On first glance, The Little Book of Home Preserving might not catch your eye. It’s a tiny book (truly, no bigger than the size of my hand) and could easily get lost in a larger display. However, missing this book would be a huge mistake. Written and photographed by Rebecca Gagnon (author of the blog CakeWalk), it is bursting with interesting, creative recipes.
For a little book, this volume packs a serious punch. It opens with the basics of preserving, including safety tips, the equipment you’ll need to get started canning, and even instructions on how to strain whey from yogurt in order to follow the lacto-fermentation recipes in the book. Rebecca also touches on the inherent art of making preserves, which is a section I particularly like and relate to.
Once you get into the meat of the book, you see that it’s organized by season. I’m hoping against hope that my CSA will still have a few ground cherries left next week so that I can make a batch of the Citrus Chai Ground Cherry Preserves. I’ve also got my sights set on the Grapefruit Jam with Vanilla and Poppy Seed (the picture of that one in preserve is so gorgeous).
Rebecca sent me an extra copy of her book to share with one of my readers, so we’re having a super special weekend long giveaway. One lucky person will win a copy. However, no matter whether you win or not, I highly suggest picking up a copy. It’s size makes it perfect for slipping into Christmas stockings and at $6.57 on Amazon
Here’s how to enter:
- Leave a comment on this post and share what you’re preserving this weekend.
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Sunday, October 13, 2013. Winners will be chosen at random (using random.org) and will be posted on Monday, October 14, 2013.
- Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.
Trying to use up the last of the green tomatoes from the garden before it decides to bring the first frost of the season here in Oregon. Got the food dryer full of walnuts as well!
This weekend I’m going to try pickling carrots. It’ll be my first time pickling anything! Thanks for inspiring me.
Won’t have a chance to make jam this weekend but on Tuesday there are plans for Cranberry Horseradish and Pumpkin Butter.
I will be cutting and drying the last of the herbs this weekend and saucing up some apples!
I am still canning broth this weekend. With two turkey carcasses and 7 old hens, it takes a while between the cooking and canning. But, I love having jars full and ready to go!
I’d love to check out this book!
Applesauce! Its such a great item to have in the pantry. Not only do I eat it regularly, but its a great sweetener and oil substitute.
I’m off to pick apples, so applesauce and apple cider vinegar are on my radar.
Pears……something with pears….either pear vanilla jam or pear ginger jam….yum!
Red Cabbage
Oops this is a double entry by mistake.
I am making tomato sauce this weekend 🙂
I’m not preserving this weekend…but Monday I’m pickling cauliflower and then later this week I’m making a fig jam! I LOVE the idea of a “little” book…..I carry some of mine to the farmers market!
BTW – I was in my local World Market and saw YOUR book (I already have a well used/well loved copy)! Congratulations!
Apples, Apples, Apples! love em. I will be making apple butter
Last night I canned nine quarts of tomato sauce. There are two large bags of apples waiting in the basement. I hope to make and can a few pints of applesauce tomorrow.
Spiced and plain beet pickles are on the agenda for this weekend, but that is all since this is also Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and I have a houseful! Love those shelves of shiny, jewel-toned jars in the pantry. 🙂
I want to can something with chipotle peppers that I have leftover from a raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce I made earlier this week. I am leaning towards a salsa, or perhaps some sort of apple-chipotle bbq sauce if I can find a recipe to tweak.
This week I made a green cherry tomato chutney. I am not thrilled about it, but I want to give it some time for the flavors to meld together.
Not this weekend, but next my wife and I will be getting apple for apple sauce.
I’ll be dehydrating apple slices with cinnamon & sugar on them. Makes for great snacking!
I won’t be canning this weekend because we are moving to a new state. But, I have been wanting to try my hand at pie fillings.
This weekend we’re doing hot pepper jam – my absolute favorite! And I’m going on a hunt for the last ears of sweet corn at the farmer’s market to make relish.
For beginners in canning, my daughter and I have done well this season, now on to apples this weekend. Pie filling and applesauce, but will be looking outside the box for the future.
Something yummy with pears -I bought so many!!
We’re almost out of applesauce, so will gather the various & sundry apples in the fridge for a new batch. Also, eggplant salsa is waiting to be done,
I have an abundance of carrots for some reason right now. So, I was thinking of making up some carrot cake jam to give away at Christmas!
This weekend is perfect to make carrot cake jam! I also want to start making some candy apple jelly to get a jump start on Christmas gifts! Happy canning y’all!
Hi ! I will be making pickled apples and orange cranberry chutney!
Applesauce! (and having read the comments, maybe caramel apple butter — sounds delish…)
Applesauce
Just finished a sour cherry jam that I canned from cherries I picked with my Mom, who passed away. Her best friend and I dug them out of the freezer from a year ago and canned a yummy, sweet preserve. This book is too cute!
We had a very late snow here in the spring, and now an early first frost. We never imagined that we’d have so many green tomatoes to bring in. I will be canning pint after pint of salsa verde!
No preserving this weekend, working! Would love to win the book
I’m gonna preserve my wild apples in probably applesauce!!!
I hope to be making some grape jelly and some applesauce. We will see what the farm market still has left today
30 quarts of applesauce!!!
Alas, I have a busy weekend with no time for canning, so the only thing I will be trying to preserve is my sanity.
I will can tomato soup. Have a few tomatoes left. Garden is just about gone. Can’t wait till the persimmons on my brother’s tree are ready.
Apples! Apple pie filling, applesauce, apple butter 🙂
Maybe some caramel apple jam this weekend. If we haven’t eaten all the apples fresh, that is.
at the moment I’m cooking apples to make and can some Caramel Apple Butter
Thank you for this opportunity as I would luv to win this book
ColleenB.
