This past summer, I really found my groove when it came to putting up applesauce, jellies, jams, pickles and relishes. I canned a lot and filled my freezer with berries, pickles, and peaches. I had a great time and I couldn't have done half of it without the help of Sherri Brooks Vinton's book, Put 'Em Up!
I wrote up a big review of the book and I meant every word. During our county's fall festival celebration I entered the households contest for the Food Preservation competition. Thanks to following the Put 'Em Up recipe for Bread'n Butter Chips, I won a champion ribbon. See my photo of my winning entries at the bottom of this post.
Anyhoo. I got my nerve up awhile back and emailed Mrs. Vinton asking if I could get a short interview with her. She agreed. YEAAAH!!
Meet Sherri Brooks Vinton.
Jill: Tell us a little about your upbringing that connects you to preserving foods.
Sherri: The first thing I did was an improvised strawberry sauce that I threw together while I was cooking dinner--it was either cook those berries or watch them wither. I refrigerated some and put the rest in the freezer--it was delicious. That's what kind of turned me onto the thrill of stopping the clock on seasonal produce.
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Jill: What's your favorite recipe(s) to put up today?
Sherri: Right now I'm getting ready to do a bunch of Spiced Apple Chutney. I love that stuff with some sharp cheddar cheese. When they are in season, I love to do cherry jam, orange marmalade and plum sauce. So many good things!
Jill: What do you say to folks that are nervous about canning?
Sherri: There's really nothing to be nervous about. If you can boil water, you can can your own preserves, chutneys, relishes, pickles, tomatoes, jams and jellies and fruits. It's a simple technique that is so rewarding--and with a little common sense kitchen cleanliness and case of jars you can have terrific local food all year round.
Jill: What recipe(s) from Put 'Em Up would you recommend for a new canner?
Jill: You cover more than canning in Put 'Em Up, explain "Working in Groups."
Sherri: There are lots of techniques eaters can use to preserve their own food--drying, fermenting, even freezing. So you don't have to spend hours in the kitchen to put up some of that seasonal flavor. When I do want to take on a big project, though, like putting up multiple cases of tomatoes or flats of berries, it's fun to get some friends over to help. Open up a bottle of wine, crank up the canner and you can have a good gab while putting up your winter's reward.
Thanks for playing along and making this fun!
I enjoyed reading the article, and feel that I could do preserves!! It has inspired me
Thank you!
As a family of 6 we’ve been trying to figure out how to cut costs on our grocery bill. I started growing my own garden this year, but had a lot of extras that I ended up giving away because I didn’t know how to jar them. I’ve always wanted to learn and this book might just be the answer I’ve been looking for
I canned food for the first time this year. I made strawberry rhubarb jam and salsa. It was much easier than I thought and plan on doing much more!! I think I’ll try the Bread and Butter Chips, sounds great!
This sounds like a great book. I’ve done a little canning and freezing, but I’m always looking for more ideas and recipes. I love looking at my pantry and freezer and seeing all the beautiful jars and containers reminding me of the goodness of summer!
I started teaching myself how to preserve food last summer and I was shocked at the difference in taste between store-bought and home-preserved. I canned fruit preserves, marmalade, tons of tomato products, chicken stock and when chicken went on a huge sale, I canned chicken chunks that I use for chicken salad or pot pie. I’ve started dehydrating, too. I want to learn more! Thanks for the chance to win “Put ‘em Up.”
I love love love canning. Got a pressure canner this past summer and love it. Cant wait to do more after holidays
I learned how to can by helping my mom when I was young. My job was mainly stirring the pot, but I paid attention to what she was doing. As I got older we canned together, then I decided to give it a go by myself. I do my best thinking when I’m canning because it’s such a meditative activity, and there’s nothing that beats the sense of accomplishment you get when you’re finished.
It sounds like a really interesting book! Thanks for posting the interview!
Enjoyed the interview! I would love to try some of the recipes. I’d like to find new ways to put up my fruits and vegetables.
I thoroughly enjoy canning, freezing, and drying fruits, vegetables, fish, etc. I grew up in a family with seven children and my parents took advantage of food from our gardens and from relatives trees and bushes to preserve the bounty for long, cold winter months in Michigan. After 42 years of using recipes over and over again, I look forward to new recipes and fresh ideas.
I enjoyed the interview, thanks for having this website : )
I’m one of those people who is nervous about it. I think I have all the right tools by now, but I just haven’t gotten started.
Just go for it Monique! Once you’ve done it once, you’ll have it down.
I just came home from visiting my in law side in Montana. One of my requests was that we do some canning! They love me enough to do it even though their shelves were already full! Everything in homemaking that I didn’t stumble upon I learned from my wonderful mother in law… knitting, quilting, cooking and some canning. Now that we live in different states I have to do these things alone… and I don’t have any of them mastered. I have been looking in secondhand stores for a canning book but haven’t found anything yet. I didn’t want just any book from the book store because there is a whole lota useless info…. allllll that said I am super excited about this giveaway!
Great interview. I’ve been running this idea through my head lately. Kind of looking for information that will help me get to it. I think I’ll look for this book and check out what it has to say. BTW, what is a “canner”? Does it make the whole process faster and easier?
Happy Thanksgiving! I am getting ready to start prearation for all of the side dishes soon. I’m just waiting for the children to wake up so that I can get them involved. No time like Thanksgiving to teach them.
Loved the article, I have just started with canning at my house… I started easy with refrigerator pickles and pickled green beans. Now I have moved onto making jams and freezing zucchini from the garden – now to take some more lessons from my Dad on canning so I can master that as well. Next summer – salsa and green beans!!! Hope that I can remember it all!!!
I have never canned anything but would love to start. I would much rather use fresh ingredients and can my own things than buying the processed stuff they sell.
Aspiring Chef Here!