Cold Canning by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, Reviewed

I’ve been a huge fan of Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough’s cookbooks for years, their well-worn pages lining my kitchen shelves, but Cold Canning has stolen my heart as their best work yet. As someone who’s never tuned into their QVC stardom, I know them for their foolproof recipes, and this book delivers in spades. It’s completely changed how I preserve summer’s bounty, swapping the sweaty, steamy nightmare of hot-water canning for a brilliant cold canning method that’s easy, safe, and perfect for my small-batch experiments. No more standing over a boiling pot while my air conditioner begs for mercy—this book has been a lifesaver during those humid summer days.

With a whopping 425 recipes, Cold Canning is a treasure trove of creativity. Number two son, Andrew and I nearly came to blows flipping through it, arguing over who needed it more (we ended up buying a second copy to keep the peace). I expected the usual jams and pickles, but this book goes so much further—think coffee jelly (a dream for this coffee lover), bacon jam that made my jaw drop, and parsley-pumpkin seed chutney that I never knew I needed. There’s kimchi and sauerkraut for my son, homemade harissa and gochujang for me, and even quirky gems like orange brandy syrup that I’m tempted to hoard instead of gifting. 

What I love most is how approachable it all feels. The instructions are clear, the photos are gorgeous, and the recipes use less sugar and salt, so I feel good about what I’m making. Sure, the authors suggest sterilizing jars in hot water (not the dishwasher), but it’s a small price to pay for the vibrant flavors you get to tuck away in your fridge or freezer for months—sometimes years! From medjool date steak sauce to onion-bourbon jam that turned my head so rapidly as to have mimicked a scene from "The Exorcist," every recipe sparks joy and inspiration.This book isn’t just a cookbook; it’s a love letter to preserving food in a way that’s fun, frugal, and totally doable. Whether you’re a canning newbie or a seasoned pro, this book will have you dreaming up new ways to savor summer all year long. I can’t recommend it enough—it’s staying front and center in my kitchen, and I’m already planning jars to (maybe) share as gifts.

You can order your copy here.

 Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Voracious Publishers by way of Melissa’s Produce in exchange for my honest review.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What inspires you?

If you’re anything like me, you love paging through all of the wonderful catalogs geared to foodies that come, seemingly daily, in the mail.  Williams-Sonoma, Artisan Table, Sur la Table, Napa Style, Chefs…I could go on and on.  My husband refers to these catalogs as having “stuff you almost want.”  Despite this admonition, however, he often does find things he not only wants, but buys.

He surprised me a couple of weeks ago with this sectional tray.  When it arrived I just looked at it.  The first thing I thought of was how great it would be for Taco Night -- taco meat in the center, all of the add-ons in the sections along the side.  “No,” my son said, “Make a mashed potato bar.  Pile up mashed potatoes in the middle, and all of the toppings around the outside – cheese, bacon, chopped onions, sour cream, more bacon, more cheese.”  Hmmm.  Interesting.

Our dessert-loving friend, Lennie, had still another idea, “Use it for ice cream,” he said, although quickly added that “the center section isn’t big enough for all of the ice cream you’re going to need.  Then put all of the toppings in the spaces: nuts, cherries, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, marshmallow sauce, bananas, strawberries…” The way he was going I thought we were going to need a few more sections.

It was interesting, I thought, just how many diverse ideas came out of this one dish.  Interestingly enough, my husband bought it, or so he claimed, for the sole purpose of using it for chutneys and raita when we have Indian food.

Have we used it?  Yes, we have, but for none of the purposes mentioned above.  Want to know how?  Come back tomorrow and see.

What would you use a sectional dish such as this one for?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

This post is linked to:

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple

Homemaker Mondays at11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven

Show Me What Ya Got Linky Party at Not Just A Housewife