There's something missing in the Cardamom Plum Jam on page 116.
Indeed, a line got dropped. The plums should be pitted and diced.
In the Tomato and Basil Jam with Sherry Vinegar on page 176, what do you do with the apple–lemon–tomato juice mixture?
Yikes, a whole paragraph is missing. After you cook the apples and lemon in the tomato juice for about 15 minutes, it should read: "Dump the tomato solids into the bowl and place a sieve over the bowl. Pour the apple and lemon mixture into the sieve and press as much of the juice and apple pulp through the sieve as you can. Discard the solids in the sieve."
Where do you add the lemon juice in the Nectarine Jam on page 107?
Add the lemon juice with the nectarines and sugar—you just put everything in at once and cook it till it looks like jam, which is kind of the beauty of this particular preserve.
Can you substitute one kind of vinegar for another in the pickle or salsa recipes?
No, please don't, unless you're using a vinegar of a higher percentage acidity than the one called for in the recipe. Otherwise you could compromise the safety of the pickle or salsa by lowering the acidity (that is, raising the pH), which could make it unsafe to can in a boiling-water bath.
Is that how you spell Seebee?
Well, that's embarrassing. It's Seabee. As in "sea," where the navy is.
Where else can you find citric acid?
I just noticed that the local health/gourmet food store here, Earth Fare, has citric acid in the bulk spices section for $9.99/pound, which is a little bit more expensive than yogurt-covered pretzels. So if you have a Whole Foods or some such near you, try the bulk section.
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39 comments:
Ahh...thanks so much, Liana. I'm printing out the corrections and hope to put them to good use tomorrow ! My ripe tomatoes appreciate your quick response :).
Nichole
I was just about to contact you about the tomato jam recipe, so I'm glad I saw this post first! I made the jam, but figured something must be missing so I took out the lemon's and just sort of mashed up the apples in the jam. It's probably a little more rustic than intended, but I don't mind. Is tomato jam supposed to be pretty sweet? Mine was, but having never tried tomato jam before I wasn't sure if that was right... I guess it would be good if I had actually tasted tomato jam before making it huh? ;)
Sorry this comment is so long, but I just wanted to say that I am loving the book. I made the Peach jam with lemon thyme and almonds last night, and I am in love. So delicious. Thanks so much!
Nichole: I'm glad it got to you (and your tomatoes) in time.
Allison: It sounds like you came up with a very workable solution—my deepest apologies for the error! I guess tomato jam is relatively sweet, partly because without a bunch of sugar it wouldn't gel very easily, tomatoes of course having very little pectin. Maybe you could cut it with a little lemon juice when you open a jar to use it?
That's a great idea! Thanks! I just got back from the Farmer's Market and am going to be making the Tomato Salsa, Dilly Beans(!) and more Peach jam this weekend. Thanks so much for all the great recipes!
I received your book from a thoughtful friend the other day and just finished paging through it. What a wonderful and comprehensive book! I'm very happy to have it on my every-day-cookbook shelf.
I'm exhausted from some recent extensive canning (not to mention the hot summer we had in NY), and your book got me excited for the oncoming apple onslaught. Which I had been dreading. Slow cooker apple butter + immersion blender *is* the way to go. It's my fruit butter method of choice.
And your well-written header for winter described last winter to a tee, heavy on the jelly making. How cheery a task for those cold nights! A nice thing to think of as the summer winds down.
Thank you, and congrats on your fine work!
Question: For the "simple dried fruit conserve" on page 258, is the "diced navel orange" supposed to include rind and the membrane?
Comment: I made the "Simple pickled jalapeno slices" pg 144 and I ended up with WAY too many jalapeno slices to fit into 4 pint jars. The amount of pickling liquid was exactly perfect for 4 pint jars, but I only used half of the jalapenos. I wasn't sure if the amount of jalapenos needed was a typo or if maybe I did something wrong.
Thanks for any suggestions! Love the book!
ahah! just made the cardamom plum jam and was wondering how the plums should be cut...went ahead and used them in halves (small plums) and it still turned out very lovely....think i'll dice them next time to make it more bite sized!
Stephanie: In the dried fruit conserve, yes, that's an orange, rind, membranes and all (it mellows).
And about the jalapeños, the quantity looks right to me for 4 pint jars, but depending on how the slices are packed and fall in the jars there could be a fair amount of variation in what you end up with. You want to pack loosely but not too loosely—not that that helps much, I'm sure. I do know that I've experienced exactly the same thing when using other pickle recipes. I hope you were able to mix up some more brine and fill some more jars!
Kimmiebee: I'm glad it worked okay, and my sincerest apologies for the omission.
Hello CFANG!! I love, love, love your book! In the month that I have owned it, I've made 4 things--all so amazing!!! One quick question--I followed the recipe for the plum cardamom jam on page 116, but I put less than 1 TBSP of cardamom and it still seems super aromatic, almost too much so. Is it meant to be more of a... savory jam for meat dishes? Any feedback would help, I'm just beginning this canning adventure, thanks to your awesome book.
