Author Spotlight: Marisa McClellan’s Preserving by the Pint + Giveway
Last year I interviewed Marisa McClellan about her debut cookbook, Food in Jars, based on her blog of the same name. This year I am pleased (and so impressed!) to be showcasing her newest book, Preserving by the Pint: Quick Seasonal Canning for Small Spaces. Yes, you read that correctly, the goddess of preserving managed to produce two terrific canning books in the span of as many years. Wowza – that is a lot of canning, my friends! What I love about this book is that she really hits the nail on the head for those of us who might want to just make a quick pint or two of a new jam or chutney. She provides delicious and manageable solutions for canning an array of produce without it turning into a day-long (or more) sticky canning journey. It couldn’t be more brilliant! And did I mention the recipes span from sweet to savory and everything in between? She really covers all the seasons and all the produce that fit in them. Here is more about the book and our little chat:
TNC: I love that you finally acknowledged that canning can be done in small batches. Everything things of it as such a big project! How was it to test all these small batch recipes this time around?
MM: After doing much larger batches for my first book, it was such a delight to work on a smaller scale for this book. Everything in this book is quick to prep and cooks up in no time at all, which was a huge asset in testing and it is a boon to people who use the recipes in their home kitchens as well.
TNC: You have such a great array of recipes from savory to sweet. What inspires you as you develop these new flavors?
MM: I am so happy to hear that you like the range of recipes! I love the work of mixing and matching different fruits and vegetables with complementary flavors. I’m not sure where the inspiration comes from, beyond staring up at my spice rack and wondering what might taste good with the pile of apricots or plums sitting in my kitchen. There’s a lot of trial and error and it’s such a joy when something works.
TNC: What is one of your favorite recipes? Where there any surprises that came about as you were testing? Sometimes mistakes can turn into great flavor discoveries.
MM: One of my favorite recipes in the book is the Pear Caramel. I was so excited when I discovered that it was possible to make satisfying caramel sauces using fruit purees instead of cream and butter, because that makes them safe for canning. What’s more, it can go places that regular caramel sauces don’t necessarily work, like on a cheese plate. It’s really one of my favorite things.
TNC: How quickly does food rotate through your canning pantry? Do you find that jars hang out for a while, or do you eat them all up right way?
MM: Things don’t actually rotate through my pantry all that quickly. First of all, I make a whole heck of a lot as I move through the recipe testing process. Second, I’m the only one in my household who eats fruit based preserves or pickled (my husband isn’t interested in either) and so the progress is often slow. However, I give away a lot to my friends, family, and neighbors, so everyone in my community benefits.
TNC: This is a great book for beginners and city dwellers. If you had any advice to share on the best ways to get started what would it be?
MM: I think that people need to remember that you don’t actually have to can something in order to preserve. The yields in this book are small enough that you can make something and just pop the results in the fridge. That way even those readers who are intimidated by boiling water bath canning can still try their hand at jam making, pickling, and more.
TNC: I know so many people who love your books. What is next for Food in Jars?
MM: Right now, my focus is squarely on promoting this new and trying to get into as many hands and kitchens as possible while still also keeping the blog full of good, interesting new content. I do hope to do another book, but that’s still a ways down the pike.
TNC: Thanks, Marisa!
To kick-off your preserving season with a copy of your very own here is how you can enter to win:
1) Leave a comment sharing your favorite preserved food to eat…it can be a jam, chutney, or whatever you like!
My favorite and most used of my canning efforts is spiced cranberry sauce. We eat it all year round and I LOVE the added flavor from the spices. It was from reading Marissa’s blog that I started experiments with spices in my canning. I would love to win her newest cookbook. With Warmest Aloha, April
My absolute favorite is orange marmalade! I can eat it on whole grain bread or ice cream. Just the best. Then there are homemade pickles……don’t get me started 🙂
My favorite canned item is mix of peppers that a friend of mine makes. He takes different kinds of peppers from his garden and mixes them with spices, oils, and other veggies, and oh my gosh, is it good!
The first year I attempted canning, I was putting up applesauce, apple butter, and spiced apples. Then it occurred to me that I could make jelly using the juice that drained off the cooked apples when I put them in the chinois before mashing them into applesauce. The jelly was like magic–gorgeous red from the apple peels, set from the natural pectin in the apples, and full of flavor. Apple jelly is still my favorite.
I’m not sure if you sent out a newsletter Friday or not. It turns out that yahoo has made changes & doesn’t deliver some e-mails from blogs (doesn’t even deliver them…not even to spam) So if you did, wasn’t able to see the announcement. Thanks
I love my mom’s strawberry rhubarb jam!
I follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook!
Love strawberry jam
I love home grown canned tomatoes.
Karen Goodwin Delaney follows you on Facebook
I love rhubarb jam!
I love strawberry fig jam!
I follow you on face book 🙂
I loved Marissa’s first book and can’t wait to read the new one
I love any type of jam, my fav is Marissa’s Strawberry Vanilla Jam.
Thanks,
mollie
I love anything pickled and have Marissa’s first book, which is a preserved gem!!!
thanks,
My favorite and most used of my canning efforts is spiced cranberry sauce. We eat it all year round and I LOVE the added flavor from the spices. It was from reading Marissa’s blog that I started experiments with spices in my canning. I would love to win her newest cookbook. With Warmest Aloha, April
I love strawberry preserves!
I love to make tea-infused jams! 🙂 my fave is apricot and earl grey!
I subscribe to KB on FB 🙂
I love kiwi jam, especially on lamb!
I follow you on Facebook!
Triple fruit jam….yum 🙂
I love homemade jams and dill pickles too
My absolute favorite is orange marmalade! I can eat it on whole grain bread or ice cream. Just the best. Then there are homemade pickles……don’t get me started 🙂
My favorite canned item is mix of peppers that a friend of mine makes. He takes different kinds of peppers from his garden and mixes them with spices, oils, and other veggies, and oh my gosh, is it good!
I follow you on Facebook…
I make a mean mango chutney.
The first year I attempted canning, I was putting up applesauce, apple butter, and spiced apples. Then it occurred to me that I could make jelly using the juice that drained off the cooked apples when I put them in the chinois before mashing them into applesauce. The jelly was like magic–gorgeous red from the apple peels, set from the natural pectin in the apples, and full of flavor. Apple jelly is still my favorite.
Oh, and I do follow you on Facebook.
I’m not sure if you sent out a newsletter Friday or not. It turns out that yahoo has made changes & doesn’t deliver some e-mails from blogs (doesn’t even deliver them…not even to spam) So if you did, wasn’t able to see the announcement. Thanks
I was wondering why I never got the newsletter. I was looking everywhere in my email for it, too. Thanks for sharing this
Thanks for sharing really awesome and informative blog especially for the food lovers and professional chef
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