Marisa McClellan's Blog, page 90

Pomona’s Pectin Jam Class at The Morris Arboretum

The canning season is coming and with it, the start of my teaching year! I wanted to take a moment to point out my May 16 class at the Morris Arboretum. In this class, I’ll demonstrate how to make a low sugar batch of strawberry jam, sweetened with honey and set with Pomona’s Pectin.

This class will dig into the basics of boiling water bath canning and I’ll answer all questions you bring to the class. It’s great way to get yourself reset for the upcoming canning season.

The class costs $40 for Arboretum members and $45 for non-members and runs from 10 am to 12 noon. All participants will go home with a small jar of the jam made in class that day and I’ll also have books available for sale and signature.

Related Posts:

Upcoming Classes: Philly! Chestnut Hill! Phoenixville!
May 2015 Canning Classes
Upcoming Events: Philly, Carlisle, PA, and Harvest on Henry Festival

Giveaway: Sustainable Picnic Gear from Mighty Nest

Living in a city without even a scrape of outdoor space to call my own means that I have to be extra intentional about certain things like gardening, repainting furniture, and eating outdoors on beautiful days.

For the moment, my gardening ambitions are paused because trying to maintain a community plot during my busiest season is too much right now. To satisfy my furniture refinishing needs, I occasionally turn my living room into a painting studio (with all the windows open wide). And during the most beautiful days of the year, I pack a picnic and head for one of the many green spaces that dot Philadelphia.

I have always loved picnicking. I have many happy memories of meals eaten on beaches, in parks, and at battered tables at highway rest stops. The only problem I see with picnics is that sometimes we trade sustainability for convenience, packing disposables that we use just once before tossing them away.

In honor of Earth Day (April 22), Mighty Nest and I have teamed up to bring you some ideas for packing a more sustainable picnic (and we’re giving away a set of this fabulous gear as well. See the end of the post for more details).

The first thing to think about when you’re planning a picnic is, what’s the main event? Is the plan to keep things simple, with just sandwiches and some cut-up fruit? A few of these Bee’s Wrap sandwich wraps and a mason jar work just fine!

I often like to bring a grain salad with me on picnics for variety. These tight-sealing Lifefactory containers are a great option for toting all manner of salads, pickles, and carrot sticks. The silicone sleeves make them easy to handle and offer an added layer of protection from bumps and bangs, as well.

If you’re bring salads, you’ll need plates and forks. These stainless steel plates are indestructible and take up very little space in your picnic basket. On the utensil front, these bamboo RePEaT kits can’t be beat. They come with a fork, spoon, knife, and a pair of chopsticks for good measure. I keep at least one set in the car at all times because you just never know when you’ll want a spoon or fork handy. They also make a kids version that is scaled for small hands and mouths.

Once the meal is settled, the next question is, what we’re going to drink? Is it a hiking adventure where all we’ll want is water? If it’s an outdoor concert picnic, is wine permitted (screw tops are your friend on those nights)? Should we treat ourselves to a jug of homemade lemonade?

I’ll often pack small reusable water bottles for all picnickers, and then fill up the monster, 40 ounce Hydro Flask with some homemade iced green tea to share. Whatever the answer ends up being, having a large, insulated drink container and a few stainless steel cups to bring along is a very good idea.

The last question that arises in sustainable picnicking is how to tote your meal. A standard picnic basket is a good option if your meal is impervious to heat. However, if you want to keep things chilled, something with insulation is is the way to go. A standard cooler works well, but this soft-sided freezable bag is the best thing I’ve seen.

It folds down small so that you can keep it stashed in the freezer until you’re ready to go. Then you just unfold and pack, knowing that your lunch will stay fresh and cool for hours.

One issue that sometimes comes up with picnics that include reusable gear is what to do with the dirty dishes once you’re done eating. I like to bring a few clean dish towels (ones that already have stains are the best). I scrape our dishes off as best I can and then bundle them up in the towels before packing everything back up in our tote. Once I’m home, the dishes go in sink and the towels head for the laundry basket.

To enter the giveaway, use the widget above. You can enter until Monday, May 4. The prize includes the picnic tote, stainless steel plates and cups, the bamboo utensils, the Hydro Flask, and the Lifefactory containers you see pictured at the top of the post (valued at $150). Additionally, Mighty Nest will also donated $100 to a school of the winner’s choosing. The giveaway is open to US residents only and is void where prohibited.

