The day after I gave them a jar of my apricot preserves, the phone rang. Even before I answered it, I was sure this was the call I had been dreading. Yes, it turns out it was Nikki on the phone. No, Gary felt fine. She had simply called to say that the preserves were so good they were eating it straight out of the jar.
Praise is a powerful motivator.
Soon I was bestowing my latest canned goods on everyone I knew. Everyone was impressed. Their ignorance is my bliss. In the last few years home canning has made a glamourous comeback. A stylish, new generation of canning books has overshadowed the stolid Ball Canning Guide.