It's coming up on that time of year when I start to display an uncharacteristic generous streak. Yes, I have a few giveaways planned starting today. Of course, I'd love to raffle off a copy of my own book, but you won't want it in the condition that it's in right now, all marked up with edits. It should probably be printed on paper without pizza stains and maybe have the swears deleted. Some photographs might be nice, too. Let us gussy it up for you first!
Instead, I'd like to show you another book produced by my publisher earlier this year. It's Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan. You may know her from her great canning blog by the same name. Not surprisingly, it's about all the pretty seasonal things you can put in jars. Lest you think there's nothing left to can at this time of year, that I'm a little bit late as usual, may I direct you to the recipes for slow-cooker pear butter, cranberry conserve, apple pumpkin butter, sweet and sour pickled red onions, and gingery pickled beets. Oh, there's plenty, including handmade gift ideas like maple pecan granola, rosemary salt, and homemade cake mixes in jars.
I admire this book not just because of the recipes and the accessible writing style, but also because of how attractive it is. I just love the jacketless cover, the gorgeous photos of jams dripping all over the place, the nice, thick paper. Will my cookbook end up looking like this, I wonder? Holy crap, I hope so!!
Running Press is giving away one copy of Food in Jars to be raffled off to a special someone. (And, no, my publisher did not ask me to post this. You know I don't like to do anything people tell me to do. Just ask Husband.) To be entered, leave a comment on this post about food or jars or whatever you want. I'm not being picky today. If you've recipe-tested for my book, you get to enter twice to double your chances (submit two separate comments or the random number generator will only count you once). The contest will close on Sunday 11/18 at 10 p.m. EST. Have at it!
I'm putting a canning pot/set on my wish list for Christmas (maybe I can get my mother to buy it for me). This book would be fabulous to get along with it!!
Posted by: Amy Ayers | November 13, 2012 at 09:44 PM
Oh, I'd like to branch out from my limited preserving experiments! Pumpkin apple butter sounds like a good place to start. I have the pumpkin, the jars and the canner--now I just need the recipe!
Posted by: Melissa | November 13, 2012 at 10:09 PM
would love a copy to experiment more!
Posted by: christina | November 14, 2012 at 12:25 AM
Hooray, giveaways! I just moved into a house with an amazing kitchen, so I finally have room to can. (I also have a vintage O'Keefe & Merritt oven that's in perfect working condition & looms brand new). Yep, I'm in heaven.
Posted by: Katie | November 14, 2012 at 01:05 AM
I would so love to have this book. I've got basic canning down, but am oddly intimidated by the concept of small batch canning.
Posted by: pennifer | November 14, 2012 at 01:21 AM
Oh excellent :) I would love to have a go at canning - so far I have only done jam, and flavoured gin (sloe gin!).
Posted by: Maria | November 14, 2012 at 06:04 AM
Plus, I get to double my chances because I recipe-tested for you? Tammie, that is a win-win - I *loved* recipe testing for you (I only did one, but it was TASTY).
So here's to canning. hmmm. I need to find a word in the UK which people recognise for canning... preserving p'raps?
Posted by: Maria | November 14, 2012 at 06:06 AM
I'm a novice at this, but would love to learn more from this beautiful book.
Posted by: Tina | November 14, 2012 at 06:15 AM
I love Marisa's blog and would love to have a crack at more of her recipes! Fingers crossed!
Posted by: Kellilu | November 14, 2012 at 07:17 AM
A Poem for a Wednesday Morning
Foods in jars
Are better than
Moods in cars
Particularly if you drive in Boston
Posted by: Pyewacket | November 14, 2012 at 08:27 AM
I would love to look through this book and gift it to my daughter for Christmas, pre-bookmarked.
Posted by: Arleen | November 14, 2012 at 10:52 AM
I just moved my pickled green tomatoes into the fridge. Here's to hoping they're half sours.
Posted by: Molly | November 14, 2012 at 11:50 AM
I've been wanting this book for a while now!
Posted by: Amy | November 14, 2012 at 01:29 PM
i'd love to start canning with this book in hand
Posted by: gail | November 14, 2012 at 03:55 PM
I could tell you I'd love to win this beautiful book to give to my beloved sister, or mother, or dental hygienist. But we both know I'd just keep it all for myself, and I respect you too much to outright lie.
Although if I did win, I could be generous about it. For example I would be okay with unselfishly (and carefully) ripping out the page with the recipe for gingery pickled beets and share it with some beet-loving friend.
