Let's Talk Sugar: Part 01
One of the most common questions I hear when teaching Wiley Workshops is: “Can I reduce the amount of sugar in a jam recipe?”
Let’s Talk Sugar: Part 01
One of the most common questions I hear when teaching Wiley Workshops is:
Can I reduce the amount of sugar in a jam recipe?
The honest answer is, “Yes, only to a certain degree, and only if you understand what role sugar plays in the jar.”
Sugar is not only there to make jam delicious and sweet. In traditional jam-making, sugar is also a structural ingredient. It’s part of the chemistry that helps fruits and vegetables become spreadable and stable.
Today, in Part 01, let’s discuss exactly what roles sugar plays in the jam-making process.
Next week, in Part 02, we will discuss what happens when you reduce it, and why certain substitutes, particularly honey, behave differently than we might expect.
Sugar plays three key roles in the jam-making process.
01: Sugar helps jam set.
02: Sugar interplays with water.
03: Sugar enhances the inherent flavor of the fruit itself, as well as adds sweetness and vibrancy.
01: Sugar helps jam set. The ‘set point’ of jam is the point at which it reaches desired consistency. For most classic jams, this occurs at about 220°F at sea level. Most classic jams also rely on pectin, a naturally occurring polysaccharide found in fruit. It is also often added as a commercial product, and this commercial product is often made from apples. Pectin molecules form a network that helps trap liquid. This is what helps give jam its gel. Sugar behaves in support of this. Sugar is a disaccharide, and this structure matters. Granulated cane sugar is sucrose, a disaccharide made of two simpler sugar molecules: glucose and fructose, bonded together. Because sucrose is a larger molecule, it interacts with water and pectin in a more predictable and structured way than single-unit sugars do, such as glucose and fructose, which compose honey. In the presence of heat and acid, sucrose helps create an environment where pectin molecules can move closer together and form a stable network. This contributes directly to the reliability of a jam’s set.
02: Sugar interplays with water. In a pot of cooking fruit, there is a lot of water, much of which is released as the fruit breaks down when we mash or blend it. Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it binds readily with water. When sugar is present in a sufficient quantity, it ties up water molecules that would otherwise be “free” in the mixture. This matters for texture and spreadability. Too much free water can lead to jam that is not properly set. Very importantly, sugar also helps reduce water activity. Low water activity is a hallmark characteristic of shelf-stable jam. Traditional jam is preserved, in part, because sugar lowers water activity, the amount of water available for microorganisms to use. Microbes need accessible water to grow. Sugar reduces that accessibility. This is why very low-sugar jams often have a shorter shelf life, especially after opening, even if they’re processed correctly.
03: Sugar enhances the inherent flavor of the fruit itself, as well as adds sweetness and vibrancy. Sugar sweetens, of course, but it also balances acidity and bitterness and can amplify fruit aroma.
Next, we will discuss what happens when sugar is reduced and how honey is often used as a partial replacement. As always, please reach out with any questions.
Begin With What Is True
Stating what is true is what we need to bring us into the present—to move us through nostalgia (or fear, anxiety, and more) and into a state of comfort or wholeness.
Begin With What Is True
Begin With What Is True was written on August 23, 2024. It is the fifth of five popular essays from 2024’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
Yesterday, I flew alone from Nashville to Salt Lake City, where I rented a car and drove four hours southeast to Moab. I am here to celebrate the marriage of a dear friend, Lauren, and her soon-to-be husband, Patrick.
As I was driving from Salt Lake City to Moab, I began to feel a very specific nostalgia—a longing—for my family. This is a familiar sentiment; I experience it any time I travel without Jared and Sullivan, especially to a place as beautiful and otherworldly as Moab.
The way I move through this sentiment is by stating what is true, as simple as this sounds.
“I am driving through mesmerizing red rock formations.”
“Sullivan is so excited to have concentrated time with his dad.”
“I am 31 weeks pregnant, and I feel strong. I have a weekend alone with my second baby to rest and process.”
“I am here to celebrate committed partnership.”
“Everyone I love is safe and healthy.”
“This trip is a gift.”