Anon: Thanks so much for you comment. I may overdo the cardamom myself, just because I love it so much! I use the jam every which way, savory and sweet—in turkey sandwiches, on yogurt, etc. Maybe when you open it you can stir something else in if you find the cardamom overpowering?
So glad I found your corrections for the Tomato Basil Jam! I was hoping to make it today, and as I was reading the recipe I realized there was a step missing!
My husband and I are loving your book! We've made Dilly Beans!, Apple Butter, Spicy Pickled Carrots, Pickled Beets and Honeyed Bread-and-Butter Pickles. I mentioned your book in a recent blog post, too.
Also, I used the Kitchen Aid Fruit/Vegetable Strainer for the Apple Butter. I didn't want to spring for a Squeezo or do a more labor-intensive version. And it worked out so well and made the whole process very easy. Thanks for such a lovely book. We'll be making many more recipes from it!
Denise
Not sure if I should leave my question here on this thread, but I have another question. (I wrote to you about the Plum Cardamom jam as well--loves!) Anyway, I canned figs using the recipe your friend Regan inspired (tell her to write a book as well, she seems adventurous!)and now I want to give them to a friend as a gift, but there is alot of headspace in the jars, like an inch and a quarter. It was hard to get the roasted figs to a good place before I lidded & processed them, they were so sticky. Do you think this will be ok? if I opoen a jar and sample them, will I know reight away if they are bad? Any advice will help, thank so much! Best, Alexa
Hi, Alexa: Hmm. There shouldn't be that much headspace, but if they're fully sealed, and if you used all the lemon (for the acidity with lower-acid figs), and if the syrup was bubbly and boiling when you put it in the jars, it should be okay.
And yes, Regan could have easily written this book (and ma;ny others) herself! She's the best home cook I know, currently obsessed with making cheddar and brie cheeses, and ramen noodles from scratch.
Hi Liana! I'm home now & I seemed to have exaggerated the headspace, there is not that much at all. It will be totally fine to give as a gift, I think I am overly cautious since I'm a canning novice. Have a great Thanksgiving!!
PS Homemade cheeses & ramen? Regan is so cool! You two both inspire me!
Alexa
Like everyone else I love your book. The salsa verde is AMAZING (I used it with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers for enchiladas and people licked their plates!), and I've had great results with everything I've tried. Now I'm eager to make the meyer lemon and rose petal marmalade, but I could use a little more direction on the rose petals. How dry do they need to be? Roses from last week, or roses that I picked in the autumn and having been drying since then? Thanks for the help.
Mmm. The Meyer lemon marmalade is so luxurious, with or without the rose. About the rose petals: They should be very dry—crumbly, like dried herbs, I guess. You don't want any moisture at all; they'll rehydrate a bit with the acidic liquid from the citrus.
I'm glad you're liking the book!
Dear Liana,
I just recently bought your book for my boyfriend's newly retired father, but now it's back in my hands so I can try out some of the recipes. The book is just gorgeous, and so intelligently done! I'm really excited to explore your recipes throughout the seasons.
I tried my hand at dilly beans two nights ago, and I believe I followed all your instructions--but now the beans in the jars have tiny bubbles on their skins. From what I'm reading, it seems like a lacto-fermentation process has begun. I assume this means I didn't properly get the oxygen out of the jars. They are sealed tight, however. I guess I'm wondering if I should toss out the lot and start over, or if it's safe to eat these pickled/fermented beans.
Thanks.
Hi lyrebirdfollies. I'm glad you're enjoying the book so far. The dilly beans definitely shouldn't be fermenting, as they're vinegar-pickled rather than fermented pickles (for an example of how you'd ferment beans, see the long bean recipe). If the lids are indeed sealed, and if the bubbles aren't moving or rising to the top of the jar, I'd think they're probably fine. I wouldn't worry too much about the tiny bubbles. You might want to also check your vinegar if you still have the container to make sure it was the correct percent acidity.
Hi Liana-
A friend and I have been using your book all summer so far to can and are enjoying it immensely! We recently made Blackberry Jam using the green apple method. I felt like we followed the instructions to the nose, but couldn't get the syrup to reduce the way we thought it should be. We cooked it longer than the recipe to try to help it out. The jam never quite got firm...it's more runny. We love the Green Apple method but are wondering if you can offer any technique tips so we can get it right next time.
Thanks!
Hi txjocie. There are a few things you might try next time. Slightly underripe blackberries have tons of pectin, and will set up nicely—so well that you can make jelly from them if you add enough sugar. If you didn't before, consider picking some that are still a little pink and including those in the jam. Use fresh (not stored) Granny Smiths or, better, another variety that's still unripe and green at this time in the season. Finally, you may wish to just mash the cooked apples right into the jam to thicken the liquid a bit rather than pulling them out and using them for something else. They won't diminish the strong blackberry flavor much at all. Good luck! Oh, and you may find that the jam in your jars will thicken slightly over the next few weeks on the shelf, and it'll definitely be thicker after it's been opened and refrigerated. If not: pancake syrup! Ice cream sundae topping!