Posted by: Gail | November 14, 2012 at 04:22 PM
... adding my obligatory recipe-tester comment. :)
Posted by: Gail | November 14, 2012 at 04:23 PM
Yay for canning! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity! I was just thinking about all the home-canned pickles I'm going to have to pull out for Thanksgiving next week--and how I'm going to have to replenish the supply with even MORE pickles. MUAHAHA etc. :)
Posted by: Eileen | November 14, 2012 at 06:53 PM
Looking forward to using some of my canned cranberry chutney at Thanksgiving !
Posted by: Allyson | November 14, 2012 at 07:29 PM
I love jars, especially now that we have the Cuppow and can use them as travel mugs. Not having to store mugs and cups is a lifesaver in my miniscule kitchen!
Posted by: Sarah | November 14, 2012 at 10:07 PM
Oooh, I get to enter twice! Another perk of recipe testing for Tammy (besides the delish recipes...). So, canning - and homemade gift giving - is one of those things on my list every year. And each year I creep a little closer to actually doing it - a little homemade this here, a little homemade that that there. But I still have a long way to go - and would love any book that provides inspiration. And directions!
Posted by: Rebecca | November 15, 2012 at 07:57 AM
And here I am again. I bought a bunch of canning jars this summer, hoping my 25 tomato plants would provide a huge bounty. But they didn't (there's my winter reading - why my tomatoes weren't as prolific as they should have been). So all those jars are mocking me each time I walk by them. They need to be filled with something good, and sent out into the world...
Posted by: Rebecca | November 15, 2012 at 08:00 AM
Small batch canning sounds like a great solution to my CSA dilemma- not enough stuff to can quarts, but too much stuff to eat in a reasonable time. My friends and family are getting used to my saying "can I bring a relish plate" to all and sundry events...
Posted by: cycler | November 15, 2012 at 12:43 PM
I always wanted to do food in jars but never did it. It will be a great start for me.
Posted by: Nancy | November 15, 2012 at 12:53 PM
I'm a complete novice at canning, but I'd really like to get better. We belong to a CSA, go strawberry, blueberry, and apple picking in the summer, and I'm tried of just sticking the extra produce in the freezer for long-term storage. This cookbook looks like a perfect--and tasty--way to expand my canning skills. Yum!
Posted by: Colleen | November 15, 2012 at 07:52 PM
It's food in a jar
Sometimes it is stinky but
At least you won't starve
Or...
It may look like goop
Or perhaps like baby poop
But hey, no nitrates!
Or...
Despite my rude poems
I really would love the book
Down with BPA!
Posted by: Jessica | November 15, 2012 at 10:41 PM
Hmm, I commented yesterday but it doesn't seem to be here. I'm really not trying to cheat and if you find my other comment you can delete it! Would love to expand my canning repertoire with this book!
Posted by: millie | November 16, 2012 at 08:16 AM
I have been making quantities of "freezer" jams and fruit butters in recent months, and am ready to branch out into canning! I would love a copy of this book.
Posted by: Ashwini | November 16, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Oh man, I would looove to have this book! I'm a member of two CSAs (I know, I know, I was crazy when I signed up), and am overwhelmed with produce. (We're currently not discussing the four cabbages I have in the fridge.) Anything I could do to spread out the harvest would be excellent. (In other words, pick me pick me pick me!!!)
Posted by: Susan | November 16, 2012 at 02:12 PM
I just can not get myself to eat those pickled beets I've had since 2010. Yuck. Too clove-y
Posted by: kerry | November 16, 2012 at 06:58 PM
Why have I always been timid to begin canning? I know that I should just dive in headfirst! This book might be just the stimulus needed...
Posted by: Steven | November 17, 2012 at 04:38 AM
I want to can more next summer - my mom put it away this summer, literally - maybe I can be inspired for next year!
Posted by: Celtina | November 17, 2012 at 09:08 PM
Pick me! Pick me!
Posted by: Annabelle B. | November 18, 2012 at 08:52 PM
No, seriously, pick me...
Posted by: Annabelle B. | November 18, 2012 at 08:53 PM
I like the idea of the homemade cake mix in jar
Posted by: Blaine | November 18, 2012 at 09:20 PM
Comments are closed, and the winner will be announced on Monday, 11/18. Please stand by!
Posted by: Tammy | November 18, 2012 at 10:44 PM
And the winner is...lucky #13, Amy, as chosen by random.org. I'll be in touch. Thanks for playing everyone! There will be more raffles coming up over the next month or so. Stay tuned.
Posted by: Tammy | November 19, 2012 at 08:36 PM