Oftentimes, stating what is true is what we need to bring us into the present—to move us through nostalgia (or fear, anxiety, and more) and into a state of comfort or wholeness.
For example, I absolutely love to teach Wiley Workshops. Teaching is, by far, one of my favorite aspects of Wiley Canning Company. It is also true, to this day, I get incredibly nervous before every workshop. The way I move through my nerves is by stating what is true.
“I love to teach Wiley Workshops.”
“I am nervous right now, but as soon as our workshop starts, my nerves will melt away, as they always do.”
“My students want to learn about home food preservation.”
“I deeply understand and value the concepts and practices I teach.”
If you, too, find yourself in a scenario that causes feelings of nostalgia or fear, can you ask yourself, “What is currently true?”
I predict we will each find, most of the time, everything is indeed okay. Not only are we safe, but we are also experiencing abundance and fortune.
Taking Great Care
Often, when we feel an urge to make a big change, what we need most is to take great care.
Taking Great Care
Taking Great Care was written on June 21, 2024. It is the fourth of five popular essays from 2024’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
Often, when we feel an urge to make a big change, what we need most is to take great care.
What do I mean?
When we feel an urge to renovate our kitchen (a big change), what we might need most is to organize our cabinets, clean the inside of our refrigerator, wipe down our countertops, and thoroughly mop our kitchen floor (great care).
When we feel an urge to get a tattoo or color our hair (a big change), what we might need most is an hour of solo, sweaty, and music-filled exercise (great care).
When we feel an urge to withdraw from a friendship (a big change), what we might need most is a vulnerable conversation, affirmation, and an upcoming dinner date on the calendar (great care).
When we feel an urge to change our business model (a big change), what we might need most is a focused, quiet evening dedicated to one striking, high-quality Instagram photo that celebrates the existing beauty and value of our company.
Often, we are convinced our home, our body, our friendship, or our work needs a big change, and what it might need most is great care, attention, and love.
This concept is on my mind because Jared and I recently came across a remarkable home (and I mean remarkable!) on Zillow. (We’ve all been there.) It is far out of budget, and it is not a current option to us. However, it did cause my mind to wander.
Should we move?
Is our current home suitable for our growing family?
Do we need a home with fewer stairs?
I decided to respond to these doubts by taking great care of my current home, a home I love very much. I fluffed the pillows in our living room, watered our plants, and displayed a few of my favorite heirloom kitchenwares on our countertop. I immediately realized I did not want to move. What I needed most was to take great care of my current home.
The same response is often needed when I doubt myself as a business owner.
Should I find a commercial kitchen space?
Should I change the size of my team?
Do I need an advanced degree?
I decide to respond to these doubts by taking great care of our online presence and in-person experiences. I create a striking, high-quality Instagram photo. I send a note of gratitude to a past contractor or customer. I dive into a favorite canning cookbook to refresh my knowledge.
Do you feel an urge to make a big change? If so, is it possible a part of your life might need great care?
To Trust Our Decisions Is to First Trust Ourselves
When we first trust ourselves, we can then trust the decisions we make. Finding peace with our decisions means first finding peace within ourselves—who we are and how we think.
To Trust our decisions is to first trust ourselves
To Trust Our Decisions Is to First Trust Ourselves was written on April 12, 2024. It is the third of five popular essays from 2024’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
Recently, it feels as though I’ve made one big decision after another. In general, I make big decisions very slowly. I play out each decision in granular detail. I reach out to anyone who might have more wisdom than I surrounding a given topic. I deliberate. I consider. I leave no stone unturned.
I’m not referring to decisions related to an upcoming vacation or holiday. I’m talking about answers to questions such as, “Where will my son attend preschool?”
“Will I have another baby?”
“What is true about Wiley Canning Company in 2025? 2030?”
I ask myself, “Can I trust the decisions I make?”
Trusting our decisions is what ultimately allows us to feel peace once we are experiencing the reality of them. I took this question to my therapist this week. I asked her, “Can I trust this particular decision? Can I be certain it’s the right choice?”
She said, “First, I want to know: can you trust yourself?”
