Exploring a Cookbook: The Preservation Kitchen / Paul Virant

Haven't made anything yet, just creating a placeholder.
There's so much I want to try there, but a lot of those recipes start with six pints of this preserve, that aigre-doux, or some other pickle. If I fill my pantry with canning jars of things I'm only likely to use a few times a year, Sue will probably kill me.

So I'd like to propose that if you're cooking from this book, let others know you're canning something, especially if you're willing to trade or share.

High on my list is the Grape Aigre-Doux, for what I consider the best salad dressing I've ever had, which was served at the Book Release event at Vie (added to creme fraiche, served over butter lettuce, candied walnuts and sliced apples and celery for an awesome variant on Waldorf)

[My pantry currently includes spicy tomato jam and a pear/apricot mostarda if anyone can use that -- not Virant's recipes, but they're what I've got]

mbh gave me the book for my birthday in February and let me know, it's in transit.

Can't wait to take a look and hopefully do some canning in 2 weeks from the book.

Joel, that salad sounds lovely. Right now, I'm stuck on the Vegetarian salad at Athenian Room, I've been every night this week, and right now, I think I'm going again tonight.

Still not cooking from the book yet -- too much work to do for Passover and Easter to can something for later use.
Reading this book reminds me an awful lot of David Chang's Momofuku: bright acidity is a major part of the flavor palette philosophy (Chang pickles with Sherry vinegar, Virant with Champagne vinegar). Both have a "What can I do with this?" approach to developing recipes, although coming from different directions (Chang's Asian street food [mostly] versus Virant's American homestead).

But I am using his philosophies and concepts: last night I opened a jar of pepper-onion relish that's been sitting in my pantry, mixed it with a bit of sour cream (actually a mix of cream, light sour cream and yogurt that had to sub for sour cream when I was short of the real thing for the recent Iron Chef Celery battle), and used it as a burger topping.

I also opened a jar of ghost chile jam that someone gifted to me (not as spicy as I'd expected, but a nice smoky kick), thinking of how it could be used... and so far it's been spread on Ritz crackers (a warm brie would be good too).

I started using champagne vinegar for pickling and jamming last year. I find it far more rounded than many of the other vinegars. One of the best jams was a less sweet than usual Ferber one made from blueberries with champagne vinegar. Oh my goodness, it tastes like a jar of summer.

I'd already decided to triple the batch of that one this summer.

Oh, my book arrived today.

Ok first recipe tried:
Garlic Mustard Chimichuri
Foraged some from my wildflower garden out back (barely making a dent in the weeding), with some red wine vinegar, pickled ramps taking the place of the spring garlic the book calls for, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, salt and smoked paprika.

Tasty on passover brisket... But not as pungent as the bruised leaves in my yard smell. It's getting another use tomorrow on the Easter rib roast.

Hey all, longtime lurker, first time poster etc. etc. Haven't had the chance to eat at Vie or Perennial yet, but they've moved up to the top of my list after picking up this magnificent cookbook.

I'm looking forward to working through the pickling recipes as produce comes into season, however, I've had trouble locating a supply of champagne vinegar in bulk. Searches of this forum (and online in general) returned queries that were both inconclusive and outdated. Is anyone aware of a good source for champagne vinegar in bulk? I live in Michigan but make it to the Chicago area frequently, and am willing to order online.

Also, hello everyone! I've lurked for a while, have found the information here invaluable, and am happy I finally have occasion to post.

xlrbnc wrote:Hey all, longtime lurker, first time poster etc. etc. Haven't had the chance to eat at Vie or Perennial yet, but they've moved up to the top of my list after picking up this magnificent cookbook.

I'm looking forward to working through the pickling recipes as produce comes into season, however, I've had trouble locating a supply of champagne vinegar in bulk. Searches of this forum (and online in general) returned queries that were both inconclusive and outdated. Is anyone aware of a good source for champagne vinegar in bulk? I live in Michigan but make it to the Chicago area frequently, and am willing to order online.

Also, hello everyone! I've lurked for a while, have found the information here invaluable, and am happy I finally have occasion to post.

I had no luck with champagne wine vinegar in bulk, or gallon + sizes. Let me know if you find something. Last year I used it for almost all of my pickling & preserves where I used vinegar. I prefer it to apple cider or regular white. It's just more nuanced.

Just checked, Amazon has five liter containers of champagne vinegar for $38

JoelF wrote:Just checked, Amazon has five liter containers of champagne vinegar for $38

But living in Chicago, it just seems bizarre that there isn't a local vendor for this + shipping is just shy of $16.

Another vendor: www.europeanfoodservice.com has a 4-pack of 5-liters shipped for $113.35. If we can find two more, it's less than $29 each.

I'd like to get in on the champagne vinegar bulk purchase. Anyone still interested?

Just saw this--I'm definitely interested.

With me that's three... pairsforlife, are you in?

JoelF wrote:With me that's three... pairsforlife, are you in?

Yep, I'm in. Just bought a bottle from F & O for $7. It is less than 32 oz.

Sending you a Quick Pay via Chase now.

Good news and bad news:
The good news is they lowered the price to $90; the bad news is they're out of stock. They expect to have more within "the quarter."

Now that we're entering apple season, has anyone made the caramel apple-jam yet? I was curious to know if people recommended a sweet or tart apple. Also, is it supposed to be fresh or dried thyme? The recipe calls for 2 tbsp, which seems like a lot so I am led to assume that it's fresh. As a newbie to canning and jam making, this recipe seems especially vague on the details.