby-sauerkraut.html
looking forward to trying out the chipotle ketchup! (and super excited about the strawberry watermelon rum too…)
I think those maple syrup caramels with fleur de sel you pictured just rose to the top of my recipes-to-try list!!