Monday, April 15, 2013

Cranberry Molasses and a Giveaway: Put 'em Up! Fruit by Sherri Brooks Vinton




Cranberry molasses! Is this a great idea, or what? I absolutely love pomegranate molasses and use it all the time. Mostly drizzled on salads. So vibrant, so tangy! When I saw this recipe in Sherri Brooks Vinton's newest canning book, Put 'em Up! Fruit, I knew I had to try it. Especially since I had some cranberries languishing in the freezer. And it's a little more local than pomegranates for us easterners.

If you are a canner, you've probably read Brooks Vinton's first book, Put 'em Up, which was structured by the fruit or vegetable to preserve. This book moves in a similar way, but focuses on fruit, and for each recipe of a preserve there is a companion recipe to "Use It Up!" There's a chunk of preserving information in the beginning of the book, and then the fruits start alphabetically, with apples, of course, and everything has a color-coded tab at the top of the page, so you can quickly thumb to a section. The book is colorful and easy to dive into, with beautiful pictures by Hudson Valley photographer, Jennifer May.

It's very obvious that Brooks Vinton has been at this for a while, and her enthusiasm for local produce and making eating well accessible to everyone is immediately evident. She's bubbly about cool things like gastriques and making cider vinegar, but still includes stalwart recipes for applesauce and classic jams. This book truly is for beginners and pros alike.

The cranberry molasses that I tried from the book is so simple! Next time I would probably try lowering the sugar because that's my thing these days, and it might help the ability to cook it longer without it jelling. The only thing I'll take Brooks Vinton to task for is not giving you an idea for the left over cranberry pulp. The book is chock full of little tips like this, so I'll let it pass! I used a cup  in some muffins, and I put the rest in a smoothie. I hope to try the molasses with the companion Use It Up! recipe: duck confit salad with cranberry molasses. Could that sound ANY better? No, it can't!

Cranberry Molasses
adapted from Put 'em Up Fruit by Sherri Brooks Vinton
Yield: 2 cups

4 cups of water
1/2 pound of cranberries
2 cups dark brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)

Bring the water and cranberries to a boil, and let them simmer for about 15 minutes, letting the berries pop and soften. Strain the juice through a fine sieve to get all that gelatinous pulp and seeds out. The juice is brilliant red!

Bring the juice (it will be about 2 cups worth) and sugar to a boil in your jam pan. Let it simmer until it coats the back of the spoon. Brooks Vinton recommends 10 to 15 minutes, but I went longer, about 30 neglecting to notice the comment: "the molasses will thicken as it cools." Mine was thick and lovely, but did jell slightly upon cooling. It is so soft though, that a few stirs with a fork turns it back into syrup. You can process this in a boiling water bath for ten minutes, or stash in the fridge for up to three weeks.

 

Please visit the book's webpage where you'll find a trailer, and videos to some of the recipes in the book. There are other chances to win a copy of the book! Some are over already, but some haven't even started yet. Check out this list of folks on the book blog tour:

April 8: Food In Jars
April 9: Punk Domestics
April 11: Local Kitchen
April 12: Mission: Food

Congratulations to the winner: Deborah Rosen. Many thanks to all who entered! There's still time to win at The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking and From Scratch Club!

Thanks to Storey Publishing, I have one copy of Put 'em Up! Fruit to give away. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment on this post. Comments will close at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, April 19, 2013. The winner will be chosen at random and be posted to the blog the next day. With Blogger it seems I can't email commenters directly (your email address remains anonymous to everyone, even me), so if you are not linked to a blog please leave a way for me to reach you, or check back to see if you won. And my sincere apologies, but only U.S. residents are eligible.

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of Put ‘em Up! Fruit free for the purposes of review and participation in the blog tour. One copy will be provided to the giveaway winner, courtesy of Storey Publishing. I received no monetary compensation and all opinions are my own.

48 comments:

  1. I particularly like that they give ideas for how to use the preserves once you've made them. I always run out of ideas before the jar is empty.
    Sandra

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  2. I loved the last Put Em Up book. I'm looking forward to digging in to this one.

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  3. This molasses looks gorgeous Julia! Congrats to Sherri for another fabulous book, I would love to win a copy :) Thanks so much. sunchowder@cfl.rr.com

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  4. Some of the recipes from Sherri's first book have become standbys for me. Looking forward to more inspiration in the new one!

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  5. Love that Put Em Up has a new book out, but I love all new book. xoxo

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  6. I loved Vinton's Put Em Up and can't wait to check out this new book!

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  7. Never more have I regretted the lack of cranberries in my freezer. Looks gorgeous, Julia!

