Preserving by the Pint: Quick Seasonal Canning for Small Spaces

by Marisa McClellan

Preserving by the Pint is meant to be a guide for saving smaller batches from farmer's markets and produce stands -- preserving tricks for stopping time in a jar. McClellan's recipes offer tastes of unusual preserves like Blueberry Maple Jam, Mustardy Rhubarb Chutney, Sorrel Pesto, and Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles. Organized seasonally, these pestos, sauces, mostardas, chutneys, butters, jams, jellies, and pickles are speedy, too: some take under an hour, leaving you more time to plan your next batch.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, Reference, Food and Drink, Food Preservation

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Marisa McClellan is a food blogger, freelance writer and canning teacher based in Center City Philadelphia. She runs a website called Food in Jars, where she writes about canning, preserving and delicious things made from scratch.

She writes for the Taproot Magazine and Edible Philly. She is the author of four cookbooks. They are Food in Jars, Preserving by the Pint, Naturally Sweet Food in Jars, and The Food in Jars Kitchen.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this out of the library because I was interested in making jam, but not interested in having a zillion jars of one kind for just two of us to eat. I made several small batches using recipes from this book and they all turned out quite well.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read every word of this book. Marisa Mc is perhaps the most compelling and engaging food writer in the history of forever. Seriously WHO CRIES reading a cookbook? (me.)

I'm making everything. We are one.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming, practical collection of recipes and complete instructions for canning on a small scale. Perfect for trying out those interesting recipes without potentially wasting pounds of ingredients!

[Jen Visser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to believe, but this book is even better than Ms. McClellan's first. I'm so thrilled to have a new series of recipes to try going into 2015. She gets full credit for my canning adventures, without her books I probably would have never moved past pickle relish and tomato sauces. Lots if fun and delectable goodies ahead!

[Danita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have all of Marisa's cookbooks and have taken one of her classes a few years ago. She has a great canning blog and an active Facebook canning group to get answers to questions and show what you have been canning. The group follows the National Standard for Home Preservation USDA guidelines vs some sites that allow rogue canning techniques that could be unsafe.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

For what this is, it's perfect. It's a small-batch canning and pickling book. Her recipes are super clear and easy. Since you're only making a jar or two, there isn't a lot of the specialized equipment that makes canning and preserving intimidating. Her recipes are creative, and perfect for using up leftovers or a garden surplus. And the pics are beautiful.

This isn't an everyday cookbook, but if you're an avid gardener or creative cook, it's worth a look. It's also good for the budget-conscious, since you're using every last odd bit of produce.

[Katie Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The PERFECT follow up to McClellan's "Food in Jars", "Preserving by the Pint" breaks down recipes by season. Each recipe sounds delicious and was fairly unique to other canning books I have seen.

As usual, the greatest thing about McClellan's recipes is that they are created in small batches so you don't commit yourself to having 8-12 jars of something you may or may not like.

I'm getting a copy for my birthday and I can't wait to start canning! Strawberry season is coming!

[Matthew Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This totally works. I was a little dubious that one could make only a few pints of jam at a time but it worked out smashingly. Takes a lot less time too. I was a afraid a little batch would take all afternoon but it only took about an hour included sterilizing. The blueberry ginger tasted good too.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realized while reading this book that I knew a lot more about proper canning techniques and preserving food than I thought I did. I did learn a couple more tips about canning that will really help me in the future. There were a lot of great recipes, and I saved a few to make in the different seasons. That's one thing I really enjoyed about this book, it was broken into four sections: one for each season. This helps because it shows what will be in season and when, to help better prepare for preserving the fruits and vegetables you grow or purchase. Very useful book for someone who is learning to preserve food. The author also mentions a few books and blogs to check out!

[sncottle · Rating 5 out of 5]

things i love about this book include: (1) the fact that it's written specifically for small spaces, and my kitchen is nothing if not a small space. seriously, so many canning books are assuming that you're in some huge farmhouse kitchen rather than an urban "galley kitchen" (which is really more of a hallway); (2) it's divided by what's seasonal, which i appreciate since i'm doing all of my shopping based on what's at the farmer's market that week; (3) in addition to the recipes to can, it also includes a handful of recipes with ideas about how to use what you've just canned. for example, follow the recipe for apricot rosemary jam, then follow the recipe for jam-glazed chicken legs. it's a great addition to my cookbook library.

[Robynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

These recipes are a little more ... interesting than her first book, Food in Jars, because her first book was so complete. Just because these ideas aren't conventional though does not mean they aren't delicious! I've tried some from her website previously and I'm super excited to enter the growing season with this new book in hand!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

once again, Marisa has hit a home run! page after page of recipes I'm dying to make, or flavor combinations similar to those that come to me when I'm jam planning. I checked this out from the library today and am now anxious to have a copy in my home library.

[Jan Patetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful little book for small-time canners like me. Recommend.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just ok. Not one of the better ones that I have seen, even by this particular author. The one plus that I did like about the book was that it was divided into seasons. I am taking it that was for seasonal items. What I did not like was that there were not many pictures in the book and many of the flavor combos to me were quite odd.

[Kiki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This is a boring collection of ideas you've seen before. I guess these itty bitty recipes make sense if you're some rich white dude who shops at the farmer's market ironically, but it's not for practical people who want to put up what they grow.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this nor did I hate it either. The book was just not what I thought it was going to be. There were not enough pictures and the page set up was not what I would have liked either. Moreover, the recipes themselves were a little on the strange side as well.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved canning in small batches. I made the oven-roasted rhubarb compote in the spring and blueberry maple jam in the summer. Both were delicious. I also made the blender salsa and it was so good that four jars weren't enough, so I made it again! I can't wait to try more

[Sherilyn Moreton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great recipes, though none of them really appealed to me. I like the styling of this book - the matte pages are gorgeous and there's beautiful photography and typography throughout.

Lots of helpful info for new canners as well as seasoned ones. :)

[Juli Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stellar and much-needed volume when most canning cookbooks focus on big-batch recipes. The recipes themselves range from classic to kicky, sweet to savory, and include lacto-fermentation and freezing in addition to general canning. Really excellent.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next to Ball this is THE best canning book I have read! Using many of the recipes now and can't wait to try them!

[Kendi Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic little cookbook on canning for those who want a variety and don't want to spend hours doing it.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for small recipes to try out

[Diane Baima · Rating 4 out of 5]

I might change to five after I try the recipes! They sound so good!

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Laronda Blessing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good recipes and tips for more manageable preserving.

[Lia Marcoux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This writer gave us the confidence to make jam and the know-how to not die of botulism, so I am a fan.

[Erin Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed from the library and can't wait to buy

[Diane Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful ideas to preserve food especially if you do not have a lot of food at one time or space to do it. It also makes you think of other foods that you would not normally preserve.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fantastic recipes, but most of these I don’t think I would ever make.