When we first trust ourselves, we can then trust the decisions we make. Finding peace with our decisions means first finding peace within ourselves—who we are and how we think.
Her question encouraged me to think about when I trust myself most.
I trust myself when I can hear my inner voice guiding me, as quiet or subtle as it may be at times. I hear my inner voice best when I run. I hear my inner voice best when I take a long shower. I hear my inner voice best when I open my laptop to write freely.
I trust myself best when I set aside time to discuss my decisions with Jared. His input is very influential. His validation is very powerful.
We can trust ourselves.
The key is creating time to listen to what we have to say. The key is creating time to receive input and validation from someone we deeply trust.
When do you hear your inner voice guiding you? When you walk? When you drive? When you sit quietly beneath the sun?
You Can Have It All
You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once.
You Can Have It All
You Can Have It All was written on March 22, 2024. It is the second of five popular essays from 2024’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
One of the most enriching aspects of my life is my friendships. I care very deeply about investing in my friendships and infusing them with support, joy, honesty, and vulnerability.
Last night, I had dinner with three of my closest girlfriends. As they typically do, they asked me about Wiley Canning Company, my short-term goals, and my far-reaching dreams. I shared it all, and I explained how I am constantly engaged with feelings of inspiration and impatience as a business owner.
“I want to launch this product now.”
“I feel inspired to host this workshop now.”
“I wish I could hire this person now.”
These desires themselves, I believe, are highly valuable. This hunger is what drives me. I do not wish to squander it.
It is also true that these desires, this hunger, must remain bonded to reality. In moments when I feel a strong appetite to launch, host, hire, and more, I say to myself:
“I can have it all, but I can’t have it all at once.”
I don’t want it all at once. I wish to build Wiley Canning Company brick by brick.
I write down every short-term goal and every far-reaching dream. I take them very seriously; I honor them and do not forget them. I choose carefully where to incrementally direct my attention, day to day. Wiley Canning Company has grown, and will grow, brick by brick due to this hunger and will, over time, experience launches, workshops, team members, and more. Wiley Canning Company can have it all, but it can’t have it all at once.
I encourage us all to apply this to areas of our lives beyond our careers.
“I want to take this trip now.”
“I feel inspired to wear this outfit now.”
“I wish I could share this experience with my child now.”
Allow this appetite for life to drive you. You can have it all. But, you can’t have it all at once. Brick by brick, dear friends. Brick by brick.
Shame-Free Curiosity
We will discover what is meant for us—the questions and the answers—when the time is right. May we be curious, and may our curiosity be free of shame.
Shame-Free Curiosity
Shame-Free Curiosity was written on January 19, 2024. It is the first of five popular essays from 2024’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
There is no shame in what you do not know.
I’m going to write that again.
There is no shame in what you do not know.
Recently, I was on a call with someone I admire very deeply. The purpose of our call was to discuss the future of Wiley Canning Company. I shared my detailed vision with her, and she offered me support, validation, and curiosity.
At several moments during our call, she asked me questions for which I did not have answers. As her questions progressed, my lack of answers caused me to feel embarrassed, and eventually, my feelings of embarrassment grew into feelings of shame.
“Why don’t I know this?” I asked myself.
“You should know that, Chelsea,” I scolded.
However, this was the first time since beginning Wiley Canning Company I had spoken in such specific, granular terms with someone who has far more entrepreneurial experience than I. I did not know the answers to her questions because I had not yet discovered the questions themselves.
In the days following our call, I thought of my son. Not long ago, he burned his finger on my curling iron. He did not know my curling iron was a hot object. He reached for it when I was turned away, and he experienced a minor burn for first time. The last emotion that comes to mind when I think of his absence of knowledge is shame.
I thought of a close friend. For years, she has felt uncertain about whether or not to pursue having a child. She can envision a beautiful life with and without a child, and right now, she does not know what the future holds for her family. The last emotion that comes to mind when I think of her uncertainty is shame.
I thought of my 24-year-old self. I had just moved to Nashville and felt very unsure of where to take my career. I was working in medical research with a plan to attend medical school, but I felt a quiet pull to pursue a more creative path. The last emotion that comes to mind when I think of this past version of myself is shame.