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  8. I've been reading the reviews around this book in all of the places you mention... but I've only got around to commenting here! It seems hard to believe that only a few short years ago it was hard to find good canning books: looks like another great one for the shelf!

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  9. I really want to learn to put up food. This book looks like it would be a great help. Thanks.

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  10. this looks like a great book - thanks for the giveaway.

    10750coupons at gmail dot com

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  11. I have just recently started making cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries, so this really interests me! I would love to try a lot of these recipes.

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  12. I am always looking for new preserving recipes and this book looks great, especially with ideas of what to do with the end product, besides slather it on toast.
    Alison

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  13. I've been making preserves with fruit from my co-op (mostly blueberries and peaches), but I'm hoping to get my first crop of cherries this year and am accumulating ideas.

    Karla

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  14. Thank you for highlighting a cranberry recipe. I still have my Thanksgiving sale bag in the freezer and this book should be the key to using them up! onlinesarah at gmail dot com

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  15. this book sounds great! thanks for hosting a giveaway

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  16. Ooohhh... I would love for this book to show up on my front doorstep!

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  17. With summer around the corner, I would love this book!

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  18. I have the first Put Em Up book and it is awesome. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this new book!

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  19. Put 'Em Up was one of the first canning/preserving books I purchased and I would love to win a copy of this new book!

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  20. I've been looking for a book to help me kick off the canning season. This looks like it would be a great place to start!

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  21. Nope, you're right - it couldn't sound ANY better! Yum and delicious. aimgoggins at yahoo dot com

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  22. I am always getting questions about using preserves other than on bread! And I also have some cranberries in the freezer so I"m going to try the molasses recipe this weekend. Thank you! (amysuegr@yahoo.com)

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  23. I would love this new book. I am still delving into her old one.

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  24. Yay! The comments section is working for me now! I have never read those books but they look really interesting. And perfect timing for spring! Can't wait to go check out the local farms!

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  25. You know I thought of lingonberries. I would appreciate a copy of this book, despite my sugar-free state. Thanks for hosting a giveaway. :-)

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  26. I love cranberries, but I never think to preserve them. This molasses looks SO good.

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  27. Perfect timing for the beginning of mega fruit season. Duck confit salad and cranberry molasses...sounds seriously delish!

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  28. We love preserving fruits and have done so with the yields from our garden, would love new ideas! Thanks for the chance to win this.
    jlammers002@woh.rr.com

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  29. I am so excited to try a local substitute for pomegranate molasses (which I LOVE using).

    My email is nomnivorous@gmail.com

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  30. All the reviews of this book have been so great! Thanks for the giveaway!! cartercam at gmail dot com.

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  31. I love Put 'Em Up, and both recipes I've seen floating around from the new book have made my mouth water. Thanks for the opportunity!

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  32. oh i would love this - i am such a fan of leafing through my beautiful canning cookbooks to make a plan for the season!!
    jbennett at gmail dot com

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  33. This book sounds amazing. As I am new to canning, I was not familiar with the first book (but I'll surely look it up now). All of the reviews I've seen have included great sounding food! bonnie underscore stone at hotmail dot com

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  34. I would love to be entered in your give away!

    Gracious hospitality @ gmail dot com

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  35. What a great idea, cranberry molasses!! I'd love to be entered into the drawing. Incentive to can more. :) ---Jen

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  36. oh, that looks so delicious! I can't wait to get my hands on this book!
    alien_sunset @ yahoo.com

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  37. I'm entering! I hesitated only because my bookshelf is groaning, all these recipes circulating from this new one sound wonderful!(and I will most likely buy it if I don't win.)

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  38. I would love the book! (mary at living la selva loca dot com)

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  39. Mmmmm dreaming of all of the ways to use the cranberry molasses!!!

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  40. I hope I win :D

    vandal07@yahoo.com

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  41. I want to try the limoncello recipe. Friends with Punk Domestics. BMA

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  42. I'm curious to learn new preserve recipes to make this summer season and this book looks to be the perfect inspiration!

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  43. So excited to just start learning to can, and so grateful to all the bloggers who already share their recipes and wisdom! letsgooutside at gmail dot com

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  44. oh, wow, that looks great. I've made pickled cranberries from a Food in Jars recipe and it was so exciting to have new horizons in the cranberry world! Thanks for the chance to win a book!

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  45. I have Put 'Em Up on loan from my library now and would enjoy spending time with Sherri Brooks Vinton's new recipes. Thanks for the post and recipe sharing. lambchop_1 at hotmail dot com

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  46. Comments closed! Thank you for entering! - Julia

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  47. Love that Put Em Up has a new book out, but I love all new book. xoxo

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