tart and sweet book review and give-away!

i feel like i've been on a world-wind tour since we spoke last. but in reality i've been in miami for the past 10 days hosting a few events and 10,000 people later...

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photos bennett sell-kline

i'm back in LIC. this happens every year like clockwork. a big work filled weekend in miami at the end of march and then back up north to catch the last vestiges of winter. (yes i know, winter seems like it will never end in the northeast this year - snow in the forecast tomorrow- but i'm hopeful!)

april is then laced with a flurry of garden plans and rounding up loads of empty jars and favorite cookery books destined for the move back to the berkshires. by the first farmers' market of the season (around the 7th of may this year) we're snuggled quickly and deeply back in the hills and my daily view has been expanded from the wayward tracks of trains to an overtly expressive apple tree, with tom ball mountain as a backdrop and the moon. the welcoming moon, bigger and brighter than the one here in the city, always.

i'm a book lover, and cookbooks always have their way with me. but, i have a rule for the inevitable 6 month back and forth moves; i can only bring what will fit in one box. otherwise, i'd have to rent a u-haul just for books!

that rule has been particularly hard to adhere to over the last two springs, both of which had new canning and preserving books literally being released on a daily basis. to the point really, where even i had had enough of 'em.

well, before i left for miami, i received a new one for this season - and this jaded preservin' cat has not been this impressed with a canning book for quite some time. the book is tart and sweet by chef kelly geary, and jessie knadler from rurally screwed, and the tag line reads "101 canning and pickling recipes for the modern kitchen" and there's oh, about 99 that i'd like to try my hand at. srsly.

the book is organized by season, which i always love. and since i'm thinking spring (aren't you?) let me just give you a taste of my picks for spring alone: ramp kimchi, pickled fiddleheads, hot pickled mushrooms, five-spice chili soy pickled garlic, strawberry bay leaf jam...

huh? right! very modern, and very what i want to be doing in my kitchen this spring. there's syrups, quick pickles, and get this; less-sugar jams that have convinced even me that i may need to give pomona's universal pectin a try. there's also lots of very clear instruction for new canners, trouble-shooting tips, and even info on tweaking a recipe safely. imo, this modern canning book clearly takes the best of past preserving manuals - there's no skimping on instruction here - and pairs it with recipes that i definitely want to be stocking in my larder this preserving season.

i was so excited about this book, i had to roar about it! and i had to ask the publisher for an extra give-away copy...because i wanted to keep mine. of course, they graciously sent one right away and it's waiting for one lucky winner.

and since i need to believe that spring is around the corner, to win, let me hear you roar about what you can't wait to can or preserve this spring. you have until friday the 8th at midnight, soon after that, the trusty random number generator will pick the winner.

good luck!