Is the unknown uncomfortable? Yes.
Is the yet-to-be discovered intimidating? It can be.
Can a gap in knowledge feel embarrassing? Perhaps.
Is any of this shameful? No.
We do the best we can with the information we have. We do the best we can with the certainty we have. We will discover what is meant for us—the questions and the answers—when the time is right. May we be curious, and may our curiosity be free of shame.
Maternity Leave
I am unable to think of Wiley Canning Company without thinking of motherhood.
Maternity Leave
I am unable to think of Wiley Canning Company without thinking of motherhood. I began Wiley when I was pregnant with my son, Sullivan, and I signed my contract for The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook three months before giving birth. The values, products, and work you see flow from Wiley are the values, products, and work created by a first-time mother. I am proud of this.
However, the relationship between Wiley Canning Company and motherhood was not symbiotic at first. I resisted, fervently, the idea of melding my role as a business owner and my role as a mother. What is more, I resisted, fervently, the idea of melding my identity of ‘business owner’ and my identity of ‘mother’. My identity of ‘business owner’ came first, chronologically, and because of this, it is what I grasped most tightly throughout my pregnancy. I feared I would lose Wiley—its momentum, community, and success—if I allowed myself to create room for a very new, unknown identity of ‘mother’. This white-knuckle grip of my work caused me to suffer. My attempt to silo my endeavors in this way was antithetical to my humanity, my undeniable and innate ability to manage the complexity and integration of a multi-faceted life.
It was not until I demolished these silos and rebuilt a single, spacious, and colorful personhood that my relationship between Wiley and motherhood became not only symbiotic, but also nurturing and sustaining of one another.
At first, I asked, “What will I miss at Wiley because I am with Sullivan? What will I miss with Sullivan because I am writing my cookbook?”
These questions became, “What will I write because I am Sullivan’s mother? How will I mother because I love my work?”
At first, I asked, “How will motherhood hurt my career?”
This question became, “How will motherhood strengthen my career?”
At first, I asked, “How can I protect my time spent on Wiley?”
This question became, “How can I evolve my relationship with time and flexibility to move my work forward in a variety of circumstances?”
Once I began to healthily integrate my roles and identities as a business owner and a mother, I immediately noticed the ways each benefited, far more than suffered, from one another. When others describe motherhood as transformative, this is, in part, what I believe they mean. This series of perspective shifts was profoundly transformative.
I am nearly four years into business ownership and motherhood, and I know this for certain: I am a better business owner because I am a mother, and I am a better mother because I am a business owner. I am deeply in love with my work, and I am deeply in love with my son. The unification of my work and my son is the well-woven fabric of my day-to-day life, a life I cherish, behold, and honor.
As I enter my second maternity leave, I do not enter it in fear. What will I create at Wiley Canning Company in 2025 because I am a mother to two children? How will motherhood aid in creating value for others through my work at Wiley Canning Company? How will my relationship with time and flexibility continue to both humble and embolden me, as well as my career?
I look forward to bearing witness to these answers.
I will be on maternity leave beginning Monday, October 07, 2024 through Monday, January 06, 2025.
What does this mean for Wiley Canning Company?
What does this mean for Wiley subscribers, as well as the Wiley community?
How can you engage with Wiley during this time?
Find out below!
The Wiley Subscription
My top priority during my maternity leave is the Wiley Subscription.
Content for Wiley subscribers will not be put on pause. I predict my routine offerings may be interrupted from time to time, but in general, I plan to proceed as normal for all Wiley subscribers.
This includes:
1 subscriber-only Wiley Weekly Newsletter every Friday
1 Wiley Recipe, 1 In Dialogue interview, and / or 1 Founder’s Talk with Chelsea J. O’Leary every month
10% off all photographic prints
Access to the Wiley Weekly Newsletter archive
First access to all News Feed publications
Wiley Workshops, community events, and retreats will return beginning May 2025. See more below.
Wiley Workshops and community events
Wiley Workshops, community events, and retreats will return beginning May 2025.
