Saturday, September 5, 2015

Book Review: Blue Ribbon Canning

Blue Ribbon Canning by Linda J Amendt is a celebration of winning canning recipes from fairs across the nation.  When I was younger, my area had a county fair with competitions.  Back then I was too young to appreciate the allure of the blue ribbon.   This book captures the excitement of the blue ribbon.

First up let's talk about what I love about Blue Ribbon Canning.  It starts off with the basics - ingredients, canning equipment, techniques, and processing.  The focus here is on food safety.  No one wants to waste time and ingredients only to have the end result spoil.  The book has basic recipes but also includes unique combinations such as the Pear Lime Jam and Strawberry Lemon Marmalade.  The contributors are fair winners, and many are featured in special write-ups throughout the book.

My only problem with the book is the amount of sugar used in the recipes.  I prefer to have more fruit than sugar in my jams and jellies.  I know the amounts included in the book are common.

I found plenty of recipes to make the book a great resource.  I have yet to try pressure canning, but the step-by-step instructions make me what to take the leap.  The Sauces and Salsas section is packed with recipes full of natural ingredients that I can pronounce.  I can easily see myself making ketchup and BBQ sauce.  Overall I feel the book offers something for everyone.

Disclosure:  I received this e-book through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own!

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