I’m not the only blogger hosting a Mighty Nest Earth Day giveaway. Make sure to visit these other folks for even more chances to win!

Nourished Kitchen – Seven Piece Stainless Steel Cookware by Chantal
Momables – Glass and Stainless Food Storage Containers
Rubies and Radishes – Chemex and Glass Coffee Service

Disclosure: Mighty Nest is a Food in Jars sponsor. They provided the gear you see pictured above for photography purposes at no cost to me and they are also providing the entirety of the prize for this giveaway. All opinions expressed here are my own.

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Rosle Giveaway from Mighty Nest
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Links: Granola Bars, Roasted Cauliflower Leaves & a Winner

I’m now officially in the phase known as book crunch time. I spent most the weekend writing and plan to spend much of the next two weeks on a short tether, moving from stove to computer and back again. Please send all the creative thoughts you can spare in my general direction! Now, links!

Loved this interview with Amanda from Phickle about how she got started fermenting and why it’s important to her.
Roasted tomato spread (a great way to use up any lingered bags of tomatoes that got lost in the back of your freezer).
Raspberry and pomegranate juice jam.
Tips for streamlining your canning practice.
A ploughman’s lunch inside a grilled cheese sandwich.
My friend and occasional teaching partner Tenaya Darlington launched a fab new website recently, called Sprig & Spirit. Co-written with her brother Andre, it is devoted to “cocktails for wellbeing.”
Granola bars one and two.
An interesting piece on the history of canning.
A green, lemony tonic for spring.
Some fancy free printable labels for canning and freezing.
Roasted cauliflower leaves?! Color me intrigued.
Have you entered the Mighty Nest giveaway that Kate’s currently hosting? Get on over there and sign yourself up for some fab cleaning supplies.

The winner of last week’s Ball FreshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner Giveaway is #866/Angie W. I so loved reading all your stories of canning gear and how you process the bounty of the summer!

 

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Links: Quick Pickles, Nut Butters, and Winners
Links: Turnips, Matzo Toffee, and Winners
Links: Soups, Salads, and Winners

Cookbooks: Will It Waffle + Giveaway

I first discovered Daniel Shumski and his waffle project in early 2010. He was on a mission to waffle everything that could waffle and as an devoted waffler myself, I took an interest. I watched the blog for awhile, before sending him a quick note, asking if he might be interested in a quick guest post featuring my waffle iron collection and a few of my waffle thoughts. He was and publishing this.

Last fall, Daniel published a book called Will it Waffle that contains more than fifty wonderful things you can waffle beyond a ladle of batter. It makes me long to leap up, pull out one of my two remaining waffle irons (an old vintage model and the Calphalon Belgium version – I gave the other old chrome model to my sister) and start cooking.

This book features ways to use your waffle iron for every meal of the day. There’s waffled french toast, sausage and hash browns for breakfast, gridded grilled cheese for lunch, waffled chicken parm for dinner, as well as salad toppers, side dishes, and desserts. If you happen to have a partner who objects to your waffle maker collection, this book will help you justify their presence in delicious fashion.

(If you’re in the market for a waffle iron, The Sweethome recently updated their recommendations. They don’t rank my Calphalon model very highly, but it has served me well over the last seven years. That said, it came to me as a review unit back in my Slashfood days, and when it eventually breaks, I’ll probably replace it with a less expensive Belgium maker.)

Daniel wants to spread the waffle love and so is offering up two copies of his book for giveaway. We’ll pick one winner in the US and another for Canada, so please do mention in your comment where you live. Here’s how to enter.

Leave a comment on this post and share a story that involves a waffle.
Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Monday, April 20, 2015. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog soon thereafter.
Giveaway open to United States and Canadian residents only. Void where prohibited.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.

Disclosure: The copy of Will it Waffle that is pictured here is a review copy that Workman Publishing sent to me last fall when the book first came out and Daniel is providing copies for the giveaway. All my opinions remain my own. 