Before then, Wiley subscribers are able to register for our annual New Year’s Recipe Exchange on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Registration will first open through the subscriber-only Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Cookbooks, cutting boards, and prints
The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook, cutting boards, and photographic prints will remain for sale.
Wiley subscribers will continue to have 10% off all items.
Featured content
Throughout my maternity leave, I invite you to explore my favorite essays, videos, and more.
Essays:
The Importance of Strengthening Strengths
Work That Matches Our Ambition
Founder’s Talks:
Integrating Work and Partnership
Integrating Work and Motherhood
Press:
View all News Feed posts here.
Milk Street Welcomes Wiley Canning Company
I return to Christopher Kimball’s 177 Milk Street this evening to begin teaching a four-week intensive.
Milk Street Welcomes Wiley Canning Company
I return to Christopher Kimball’s 177 Milk Street this evening to begin teaching a four-week intensive: The Science, Art, & History of Preserving Fruit with Chelsea J. O’Leary.
A direct link to all details can be found here.
It will take place over three sessions, spaced two weeks apart. The sessions, hosted by Milk Street, are from 5:00—6:30pm ET beginning this evening, July 18, and on August 01 and August 15.
If you can’t attend all of the sessions in real time, do not worry! You will receive a recording of every session, as well as every recipe, to watch and try on your own time.
Between sessions, I will be present on a chat platform where you can directly ask me questions and share your photos of your creations!
See you this evening!
The Latest: The Wiley Subscription
The Wiley Subscription is a creative, educational, and insightful home for all subscribers. Today, we are highlighting the latest aspects of The Wiley Subscription.
The Latest: The Wiley Subscription
The Wiley Subscription is a creative, educational, and insightful home for all subscribers.
As a monthly or yearly subscriber, you will have access to weekly, monthly, and annual knowledge and connection.
Your first month is on us. Use code: SUBSCRIBE.
You can subscribe or cancel at any time.
Today, we are highlighting the latest aspects of The Wiley Subscription.
One recent highlight is In Dialogue: Leila Giannetti.
In Dialogue is our interview series and an exclusive feature of The Wiley Subscription.
Leila Giannetti of Patina Home and Garden and Patina Meadow is our ninth In Dialogue feature. Leila is a true, endless wealth of joy, knowledge, and creative inspiration.
I first met Leila at Patina Home and Garden, a welcoming and charming brick-and-mortar store in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. Patina Home and Garden, where Leila plays an essential role, was founded by multi-talented Brooke Giannetti of Velvet and Linen and Steve Giannetti.
Leila is also a steward of Patina Meadow, home to a nurturing farm, abundant garden beds, enlivening greenhouses, and The Shed, a gathering space and pottery studio.
My admiration for Leila, as well as her family, is very deep. Any time I speak with her, I experience her grounded perspective, genuine gratitude and kindness, and sense of awe of the land beneath her and world around her.
I am both excited and honored to invite you to listen to our conversation.
I ask Leila the following questions:
What is one of the most rewarding aspects of your personal role and mission at Patina Home and Garden and Patina Meadow? What is one challenge you face as a part of your personal role and mission?
Is there one part of yourself that has come alive in Tennessee that may have been dormant in California? Is there one part of you that feels like it has remained in California that you might miss, or perhaps now honor?
Does working with your parents come naturally to you? Is there any action or habit you intentionally practice to remain in sync and aligned with each other as you work together?
Can you speak more about how you have made peace with the ebbs of your work, as a part of the inevitable ‘ebb and flow’?
Do you have a favorite fruit or vegetable you grow at Patina Meadow?
What is one food-related habit, priority, or value rooted in your past, with family or close friends, that you wish to carry forward into the future? If there isn’t one, what might you start?
Annually, Wiley subscribers also receive an 8x10 photographic print.
I’m thrilled to highlight Nightshade, our second annual print.
If you became, or become, a Wiley subscriber before June 30, 2024, you will receive this print.
One reason I love what I do is this: I am in love with the materials with which I work.
