Awesome Ways To Put Weck Jars To Work

You needn’t be an ace with a canner to find awesome ways to put gorgeous Weck jars to work.

BEAUTIFUL & EASY | “Now this is a full-circle moment,” said my friend Anne, pointing to the Weck canning jars prominently displayed in the chi-chi San Francisco kitchen shop we cruised through last week. “I was so happy to get away from these things when I moved here from Germany and to discover canning jars with screw-top lids. They’re much easier and more convenient to use.”

While the jury is out on whether Weck canning jars really are less convenient or more difficult to use than their screw-top North American cousins, there’s no denying they’re healthier for you (Ball, Kerr et al. have BPA in their lids right now, but they are working to get rid of it)—and sexier by a long shot, though their good looks will cost you.

Weck jars are expensive to use for hardcore, everyday canning projects but the price is perfectly acceptable when they are repurposed for simple, gorgeous, homemade hostess gifts— like the beautiful, effortless pickled carrots cooked up by superchef David Lebovitz at his yummy blog davidlebovitz.com (pictured directly above; CLICK HERE for the recipe)—or for take-along desserts like the easy, charming cheesecakes in jars by the blogging phenom Jamie at mybakingaddiction.com (pictured at the top of this story; CLICK HERE for the recipe).

Lebovitz picked up his Weck jars at a flea market in Paris. I found mine at a garage sale in West Van. The easiest and least expensive place to get them locally is The Gourmet Warehouse, where they’re sold by the case. You can also find them online at Crate & Barrel. —C. Rule

See the full range of Weck products at www.weckcanning.com; contact The Gourmet Warehouse at wwwgourmetwarehouse.ca; visit crateandbarrel.com; check out mybakingaddiction.com; check out davidlebovitz.com.

Photos: Mybakingadditction.com, Davidlebovitz.com, Crate & Barrel