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Giveaway: Ball FreshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker
Giveaway: The Optimist Cleaning Kit
Giveaway: Glass Dharma Straws

Canning 101: White Vinegar in the Canning Pot Prevents Mineral and Metallic Deposits

I was reading through the comments on the FreshTECH Electric Canner a moment ago and saw several people mentioning their frustration with their current canners because they left spots and rough deposits on the jars. Happily, there is a way to prevent this without investing in a new canner. Pour about 1/2 cup white vinegar into your canning pot when you first set it up.

Whether the residue on the jars is minerals from hard water or particulate matter from your canning rack, adding vinegar to the water will help keep it off the jars and prevent build-up on the inside of your canner. Make it part of your canning routine this summer!

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Giveaway: Ball FreshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker

Over the last several years the Ball Canning folks have brought a handful of canning appliances to market. The first was the FreshTECH Jam and Jelly Maker in the summer of 2012. The FreshTECH Automatic Home Canning System was the thing during the 2014 canning season. And now, we have the Ball FreshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker.

This electric canner is exactly what I know a number of you have been hoping for. It’s a giant pot that has an independent element so that you can move your processing pot off your stove top and over to the counter.

It holds 8 quarts, nine pints, or a dozen regular mouth half pints (that means that if you stack them, you can process 24 quarter pint jars at once). It’s particularly great if your stove is slow to boil water or if you’ve been warned off canning on a glass top cooktop.

It has a spout on the left side of the canner, so if your kitchen is arranged in a way where you can set the canner to the right of your stove, you can drain the water directly into the sink. The canner comes with a steaming rack as well as a canning rack, so that you can use it for all your high capacity steaming needs (I could see it being perfect for tamale parties).

It can also be used as a portable cooker, so can work for large amounts of soup, chili, or even something like mulled cider. Nice if you help with community potlucks or church suppers.

I’ve now run a several batches of jars through the canner and I am happy with it. I don’t think it’s going to become my primary boiling water bath because I make a lot of small batches and it doesn’t make sense to heat up this much water for two or three pints.

However, I can see it becoming invaluable during tomato season and I’m willing to carve out some storage space to keep it handy for those heady summer days.

This canner does cost $149.99, which is a pretty penny if you already have a canning set-up you like. If you like the idea of moving your canning pot off your stove top but can’t swing that price point, there is a more affordable way to create something similar.

Get yourself an induction capable stock pot (a classic speckled canner with a flat bottom will work) and the induction burner I have (it’s just $60) and you have a canner you can run anywhere (I highly recommend outdoor canning on really hot days).

Thanks to the kind folks at Ball Canning, I have one of these gleaming FreshTECH Electric Canners to give away. Here’s how to enter.

Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your canning set-up. Are you using your grandmother’s canning pot? Do you use a stock pot with a silicone trivet? Maybe you’re in the market for a new rig. Inquiring minds want to know!
Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday, April 19, 2015.
Giveaway open to United States residents only. Void where prohibited.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.

Disclosure: The folks at Ball Canning sent me a FreshTECH Electric Canner for review and photography purposes at no cost to me. They are also providing the giveaway unit. No additional compensation was provided for this post and all opinions expressed are my own. 

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May 2015 Canning Classes

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May is coming, and with it, the official start to my 2015 teaching season. I’m not going to be teaching and demoing as much this year as I did last because I don’t have a new book out this year, and the amount I did in 2014 was more than a little insane. I am also going to be trying some new things, including a monthly live online class, so that those of you who aren’t geographically near can partake in my classes without either one of us hopping on an airplane.

Saturday, May 2 – I’ll be giving a talk and offering books for sale and signature at the Senior Adult Activities of Montgomery County’s annual brunch. Event is $40 per person. More information here. Tickets are available here.
Wednesday, May 6 – Spring Preserves with Weaver’s Way. We’ll make rhubarb jam and pickled asparagus in the kitchen at the Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting House. 7-9 pm. Click here to register.
Monday, May 11 – Quick Pickling at the Walnut Street West Free Library location. 5:30-7:30 pm. Contact the library at 215-685-7671 to sign up.
Saturday, May 16 – Preserving strawberries with honey and Pomona’s Pectin at the Morris Arboretum. 10 am – 12 noon. $40/45. Register here.
Tuesday, May 19 – Live online class through Concert Window! Class starts at 7 pm Eastern time and will finish up around 8:30 pm. Costs $20 and you can sign up here.

