Mason fixin's: Chic uses for humble, classic jars

There’s something about a Mason jar that conjures up warm, nostalgic feelings, whether it’s holding bright berry jam, crisp dill pickles or fresh lemonade. But more than 150 years after the launch of John Landis Mason’s double-lidded, heat-resistant, sturdy invention, home cooks and party hosts are finding new uses for those glass jars – and we’re not talking moonshine.

These days, tiny Mason jars are popping up at tailgate parties, bake sales, restaurants and bars. They’re used for pinot noir at San Francisco’s Heart wine bar, beer at Burlingame, Calif.’s, Barrelhouse and panna cotta at Oakland, Calif.’s, Disco Volante. At chic tailgates, you might even find them holding frozen margaritas and individual hors d’oeuvres.

Here’s just a sampling of options:

Cutie pies

Mini-mason jars are a hallmark at Dani Cone’s High 5 Pie and Fuel Coffee cafes in Seattle, where her “pie jars” showcase peach-ricotta and mango-raspberry fillings, for example, as well as savory versions filled with potatoes and curried vegetables. Her new cookbook, “Cute Pies: 40 Sweet, Savory, and Adorable Recipes” (Andrews McMeel, 160 pages, $16.99), which details the specifics for pie jars, pie-pops and hand pies, landed in bookstores last week.

But Cone isn’t the only one popping jars in hot ovens. They’ve begun popping up on food blogs too, including Not Martha, a crafts and food blog written by Megan Reardon, who lived in Menlo Park, Calif., and San Francisco before eventually relocating to Seattle. Reardon makes tiny two-crust cherry pies and blueberry cobblers as gifts and for bake sales, where the easy-to-transport containers sell like hot cakes.

Slushy cocktails

Mason jars have a long and venerable tradition as impromptu drinking glasses, whether it’s moonshine at the Prohibition-era still or soda pop at San Ramon, Calif.’s Fat Maddie’s Grille. The jars are, after all, inexpensive, dishwasher-safe and sturdy. But some clever bloggers and food writers have begun using them to freeze and transport margaritas to tailgate parties, picnics and backyard barbecues.

Megan Myers, the Austin, Texas, food blogger behind Stetted – a copy editing term for “never mind, it’s OK after all” – mixes up batches of margaritas, using water, frozen limeade, fresh lime juice, tequila and an orange liqueur called Paula’s Texas Orange.

Tailgate fare

The problem with most party dips isn’t just a matter of shirt-front drips or double-dipping guests. A classic Tex-Mex seven-layer may look fantastic when it first appears at the tailgate spread or potluck buffet, but a few chips in and the thing looks downright debauched. So Martha Stewart suggests layering the ingredients in tiny grab-and-go Mason jars instead – and sauteing pinto beans with onion and garlic and mashing them with a fork, instead of resorting to a mushy canned mix.

The colorful results retain their pretty layers. Everyone gets his own. And they can double-dip to their heart’s content.

Seven-Layer Bean Dip

Serves 8

4 tablespoons safflower oil

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped onion, divided

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 15 1/2-ounce cans pinto beans, drained, liquid reserved

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and peeled

1 to 2 pickled jalapeno chilies, minced

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

6 scallions, thinly sliced

6 ounces pitted black olives, chopped

Tortilla chips, for serving

1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add 1 cup onion and the garlic, and cook over low heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans, and cook for 3 minutes. Roughly mash with the back of a spoon, adding reserved liquid as needed to attain desired consistency.

2. Mix tomatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons onion and the salt. Mash avocados with jalapeno chilies, 2 tablespoons sour cream, and the lemon juice.

3. Spread mashed beans into bottom of each small Mason jar. Top with a little cheddar, then scallions, tomato mixture, avocado mixture, sour cream and olives. (Alternatively, layer all ingredients in a large bowl.) Serve with chips.

– Martha Stewart Living, January 2011

Mason jar inspiration

• Not Martha: Visit www.notmartha.org for recipes and instructions for pies and cobblers baked in tiny Mason jars.

• Stetted: Find a recipe for a great margarita perfect for freezing in a Mason jar at www.stetted.com.

• Martha Stewart: Find tailgate party tips, including the seven-layer dip idea, at www.marthastewart.com.

Tags: shesays, food, recipes