Starting week two of the connect over food challenge/contest and number 4 is one my favorite things to make and give away. Nothing impresses people like something sealed in a jar. It isn’t just the giving that provides and opportunity to connect over food. Making jam, preserves or pickles are a great way to connect over food for several reasons.
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Canning is connecting
Canning of jams, preserves, and pickles was too long for the graphic, and the reason these are great ways to connect is just as long. Canning and giving away your bounty allows you to pass down family recipes, share some deliciousness, make someone’s day and impress people. That last one feels great, doesn’t it? It is even more than ego, though. Impressing the person you gift it to also serves as an opening for a conversation about food, how you learned this impressive skill or why this doesn’t make you Martha Stewart. For those of you that have already tried your hand at canning you know the secret. It isn’t that hard, and not even as time-consuming as you might think.
If you want to learn and have a mom, dad, aunt, uncle or grandparent that can teach you. Plan a date this summer to get together and share the experience. You might not even have to wait, some jams you can make all year round. I have a champagne jelly recipe that can be made without the constraints of the growing season. Canning is a great way to make use of large quantities of fruit and veggies at the farmers market. You can find out about some of these ideas in the podcast episode with Suzanne, the founder of Indy Food swap and master canner. If you head to the Indy Winter market you can probably find a few things to make into pickles. Pickles aren’t just for cucumbers. Below I have a recipe for pickled radishes that are delicious.
Canning supplies
I went to college at Ball State University so when it comes to canning I get a little partial about my jars. The founders of my college are the same family that makes the Ball canning jars. I have a sentimental attachment to Ball jars and recommend them for everything. You can find them at a lot of places, but if you shopping at their store at freshpreserving.com Through April 29, 2017, you can get free shipping on all orders over $100. If you are planning for big summer canning this would be a great deal. Just for the fact that you don’t have to lug them home. They even have the fancy colored glasses they rereleased in the past few summers.
Canning Recipes
Not only was Ball a provider of the tools needed to can, they have always been a resource for great recipes. They have taken very seriously their role in preserving, no pun intended, the tradition of canning. Their site has a collection of their best recipes. The most popular recipes as rated by customers.
Some of my favorites are these radish pickles (recipe below), strawberry jalapeno, and blackberry-thyme jam, or use the jars for baking instead.
Do you have a favorite recipe for canning? Share your favorite canning story on Instagram to be entered in the Connect Over Food Contest
- 3/4 lb radishes greens removed
- 4 fennel fronds
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons wildflower honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- rinse radishes and slice in 1/4 inch rounds
- Pack radishes, fennel frond and garlic into a half-pint canning jar.
- Put fennel seeds, apple cider vinegar, water, honey and salt in a sauce pan and heat to a rolling boil. Stir to dissolve honey and salt.
- Remove brine from heat and pour over radishes. Make sure the radishes are covered by the brine
- Allow the brine and radishes to come to room temperature, 70°F. This should happen within 2 hours. Cover jar and place in fridge.
- Let cool completely. For the best pickles leave them for at least a day before eating. Will keep in the fridge for about a month, or until you eat them all. Whichever comes first.
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