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Upcoming Events: Philadelphia! Short Hills, NJ! Hudson, NY!
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The Optimist Cleaning Kit Winners

Normally, I couple these winner announcements with a collection of links from around the internet. However, last week was an unusual one for me. Because I spent a large portion of it in a cabin without internet access, I didn’t manage to build up my regular list of links.

I also spent the bulk of Sunday at the Philly Farm and Food Fest, signing books, demoing, and making sure my fellow authors and presenters had all they needed. I was in bed by 8:30 last night, which was a decided departure from my regular night owl ways.

The winners in last week’s The Optimist Make Your Own Cleaning Products Kit giveaway are #179/Gene Black, #394/Anne E, and #431/GC. Big thanks to everyone who took the time to enter! And if you didn’t win but liked the looks of these kits, make sure to visit The Optimist Co.’s website and check out all the ways you can clean your house safely and effectively!

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Other People’s Preserves: Preservation Society

Other People’s Preserve is my opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the very delicious jams, pickles, and condiments being made by dedicated professionals. If you see one of these products out in the wild, consider picking up a jar, tub, or bottle!

I met Camilla Wynne, founder of Montreal’s Preservation Society when I was in Toronto last fall for Well Preserved‘s Big Outdoor Kitchen Party. I’d known her a little through various social media outlets before that, but seeing her and her gorgeous jams in person helped me understand just how much she cares about the art of preserving.

We didn’t get much of a chance to talk that day, but before the event was over, she slipped a jar of her Rhume RX into my hand. This creative preserve is made from lemons, sugar, honey, ginger, bourbon, and cayenne and is the perfect thing for days when you’re feeling a little under the weather (of course, there’s no reason not to eat it when you’re feeling just fine, too).

I’ve taken to stirring a spoonful into a mug of just-boiled water for an instant tea. It also pairs up nicely with sturdy cheese.

All of the Preservation Society products are handmade and wonderfully unique. The product line includes  jams, marmalades, pickles, and chutneys and they also take on the occasional custom order.

In addition to being a maker, Camilla is also a writer. Her preserving cookbook was first published in French, but an English language edition (with new recipes!) has just been released. I’ve not seen the English edition yet, but hope to get my hands on a copy soon.

 

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Other People’s Preserves: We Love Jam Blenheim Apricot
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Cookbooks: Fika

I have always been drawn to the coffee and tea rituals of other countries and cultures. When I was seven or eight years old, I tried to convince my mom that we should take up the practice of afternoon tea a la Great Britain (of course, I was mostly in it for the promise of cake).

So, you can understand that when I heard that a book called Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break (by Anna Brones & Johanna Kindvall) was coming out, I was all in. I pre-ordered a copy for myself, but before it shipped, a review copy from Ten Speed landed in my mail box. Within 24 hours of its arrival, I’d read it cover to cover and was dreaming about instituting my own daily fika.

Fika is the Swedish tradition of taking a daily break in which one takes the time to have a coffee (or tea, if that’s your thing) and nibble a baked good (homemade if you can manage it). As a born and bred United States person, who has been conditioned to believe that coffee is best drunk in transit or while working (as I’m doing right now), the idea of a cultural imperative that requires you stop in order to enjoy a cup and a snack hugely appeals to me.

If you also feel drawn to the idea of fika, this book will help get you oriented and ready. It begins with an introduction to fika and then proceeds to address the history of Swedish coffee. In that chapter, you’ll find also find recipes for the seven traditional fika cookies.

They’ve also included sections on modern fika treats, things to make during the summer months when time can be spent outside, fika for celebrations, and finally breads, sandwiches, and ways to turn fika into a full-fledged snack.

I marked a number of recipes to try, including the Jam Thumbprint Cookies pictured above (I love that they are more like tiny tarts than the thumbprints we’re used to), the Almond Tart on page 58, and the Quick Buns on page 70. There are also a few jam recipes tucked here and there throughout the book, and they are sensible, non-nonsense takes on preserving which I appreciate.

Instead of using photography to depict the recipes, this book relies on Johanna Kindvall’s charming illustrations. I love this element, but if you buy cookbooks for the images, this might not be the right book for you.

I predict that this is a book that I’ll keep in regular rotation, both for the approachable recipes as well as for the reminder to take step away from the phone/computer/camera/stove for a little while each day.

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