Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry: Recipes and Techniques for Year-Round Preserving

by Cathy Barrow

2015 IACP Award Winner, Best Single Subject Cookbook

A householder's guide to canning through the seasons. In Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry , food preserving expert Cathy Barrow presents a beautiful collection of essential preserving techniques for turning the fleeting abundance of the farmers’ market into a well-stocked pantry full of canned fruits and vegetables, jams, stocks, soups, and more. As Cathy writes in her introduction, “A walk through the weekend farmers’ market is a chance not only to shop for the week ahead but also to plan for the winter months.” From the strawberries and blueberries of late spring to the peaches, tomatoes, and butter beans of early fall, Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry shows you how to create a fresh, delectable, and lasting pantry―a grocery store in your own home. Beyond the core techniques of water-bath canning, advanced techniques for pressure canning, salt-curing meats and fish, smoking, and even air-curing pancetta are broken down into easy-to-digest, confidence-building instructions. Under Cathy’s affable direction, you’ll discover that homemade cream cheese and Camembert are within the grasp of the weekday cook―and the same goes for smoked salmon, home canned black beans, and preserved and cured duck confit. In addition to canning techniques, Practical Pantry includes 36 bonus recipes using what’s been preserved: rugelach filled with apricot preserves, tomato soup from canned crushed tomatoes, arugula and bresaola salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano and hazelnuts, brined pork chops with garlicky bok choy. Tips for choosing the best produce at the right time of season and finding the right equipment for your canning and cooking needs―along with troubleshooting tips to ensure safe preserving―will keep your kitchen vibrant from spring to fall. Whether your food comes by the crate, the bushel, or the canvas bag, just a few of Cathy’s recipes are enough to furnish your own practical pantry, one that will provide nourishment and delight all year round. Canning and preserving is not just about the convenience of a pantry filled with peaches, dill pickles, and currant jelly, nor is it the simple joy of making a meal from the jars on the shelf―creating a practical pantry is about cultivating a thoughtful connection with your local community, about knowing exactly where your food comes from and what it can become. 200 color photographs

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food Preservation

432 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Cathy Barrow an award-winning cookbook author, gardener, knitter, traveler, and teacher. She is the author of Bagels, Schmears, and a Nice Piece of Fish (Chronicle Books, 2021), When Pies Fly (Grand Central, 2019 ), Pie Squared (Grand Central, 2018), and Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry (W.W. Norton, 2014). Her writing has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Serious Eats, Saveur, Food52, The Local Palate, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, NPR, and National Geographic. Her books have won the IACP Cookbook Award (Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry) and been nominated for the James Beard Award (Pie Squared). From her home outside Washington, DC, shared with husband Dennis and two irrascible terriers, Cathy cooks in a sun-filled kitchen just steps from the garden. Find her on Instagram (@cathybarrow), YouTube (Cathy Barrow), and her website, https://www.cathybarrow.com/

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovely book languished in my library queue for months and I didn't do anything to seek it out elsewhere. Shame on me. I've read it over the past few days with awe, feelings of sisterhood, and a sense of reinvigorated love of preserving combined with the bravery to expand my repertoire. Mrs. Wheelbarrow is legit and I am a fan.

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is great for beginner and more advanced home preservation enthusiasts alike. It’s filled with detailed information, mouth-watering recipes, and gorgeous photographs. It focuses on water bath canning, pressure canning, preserving meat and fish, and fresh cheese making. It’s a great source to learn how to preserve seasonal produce, and also shows you how to make many pantry staples.

You’ll find recipes for double strawberry preserves, caramel pear preserves, drunken pineapple sauce (can you imagine it over vanilla ice cream?), smoked oysters, maple bourbon bacon, and more. In addition, there are recipes throughout the book that put to use many of these home preserved items such as jam tarts, rugelach, and the gorgeous kale and potato galette with duck fat crust that I chose to make.

This is a great addition to any cookbook collection, and I know it will be a go to source for home-preserving. I’m really looking forward to exploring the chapter on pressure canning.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I REALLY like the concept of this book. The author talks about how she grew up helping her family can food and how as an adult she came back to canning and how it transformed how she eats and cooks. The whole book is basically canning recipes and recipes that show meals you can make with canned ingredients. Canning is a great way to preserve seasonal foods - whether you grow them yourself or get them at the local farmer's market. Barrow also talks about curing and smoking meat and making cheese - which is a little more advanced than canning. Even though she goes through the basics of canning I would definitely recommend taking a class. I took one through my county's extension office and it was VERY reasonably priced and incredibly helpful and informative. Overall, this is a unique cookbook and I plan on checking out Barrow's blog now too.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas present to myself! When I bought it, I was unaware that it included recipes for anything but canning....gives me new things to try and then foist off on others. I like the personal touch to her book, the stories, the "how she came to do it this way".