Hi Liana, I got your book this Christmas and I'm so excited to start using it! I keep reading the Indian Hot "Lime" Pickle recipe on page 248, and I seem to be missing a step. It says to reserve one of the 7 lemons, and cut the rest, but what do I do with the reserved lemon?
Thanks,
Charlotte
Charlotte: Excellent catch! That lemon should be halved and juiced into the mixture with the rest of the lemons. Thank you so much for pointing out this error. Now to write to the publisher and ask for a correction in the next printing . . .
When will there be another printing that incorporates all of the errata? (Love the book, BTW!)
Thanks, BAE! The book is in its fifth or sixth printing now, and I'm pretty sure most of these made it into the second printing and later. Check the copyright page—there's a list of numbers ("10 9 8 7 ..."), and the last one you see in the series is the printing.
Liana, I'm looking at a copy on Amazon and the inside cover has "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1." Does that indicate this is the tenth printing and therefore the mistakes have been corrected?
BAE: That's first printing.
Hi Liana!
This is my 3rd summer season using your book, I love it so much, thanks you!! My question is about the texture of pickled peppers. Last year I made the simple jalapeno ones & this year I did the Hungarian Wax peppers. The flavor is awesome, but the texture is too soft & mushy. Is there anything I can do to make them more crispy? Best, Alexa
Hi, Liana! I absolutely love your canning book, and I've already made a couple of delicious recipes from it. (Everyone loved the blueberry/apple jam, by the way, so thanks!)
I'd like to put away some tomatoes using your Crushed Tomatoes recipe, but as a first-time tomato canner I'm nervous. I plan to use San Marzano tomatoes instead of Romas, but everything I read about the difference between them says that San Marzanos are less acidic. Does that mean I should adjust the recipe? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
"Unknown" above is me. Thought Google would handle that for me. :)
-- Thom H.
Hi Thom! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the book so far. Thanks for asking about San Marzanos—and lucky you to have enough of them to can! Yes, I've also read that they are less acidic, so you should be doubly sure to add the citric acid. If you'd like to be extra careful, add a little more citric acid than the recipe calls for per jar.
Sounds good. Thank you!
-- Thom H.
Any insight on the question from the 13th about the texture of pickled peppers? If so, thanks again!!
Ah! I missed that query about the peppers. Be sure not to overprocess, which can make them mushy, and of course use very fresh peppers. I haven't tried it yet, as I've never ended up with mushy pickles, but you might look into using Ball's Pickle Crisp: http://www.freshpreservingstore.com/ball-pickle-crisp-granules-5-5-oz/shop/382751/
Apparently you can just add it, and it'll keep them crunchy, as if you'd used a lime soak. See Linda Ziedrich's description of it here: http://agardenerstable.com/2011/01/18/testing-pickle-crisp/
Alternatively, look up a recipe (from a trusted source like the NCHFP or Ball Blue Book) for pickled peppers that uses pickling lime.
Hi Liana,
I think you may have left out a step for the spiced apple butter. It says to measure the puree but not what to do after that. I am assuming there are certain ratios for the sugar and spices.
Thanks
Katy
Hi Liana,
What are we supposed to do after we measure the puree in the spiced apple butter?
Katy
Hi Katy: I don't have a copy of the actual book on hand, but in my manuscript it does say to measure the puree and then put it back in the pot (if doing it on the stovetop) and add 2 tablespoons sugar per cup. If using the oven, put it in a baking dish, add the sugar and spices, and if using a slow cooker put it in the cooker, etc. It may be that there's a photo on the next page and you need to turn to the next spread?
Hi Liana
I just made your blackberry jam with our boysenberries from the bramble outside the kitchen which is having a rockin' season this lovely summer in South Australia. As I was cooking it, the apple quarters fell all to pieces, so there was no way I was able to take them out. The skins only came free. Should I have included the apple quarters in the bag with the seeds and cores? or are they supposed to fall apart and become one with the jam?
I also made the brandied cherries from the organic cherry farm down the road- 4th generation cherry farmers, growing 36 varieties. Having the best season in years! We also, miraculously, had quite a few on our own trees, which sadly were all eaten in an afternoon by the parrots. So, to Cowlings I went and I bought the Stella for this recipe. Made quite the stunning whisky old fashioned!
Love the book- will be well used this summer, if the gods give us a good season for everything else on the farm...going to race out and get a bunch of jalepeno plants for the escabeche and pickled jalepenos at the end of the summer!
cheers
Karah
I have a question regarding your recipe for roasted red peppers in lemon juice. I love the recipe, but ive made it twice now and both times i had a ton of the brine left over. So much so that the second time i did this recipe, i went and canned two additional batches of peppers and still had about a cup of brine (out of the original 4 cups) left. Meaning i canned a total of 12 lbs using the amount of brine intended for 4 lbs. I dont think that i packed the peppers particularly tightly.. do you think this is ok? Thanks- victoria
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