About Marisa
Marisa McClellan is a food writer and canning teacher, and is the voice behind Food in Jars. She is the author of Food in Jars (Running Press 2012), Preserving by the Pint (Running Press 2014), Naturally Sweet Food in Jars (Running Press 2016), and The Food In Jars Kitchen (Running Press 2019). Her writing has appeared in many, many places, including Better Homes and Gardens, New York Times, and AllRecipes. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Portland, Oregon, she has lived in Philadelphia since 2002. She lives with her husband, Scott and their twin boys.
You can also find her on her personal blog and a variety of social media channels.
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About Food in Jars
This site was launched in early 2009 to give Marisa a place share her interest in canning and general obsession with canning jars of all shapes and sizes. It regularly features canning recipes, giveaways of canning and culinary-focused products, cookbooks, interesting ways to use preserves, and other posts that Marisa thinks are appropriate and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have a canning question, can I email you directly?
You are absolutely welcome to get in touch. However, please know that I get a lot of email and though I try to respond in a timely manner, I can’t always respond as quickly as is ideal. I will always try to respond eventually. If you are a canning beginner or have a simple question about the basics, you can always check out my Canning 101 page, which provides information on jars, the canning process, and the roles of specific ingredients.
Can you tell me if my canned goods are safe?
I am not a canning oracle. I cannot judge the safety of a product by reading a description of how you made it or looking at a photo of the jars. If you doubt the safety of your homemade products, do not eat them. To be safe, only use recipes from reliable sources and bring yourself up to date with the latest canning guidelines before embarking on a preserving project.
Do you teach classes?
I am not currently teaching classes. I have young kids and don’t get out like I used to.
Do you write anywhere else?
I used to do a great deal of freelance writing, but these days the bulk of my work appears on this site and in my books.
When does your book come out?
My first cookbook (a general interest canning book), Food in Jars was published in May 2012. My second book, called Preserving by the Pint is devoted to super small batch canning and was published in March 2014. My third book, called Naturally Sweet Food in Jars came out in March 2016. Finally, my fourth book, The Food in Jars Kitchen, which dropped April 2019, is filled with recipes to help you use up what you’ve put up. All four books have been published by Running Press.
Who designed your logo?
The Food in Jars logo was designed by my friend and former co-worker, Roger Estes. You can find more of his work here.
What kind of camera do you use?
99% of the time, I use a Nikon D7000 with a 35mm fixed lens. Once in a great while, I’ll borrow my husband’s Canon DSLR or use our Canon G10 if I need something portable. We also recently picked up a Sony NEX-5RK and I’ve used it for a few shots here and there. It’s a shockingly great, amazingly tiny camera.
I’d like to buy ad space, send you a product for review or arrange a giveaway for the Food in Jars readers. How can I do this?
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, arranging for giveaways and reviews (which are only done in conjunction with a reader giveaway), please visit the Food in Jars sponsorship page.
Have a question that’s not answered here?
Drop me a line via this handy contact form.