I am in love with fruits and vegetables: their shapes, colors, complexity, and persistence. My favorite colors can be found only when making jams: the deep purple of crushed blackberries, the romantic red of simmering strawberries, or the soft, muted navy of a blueberry, freshly picked from its bush. A mandarin is an entire universe, in and of itself. A peach is a portal through which I connect with my no-longer-alive grandmother. I am madly, deeply in love these living, growing organisms. To preserve them—through a canned good or photograph—is to love them.
Among our In Dialogue series and photographic prints, you also have access to:
Subscriber-only Wiley Weekly Newsletter
Access to the Wiley Weekly Newsletter archive
Subscriber-only recipes
Subscriber-only discount codes
Subscriber-only Founder’s Talks
Subscriber-only Recipe Exchange
10% off all Wiley Shop items
10% off all Wiley Workshops
Patina Home and Garden Welcomes Wiley Canning Company
I am so very excited to soon teach at Patina Home and Garden, founded by the ever-brilliant Brooke Giannetti of Velvet and Linen and Steve Giannetti.
Patina Home and Garden Welcomes Wiley Canning Company
I am so very excited to soon teach at Patina Home and Garden in Leiper’s Fork, founded by the ever-brilliant Brooke Giannetti of Velvet and Linen and Steve Giannetti.
If you, like me, are drawn to daily doses of genuine inspiration, make your way to this incredible family and the work they create with their wonderful team, including Leila Giannetti’s gardening and stewardship at Patina Meadow.
It is such an honor to join this dream team for a Wiley Workshop.
Class details are below.
Wiley Workshop: Introduction to Home Food Preservation with Chelsea J. O’Leary: How to Preserve and Honor Our Seasonal Bounty | Focus: Fruits & Vegetables Year Round
When: Thursday, May 16, 2024 | 5:00—7:00pm
Where: Patina Home and Garden in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee
Tickets: Follow this link to purchase tickets through Patina Home and Garden.
I can’t wait to see you there!
Graphic by: Josh Nava
Food Product Development at Cornell University
Last May, nearly one year ago, I completed Cornell University’s Food Product Development Certificate.
Food Product Development at Cornell University
Last May, nearly one year ago, I completed Cornell University’s Food Product Development Certificate.
As one who teaches others to safely can, pickle, and preserve fruits and vegetables, I consider it absolutely critical to continue my own education over time. I can be the best teacher possible when I am, first and foremost, the most committed learner possible.
Throughout this program, we studied and applied the following courses:
Market Research and Product Development
Food Safety and Quality
Food Processing and Packaging
Regulatory Agencies and Food Regulations
Commercialization
I felt an overwhelming sense of alignment while taking part in this program. Every detail and discovery was directly applicable to my work and goals at Wiley Canning Company.
If you are interested in continued education, there are several esteemed universities that offer online programs.
You can view Cornell University’s online offerings here.
Repetition as a Value
We often feel as though we must come up with something new each time we sit down at our desks. However, we can simply repeat the already-valuable lesson we’ve shared.
Repetition as a Value
Repetition as a Value was written on July 28, 2023. It is the final of five popular essays from 2023’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
Someone very dear to me was recently navigating a deeply challenging experience. As I became her confidant and began giving her advice, I soon thought, “I don’t know what else to say in response. I’m so sorry.”
I decided to call a close friend to ask for advice. I asked her, “What do I say? What do I do?”
Her brilliant advice has not only made me a better, more grounded confidant, but it has also changed the way I approach my business.
She said, “You don’t always have to say something new. You don’t always have to do something new. You can share the same piece of advice over and over again.”
Oftentimes, we feel as though we must come up with something new to say each time someone confides in us. This makes sense to me. We are wired to invent and evolve…invent and evolve.
However, I have learned, in the short amount of time I have applied this advice, that repetition is highly valuable. When someone hears the same piece of advice over and over again, it may be more readily internalized. It is likely we each have a piece of beautiful advice to share, and there is so much value in repeating this single piece.The same is true in reverse. When we are struggling and do not feel understood, we might feel as though we need to explain ourselves, and how we’re feeling, in a new way each time. However, we can describe our struggle the same way, over and over again, until it is truly heard.
Finally, this remains true in business. We often feel as though we must come up with something new each time we sit down at our desks. However, we can simply repeat the already-valuable lesson we’ve shared. We can repeatedly promote the same recipe, workshop, essay, garment, restaurant, author, and more.
