I remain unconvinced that people are yearning for exotic ideas for things to can at home. I am absolutely certain, after working for many years at this stuff, that no one is willing to risk the time and effort to lug produce home, clean and process it, in order to try out a new recipe they might hate. So in a new canning book I want to see the latest in canning safety research, clear instructions on for novice canners, tried and true recipes that every family will enjoy, and hints about how to tweak recipes to make them special.

"Blue Ribbon Canning" does just that. Ms Amendt has collected winning recipes from state fairs around the USA and put them into a book that a novice canner can use with confidence. Once again Taunton Press quality shines through. I do laugh, though, at what I call "Taunton Press Prose" which is a bit overly-precise and schoolmarmish.

For this book, Ms Armendt, who has won a prodigious number of awards for food preservation, has solicited recipes from some of the top canners in the USA. Each recipe notes its provenance and some of the winners are profiled alongside their recipes. There are also lots of photos of cows and sidebar factoids – like George Ferris invented the Ferris wheel for the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 – and tips – like how to scrape vanilla seeds out of the pod.

Water bath and pressure canning are explained in detail, as are the reasons not to take shortcuts. There are lots of recipes for jams, jellies and preserves plus syrups, chutneys, salsas and ways to preserve excess fruit and veg. Urban readers will get a big kick out of the chapter on competitive canning.

I really like this book and think it is an excellent book for beginners. Experienced canners will get some new ideas, and everyone will enjoy the lively text.

I received a review copy of "Blue Ribbon Canning: Award-Winning Recipes" by Linda J. Amendt (Taunton) through NetGalley.com. ( )

An excellent book for both the novice and the more-experienced canner!

I've been doing canning for about 4 years now, and from what I see here, the instructions given match what I've been doing - but they are laid out very clearly, in an easy-to-understand manner. I could've saved myself a lot of online searching and comparing of directions if I'd just had this one book when I was learning!

The book tells you what you need, how to do it - and then it gives you the recipes.
The recipes are all ones that won awards at various state fairs and such - each contributor is listed, and there are even some page-long profiles on different award-winning individuals. (The back also includes a list of fairs and competitions, in case you aspire to go on to compete with your own recipes.)

The recipes range from the basics (apple butter, dill pickles) to things you might not have considered - but that sound delicious (Peach Amaretto Jam, Cinnamon Pickled Watermelon Rind, Carrot Cake Conserve)!
The sections covered are: Jams, Jellies, Marmelades, Preserves, Fruits & Vegetables, Pickles, Relishes, Sauces, Salsas, and 'Specialty' items.

The first 39 pages are instructive, 40-256 are recipes, followed by 10 pages about canning for competitions. Overall, the layout is appealing, with lots of full-color photos.

I have to admit that I have not yet tried any of the recipes, because Harvest time is not yet upon us - but from looking them over, I'm convinced that they'll be good.

I was provided a digital copy of this book by Taunton Press and NetGalley for review - but I can say that this is one that I'm actually going to be buying (and using) in print format.
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Ferris Wheels, Cotton Candy and Blue Ribbon Winners…

Who doesn't think of carnival rides, ring tosses, cotton candy, funnel cakes and side shows when you hear the FAIR is coming to town?

For some, the FAIR conjures up images of jams, jellies and apple pies all competing for that coveted First Place Blue Ribbon.

As I took my first glance into Linda Amendt's Blue Ribbon Canning Across America, I swear I could hear the Carnival Barker shout…Step Right UP. View the One, The Only Book you will ever need for perfect canning.

Not only will you learn just about all there is to know for successful and safe canning preservation but you will have over 130 prize winning recipes to try out on your family and friends.

Straight from Taunton Press, Blue Ribbon Canning Across America will tempt you to pick those blueberries, hull those plump strawberries, peel those ripe Georgia peaches, sterilize those glass jars and fill your kitchen with the heavenly smells of warm jam.

The photographs are stunning and transport you to happy times and warm summer nights at the county fair.

Highly recommend for anyone interested in learning canning. Are you looking for that perfect Christmas gift for that fruit stand lover in your life? Look no more. Here it is.
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If you have canning experience but want to beautify and perfect the food you can for competition or just for your own self satisfaction, this is definitely a book you should have in your library. If you're new to canning or want to be new to canning, this is definitely a book you should have in your library. This is about fruits and vegetables, so if you are into canning meats, for example, you may want to look elsewhere, although I'm sure with all the information in this book, you could find something helpful as well.

The author has thoroughly covered just about everything you could cover regarding canning from beginning to end. There is a section on equipment and how to use it, including pressure canning, techniques for perfect results, and some great recipes to try.

I always enjoy reading stories about the people behind the book, whether a family cookbook, or, like this, a specialty cookbook. There are stories of canners who compete at fairs, etc, interspersed throughout the book from those new to the craft to those whose families have been competing for generations. If you want to compete in a competition, such as a fair (I don't), the author offers words of encouragement.

I would have liked more pictures with the recipes, but the books has some nice pictures anyway. (I love the one showing how she stacks her carrot slices to can. That is dedication to the craft and a beautiful result.)

As you can gather, I really like this book and would recommend it to any one who already cans and wants to produce blue ribbon results (I'm sure some of you already do) or who wants to learn to can not only tasty food but beautiful results.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review...exactly what the above is. ( )