There is something wonderfully satisfying about taking something fresh from the garden, farmers market, or grocery store and turning it into something you can enjoy months later. A jar of homemade pickles in January. Strawberry jam on a cold morning. Tomatoes tucked away for a future soup. Fermented vegetables quietly doing their thing on the counter. That is the magic of preserving. It is part cooking, part science, part patience, and maybe just a little bit of kitchen wizardry.
Welcome to the first installment of The Cozy Corner, a new series from the Library where we’ll explore books, resources and hands-on skills that invite us to slowdown, learn something new, and make a little more room for cozy in our everyday lives. And for our first cozy skill, we’re getting into canning and preserving.
Start with a Book
Whether you’re a seasoned canner with a pantry full of jars or someone who has never heard a jar lid make that magical pop, we’ve got books to get you started.
The Preserver’s Garden by Staci & Jeremy Hill
Want to take preserving all the way back to the garden? This is the book for you. It looks at growing food specifically with preservation in mind, from choosing what to plant to deciding how you’re going to preserve your harvest.
Preserving Everything by Leda Meredith
This one is exactly what the title promises. Canning, pickling, fermenting, freezing, dehydrating, smoking, salting and more are all covered. It’s a great choice if you’re curious about preservation beyond the traditional water-bath canner.
The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich
If pickles are your love language, start here. This is a deep dive into pickling, with recipes and techniques for everything from classic pickles to more adventurous varieties.
Foolproof Preserving by America’s Test Kitchen
For the person who wants instructions, recipes, and a little reassurance before putting anything into a jar. It’s a particularly approachable place to start if you’re new to preserving.
Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys
Ready to venture beyond vinegar and into the wonderfully strange world of fermentation? Sandor Katz is a great guide for exploring traditional fermentation techniques and discovering just how many ways there are to preserve food.
Freeze-Drying the Harvest by Carolyn Thomas
Curious about freeze-drying? This practical guide covers everything from getting started to preserving fruits, vegetables, meals, and more. A great resource for anyone looking to give their harvest a much longer life!
And, of course, we’ve got even more books on canning, preserving, pickling, fermentation, and food storage waiting for you at the library.
You Bring the Produce. We Bring the Equipment.
Maybe you’ve been eying all those beautiful jars of homemade jam on Pinterest and thinking, I should really try that. But then you look at the list of equipment and think, Do I really need to buy all that just to make twelve jars of pickles? Nope. That’s where our Library of Things comes in.
Our Canning Kit lets you borrow the equipment you need to try your hand at preserving without having to purchase everything yourself. It’s a perfect way to test out a new skill before deciding whether you’re ready to devote an entire kitchen cabinet to it. We won’t judge if the canning supplies eventually take over.
So grab a book, check out the kit, pick up some seasonal produce, and give it a try.
Make Something That Lasts
One of the things I love about preserving is that it changes the way you think about food and seasons. You’re capturing a little piece of summer and saving it for later. That’s exactly what we’re hoping to explore with the Cozy Corner: the kinds of skills that make ordinary days feel a little more intentional. So this month, we’re putting summer in a jar.
Cooking Classes at the Library
Want to take your cozy new skill beyond the books? We have cooking classes coming up at the Library, giving you a chance to learn new techniques, try something delicious, and connect with other food-loving folks in the community. Keep an eye on our upcoming programs and come cook with us!
So grab a book, check out the kit, pick up some seasonal produce, and give it a try. What will you preserve?