Repetition is highly valuable.
Similar to Mood Follows Action, this lesson has also been shared with me by Daphne Javitch of Doing Well. As always, I highly recommend engaging with her wisdom.
An Ironman Mantra
In July 2019, I trained for my first Ironman 70.3. I often talk about this race because I often apply the lessons and mantras I gained along the way.
An Ironman Mantra
An Ironman Mantra was written on March 03, 2023. It is the fourth of five popular essays from 2023’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
In July 2019, I trained for my first Ironman 70.3. I learned so much throughout my training journey, so you might notice I often talk about this race. I often talk about this race because I often apply the lessons and mantras I gained along the way.
When I first registered, my mom introduced me to her friend, Kathryn, who regularly competes. Kathryn was instrumental in helping me prepare for this race, the longest one I had ever done. She told me where to buy the best skinsuit and goggles. She recommended healthy, energizing snacks and drinks to consume while training. She consistently shared her wisdom, rooted in her personal experience, and this allowed me to truly enjoy 70.3 miles of mental and physical effort.
The night before the race, she texted me a mantra I frequently repeat to this day.
She said, “Be strong, and be smart.”
Be strong, and be smart.
Her words, be strong, made immediate sense to me. I had to muster every ounce of mental and physical strength within me to accomplish this goal. However, her words, be smart, didn’t make immediate sense to me. I wondered, “Be smart about what, exactly?”
As I stood at the edge of the water on race day, with widened eyes and a racing heart, it became clear what Kathryn meant when she said, “Be smart.”
She was telling me to be safe. Be aware. Be proactive.
Because of her words, I located the safety kayaks in the lake before beginning my swim. While biking, I stayed as far away from moving traffic as I could. I drank Gatorade and water before I became obviously thirsty. I was smart during race day, and I believe the micro-decisions I made throughout the day enabled the experience to be full of inspiration and joy.
Today, I pass this mantra to you.
When you find yourself standing at the edge of the water, be strong, and be smart.
When you need to make a difficult decision for the health and longevity of your business, be strong, and be smart.
When you feel, deep in your bones, it’s time for a change in a relationship, be strong, and be smart.
When you sense you’ve outgrown a belief or habit that no longer serves you, be strong, and be smart.
Be strong, and be smart.
Mood Follows Action
“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” — E. B. White
Mood Follows action
Mood Follows Action was written on February 24, 2023. It is the third of five popular essays from 2023’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
The Paris Review recently shared the following quote by E. B. White:
“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”
This quote reminds me of one of many lessons I learned while writing The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook.
As a working mother, the flow and senses of my day are often unpredictable. In order to complete my cookbook, I had to become comfortable recipe testing in a noisy home, writing in 20-minute spurts, and constantly reorienting myself as my priorities inevitably shifted each day. Instead of waiting to write, for example, until I was in the mood, I had to simply sit down and write. This reality taught me an invaluable lesson.
Mood follows action.
If I want to be in the mood to write, I must sit down, open my laptop, and begin writing. Once I hear the sound of my fingers navigating a keyboard, I want to write.
If I want to be in the mood to run, I must stretch my body, put on my sneakers, and turn on my favorite playlist. Once I feel the cushion of my sneakers beneath my feet and hear music through my headphones, I want to run.
The same can be true for countless daily actions: calling a friend, cooking a meal, reading a book…you name it. Begin the action, and your mood will follow.
This lesson has also been shared with me by Daphne Javitch of Doing Well. I highly recommend consuming her wisdom when possible.
Photo by: Zachary Gray
Work That Matches Our Ambition
The time will come when the work you’re creating will match the truest representation of your mind and most sincere voice of your heart.
Work That Matches Our Ambition
Work That Matches Our Ambition was written on January 27, 2023. It is the second of five popular essays from 2023’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
What does it mean to create work that matches your ambitions?
Ira Glass, host and executive producer of This American Life, recently prompted this question when he described his struggle to create something noteworthy.