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a gardener I was excited to read Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry. Based on a book review I thought it would cover more garden techniques..the book is essentially one of canning techniques. For the novice, it is a fabulous book detailing food safety in canning, procedures and methods along with wonderful recipes and family stories. In fact, I will add a few of the techniques for canning peppers to my own summer canning routines. If you are interested in canning from your own garden or farmers' market, this book will be of great interest.

[Jodi G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that it had recipes for desserts and main dishes, along with the jams, pickles and smoked meats. However, none of the jam recipes call for pectin. There is an option to make your own home-made pectin with gooseberries or apples, but even this makes for a "slumpy" jam. Personally, I prefer a nice firm set on my jam.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll update this review once I pop open a jar of quickles from this afternoons pickling session. but, so far so good. Mrs W presents canning in a manageable fashion and eases my anxieties. her recipes are fresh and tasty looking. I just ordered my very own copy, and am looking forward to spending g the summer and fall with her.

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for making me want to make everything! Well, maybe not the canned fish. And never the beef stuff. But this is a total asperational preserving book, and I need to check it out again when I have time to try a bunch of the recipes. If they turn out half as well as I think they will, a purchased copy of this book will be finding a home on my cookbook shelves.

[Tamara]

Copied out the crushed tomatoes recipe for canning.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not ready to dive headfirst into canning and preserving, but if/when I am I'll be referring to this book!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully designed--mostly basic info--a few unusual recipes that sound really good.

[Annette McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fabulous recipes in this book, but frankly a waste of space inside as there is only one recipe per page. In a book this big, it should be packed with recipes. For all that though, fabulous.

[Terri Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some unique recipes and good advice. Would definitely recommend this cookbook

[OneDayI'll · Rating 3 out of 5]

An... interesting collection of various canning recipes, plus bonus recipes using the canned items. They aren't your basic, beginner level, uncomplicated recipes. These are what I'd call intermediate to advanced canning concepts and recipes. They look good, but the flavor combinations are more complex than most people are looking for when canning produce. I do like that there are meal plan recipes using the canned items. Some items I wish included meal or usage recipes. Because items like fennel, orange and olive pickles aren't going to be useful for much besides on a charcuterie board. They sound interesting, but not something I'm going to want to eat every day. They'd make a good gift item, though.

[Kara Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is serious business. If you are into preserving this is the book for you. She covers water bath canning, pressure canning, all things meat preserving, and cheese making. Its great. Obviously I don't have the ability to smoke foods, and since I am the lone vegetable eater in my family pressure cooking isn't a big deal, but she still gives excellent tips, strategies, and recipies. I not wait until spring to start small batch canning and making better produce choices.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for preserving fruits & veg, curing meats, making cheese (and compound butter, sour cream, etc). I love the premise of small batch preserving (instead of, say, a bushel of tomatoes like we did back in the oh-so-steamy, non-airconditioned day), and the varied recipes.
I discovered this book at our local library, but it's so chock full of interesting stuff, I think I'll purchase the Kindle version. The physical book is quite heavy.

[Chanelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting

A practical guide for the hobbyist. But it reads like a treatise on privilege. Skip straight to the recipes to avoid the woo if you're already experienced at preserving food.

[Christine Burns rudalevige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear instructions on all processes. Excellent flavors. Interesting recipes for using the preserved foods.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides in-depth information for those new to food preservation, it also provides recipes beyond what is considered traditional canning.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid book on preserving with classic recipes and an easy authorial voice.

[Kristie Helms · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful poetic look at why the author set out on a journey to eat locally.... and how she went about it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good recipes and useful preserving techniques.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book on preserving food.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouraging and informative book on canning and preserving with recipes on what to can plus recipes using your canned goods.

[Julie Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even as an experienced & well read canner, I learned some additional techniques & found very appealing recipes & inspiration in this book. I've added it to my favorite cookbook collection.

[Jonesy.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fabulous recipes and lots of tips and tricks for success.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the same memory of grade school visits to Heinz that end with a gherkin pickle pin!

I like that this is more about home-made ingredients for year round cooking than about making jams and pickles. The basic instructions seem solid (although I was taught to use bottled lemon juice not fresh to acidify tomatoes). The recipes, both for ingredients and dishes that use them, include many things I see myself making. I especially liked the short introductions to preserving meats and making cheeses - just enough to get started without being overwhelming.

[Emily Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very comprehensive guide to preserving food, from introductory canning recipes to more elaborate activities such as smoking meat and making cheese. Definitely one I will be buying for reference!

[Caroline]

Beautiful book. Could make Martha Stewart feel insufficiently capable. I was quite overwhelmed. Back to Good In Jars.

[Mary Harris]

Practical and interesting!