Talks & Entertainment

Cathy Barrow believes that preserving is the only sure way to live locally and sustainably. In her new book, Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry: Recipes and Techniques for Year-Round Preserving, the author of the food blog of the same name shows what home cooks can do to turn the fleeting abundance of the farmers’ market into a well-stocked pantry full of canned fruits and vegetables, jams, stocks, soups, and more.

Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry covers the basics of pressure and water-bath canning, supplying readers with the know-how to create jams, confiture, preserves, chutneys, sauces, and conserves. Readers will learn the pros and cons of pectin, the essential technique of brining, and how to make cheese at home. Barrow also shares recipes based on pantry staples, like tomato soup made from canned crushed tomatoes and rugelach made with apricot preserves.

The book is also about supporting your local economy and reaching toward a more sustainable way of life based on the food you consume—and the produce you grow. In conversation with Bonnie Benwick, Deputy Food and Recipe editor of The Washington Post. Book signing to follow.