Put ’em Up by: Sherri Brooks Vinton

When Storey Publishing sent me Put ’em Up by: Sherri Brooks Vinton I thought me can? Yeah right. I did a flip through and a couple of things caught my eye. I put it aside and said I’ll get to it.

It took me a while to get to it but I’m glad I did. Growing up in the South you know at least five people who can. While I’m a great cook (just have to toot my horn- no one else will do it for me) I have always been afraid of canning. This book changed that for me.

Put ’em Up is filled with over 150 recipes that range from the classic Strawberry and Raspberry Jams to the more modern Roasted Pepper Ketchup and Pickled Watermelon Jelly. I tried the Strawberry Vodka which is fabulous and a little different. I also made the Mincemeat in honor of my daddy. He loved mincemeat pies. I once had to drive 9 hours to get him one.

I tried several other recipes as well Salsa, Berry Bourbon, Charred Chilies, Apple Butter and a few others. All of the recipes were easy to follow and precise.The only thing I loved was that Part One of Put ’em Up is filled with all the Techniques you could ever need to know. If this is your first time canning, pickling, or freezing then this is the boo for you.

Sherri Brooks Vinton is the founder of Farm Friendly LLC. It helps eaters, restaurateurs, organizations support local agriculture. She is also the author of The Real Food Revival and lives in Easton, Connecticut.