Harvest the goodness

If you've ever canned or preserved food, or think you might want to, the "Ball Blue Book: Guide to Preserving" is pretty much your go-to guide. Some might even call it their canning "bible."

The newest edition came out this spring, but the Ball Blue Book has been the expert since 1909. This latest book includes the largest update since its inception, with 75 new recipes, more pictures and step-by-step guides for beginners.

Although I have several updated versions, I still treasure my first Ball Blue Book, which I bought in 1984 when I wanted to make jam from the glut of raspberry bushes growing in my backyard. My mother had insisted on coming to help, convinced that without the proper guidance, I was likely to, at the very least, sicken my entire family, if not kill them outright.

The raspberries, however, wouldn't wait until the weekend when she could arrive. Armed with only the Ball Blue Book, a case of canning jars, and several pounds of fresh, ripe raspberries, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Turns out I didn't need hope, or luck. The directions in the Ball Blue Book were easy to follow and I never once felt like I was in over my head, or that my family was in danger. When those little jars made that popping noise after being removed from the canner, I took it as a round of applause for my new-found skill.

By the time my mother arrived, there were not only several batches of red raspberry jam, my pantry also boasted jars of sour cherry jelly and a batch of dilly beans. I was hooked.

Over the years when a friend has asked me to show her how to can, the first thing I say is to pick up a copy of the Ball Blue Book. The second thing I say is that they don't really need me. It's just more fun cutting, chopping and peeling with a buddy.

While I don't get the opportunity to do a lot of canning these days, my daughter and I took the latest Blue Book out for a test drive.

Summer's bounty may be but a memory, but it's the perfect time to make apple jelly or apple butter. Here's the recipe for apple jelly from the "Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving."

For directions on preparing jars, pick up the latest copy of the Ball Blue Book.

Apple Jelly

Yield: About 4 half-pint jars

4 cups apple juice (made from 3 to 4 pounds of apples)

2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh or bottled (optional)

3 cups sugar

Prepare juice for jelly: Select top-quality fruit at its peak of ripeness (we used Honeycrisps). Wash under cold running water; drain. Remove stems and blossom ends as needed. Do not peel or core. Chop or quarter the fruit; measure fruit. Put prepared fruit in a large saucepan. Add 1 cup of water for each slightly heaped quart of fruit. Cover saucepan and simmer fruit over medium heat until soft, about 20 minutes. Strain fruit and liquid through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth to extract juice. For a clear juice, don't press or squeeze the jelly bag to extract the last few drops of juice. Put juice in a deep container and let it stand overnight in the refrigerator. When you're ready to prepare jelly, ladle juice from container, being careful not to disturb any sediment or pulp that may have settled to the bottom.

Cook: Combine apple juice, lemon juice (if desired), and sugar in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook rapidly to gelling point (220 F), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off foam if necessary.

Fill: Ladle hot jelly into a hot jar, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Clean jar rim. Center lid on jar and adjust band to fingertip tight. Place jar on the rack elevated over simmering water (180 F.) in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Process: Lower the rack into simmering water. Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner and bring water to a rolling boil. Process half-pint jars 10 minutes. Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose. Cool 12 hours. Check seals. Label and store jars.