Spiced Apple Rings!
I’m taking a bit of a preserving break this weekend, but I will be pulling out all of my basil and blending it with oil to freeze for the winter.
Apple butter!
Oo, that came in under my radar, thanks for mentioning it.
No canning/preserving this weekend – just trying to make it through the kid’s last fall sports weekend of the season.
Salsas!! Yummy all kinds and maybe some Apple Butter.
I won’t be preserving this weekend but the last thing I canned was local apples made into apple butter. Love fall!!!
Canning pickled wild mushrooms this weekend. Matsutakes with hot pepper.
Apples, apples, Apples!
Pumpkin butter!
I’ll be making a big batch of applesauce to can!
I’m making green tomato chutney, inspired by your last post! This little book would be a lovely addition to my canning resources, and one I’d love to recommend to students in my preserving classes! Thanks!
I will be finishing up my tomatoes by making salsa.
I’m drying thai peppers. Love their heat! If I have time (HA! Sleepover with little boys! No time!) I’ve an apple tree bursting with apples that need dealing with in some manner.
Apples – probably applesauce. Also going to a harvest swap at one of my favorite farms in the area this weekend. Looking forward to seeing where my okra grows.
First stop: local orchard to pick apples and then on to spiced applesauce!
I will be making apple pie filling and freezing apple crisps. My dad loves apple crisp, now he will be able to have it anytime he wants it!
I’ll be making roasted tomato soup!!
Friends are going apple picking and bringing me apples. My plan is to make apple butter on Sunday while friends and family are here watching the Eagles. We will be serving pigs in a blanket at half time with home made sweet pickle relish.
am working on the quince recipe….. used the juice for jelly and the fiber is trying to be membrillo…… every year is a different method with various success…. this time looks hopeful…… thank for the opportunity…..
s cree
I’m canning marinara sauce, dilly beans and trying your chocolate pear jam!
I’m making some grape jam, applesauce and tomato chutney!
This weekend’s projects are small batches of whole tomatoes, heirloom tomato salsa and roasted tomatillo salsa.
Blackberry and apple jam. Then maybe some apple sauce depending on how many apples we pick.
apple jelly with cinnamon and applesauce
Canning applesauce this weekend.
I’m making cranberry jam!
I am a novice at canning and what I have been doing, am loving! I dippled in the world of canning a few years back, but, I just never got hooked until a couple of years ago. I am doing pear jelly, spiced pear jelly, and apple jelly. YUM! I am definitely going to have to buy this book!
Pear cranberry conserve, pear cranberry jam, and ginger pear jam from Preserving With Pomona’s Pectin.
meatballs.
I realized this week that I do not have enough salsa for my family. We only have one jar left right now! I would like to find some fall tomatoes and can salsa.
I will be canning chicken wing sauce from the ball book!
It is apple weekend! I would like to try some apple pie filling.
Applesauce!!
Making applesauce using your recipe from Food in Jars…my favorite. 🙂
I will be canning grape jelly and applesauce!
This weekend I am making pepper hash and canning it and also canning some of my garden tomatoes. I’ve been a canning fool all summer! Seems like I’ve canned every weekend:-)
I just finished 21 pints of Maple Vanilla Applesauce. Yum!!!
I have no specific plans this weekend. I’ll just have to see what showing at the market.
I am a beginner of canning and just ordered the vintage ball canning jars on amazon last month. Have been looking at what to make in them (apple butter) saw your post on facebook and now i will be crossing my fingers hoping i win this wonderful and very needed book. 🙂
34 half pints of apple pie in a jar, its great on anything!
I’ll be making my way through 120 lbs of apples… sauce, butter, slices, dried, and cider!
Today I am going to can pie pumpkins and sweet potatoes.I am planning on doing apple butter next.Love them all and hate buying food in cans
So cute!! I love it!
I wish I could preserve something this weekend, but I don’t think I will. In another universe, I’d be making some of that persimmon-vanilla jam.
Sadly no preserving this weekend…working instead, but that persimmon vanilla jam recipe will the the reason I buy the book!
I won’t know what I’m canning until I go to the farmer’s market later today!
I’m preserving the spirit of fall by spending the day outside with four great kids, soaking up all the sunshine we can
I’ll be canning pickles this weekend!
I am preserving apples and pears from my friend’s trees! Nothing like free food to preserve!
This weekend is all about pickles…green beans, cauliflower & beets. All recipes from Saving the Season by Kevin West
First let me say how happy I am that your contest includes Canadian residents!!! YAY!!
I am working my way through your book and this weekend I have made the pickled daikon radish and carrot coins. I have also made the pickled cauliflower and I am looking forward to cracking that open this weekend to share with family.
This week I canned Pear Jelly, Jalapeno Pear Jam and I am planning to make Pepper Pear Jelly this weekend.
Would love to learn how to do this!
Fairly new to canning – enjoyed all the opportunities from summer, interested to see what I can do in the winter.
preserving this weekend will at least involve apples, as we’re going apple picking with my nephews. apple sauce, apple butter, and dried apple rings in the dehydrator. possibly concord grape butter, and maybe crab apple jelly/butter, quince butter and membrillo, and something with green tomatoes. and here i thought the canning season was winding down. 🙂
Apple butter
Pickled cauliflower!
Just canned two quarts of bite size cut up pears to keep in fridge
to eat with cottage cheese for snacks.
I’m making p
I need to preserve some greens–I’ve got kale and mustard greens galore. Whether I will actually get time to do that however is another matter. I probably will be preserving them on Monday because this weekend is just too busy.
Applesauce from Nothern Spy apples.