He begins by sharing, “All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But, it’s like there is this gap. For the first couple years that you’re making stuff, what you’re making isn’t so good. It’s not that great. It’s trying to be good. It has ambition to be good, but it’s not that good.
But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is good enough that you can tell that what you’re making is kind of a disappointment to you. A lot of people never get past that phase. They quit.”
They quit.
End scene.
El fin.
He continues, “Everybody I know who does interesting, creative work went through years when they had really good taste, and they could tell that what they were making wasn’t as good as they wanted it to be. They knew it fell short. Everybody goes through that.
And if you are just starting out, or if you are still in this phase, you’ve got to know it’s normal, and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Do a huge volume of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week or every month you know you’re going to finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you’re going to catch up and close that gap. And the work you’re making will be as good as your ambitions.
I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It takes awhile. It’s going to take you a while. It’s normal to take a while. You just have to fight your way through that.”
If you find yourself in this gap, the messy middle between entering the game and not yet creating work that matches your truest ambitions, I strongly encourage you to stay the path. The time will come when the work you create will be noteworthy. The time will come when the work you’re creating will match the truest representation of your mind and most sincere voice of your heart.
Photo by: Emily Ferretti
The Importance of Strengthening Strengths
What makes us work?
The Importance of Strengthening Strengths
The Importance of Strengthening Strengths was written on January 06, 2023. It is the first of five popular essays from 2023’s Thin Slices, a subscriber-only segment of the Wiley Weekly Newsletter.
Each essay was first available to Wiley subscribers. You can subscribe to the Wiley Subscription for access to all essays here.
On Monday [January 02, 2023], Jared and I went for a 10-mile hike to reflect on the past year and begin dreaming about the new year. We asked ourselves several questions and allowed ourselves to feel unhurried when answering them.
What is already good?
Do you have any fitness goals this year?
How are you feeling about the way we spend our money?
These questions and others led to productive discussions and identifications of pivots needed to feel proud and accomplished a year from now. My favorite question, though, one about the two of us, led to feelings of pride and validation.
What makes us work?
In other words, when, how, and why does our partnership thrive? What are we doing to create a marriage that feels uplifting? Equitable? Supportive?
How are we speaking to each other when we feel in need? How are we listening to each other when we feel heard? What makes us work?
When I worked at Elizabeth Suzann, a leadership principle Liz taught me was this: it is best to identify, focus on, and grow the natural strengths of your team members. In other words, it is best to strengthen strengths. This is much better—much more productive—than identifying, focusing on, and attempting to change the natural deficits of your team members. In other words, the health and success of a team increases when we invest in growing natural strengths, not changing natural deficits.
This reminds me, as well, of a food philosophy that teaches this: it is best to add items to your diet when you wish to improve your health. This is much better—much more productive—than removing items from your diet. In other words, if you want to feel more energetic, focus on adding delicious vegetables to your diet, not removing your favorite chocolate cookies from Dozen Bakery.
Strengthen strengths.
Each idea above feels aligned with Jared’s and my discussion when answering the question, “What makes us work?” Identifying, focusing on, and growing what makes us work are the actions we wish to take in this new year for our partnership.
What makes you work?
What makes your team members or village work?
What makes meal time work?
May we continue to build upon our natural strengths.
Photo by: Zachary Gray
The Wiley Dinner Series in Nashville
The Wiley Dinner Series, co-hosted with Tiana Gidley and in collaboration with Chef Kathryn York, culminated in Nashville, Tennessee, a true celebration of a full, enriching year.
The Wiley Dinner Series in Nashville
The Wiley Dinner Series, co-hosted with Tiana Gidley and in collaboration with Chef Kathryn York, culminated in Nashville, Tennessee, a true celebration of a full, enriching year. When dreaming up the Wiley Dinner Series, we thought very hard about whether to begin or end in Nashville. We decided it felt best to end not only this series, but to also end our year, in the place we so fortunately call home.
While Wiley Canning Company is deeply rooted in Ohio where I grew up, it was born in Nashville, Tennessee. I have felt the unbelievable, unwavering support of this city since I first moved here nearly 10 years ago.
What stands out to me most about our Nashville dinners is their equal emphasis on nourishing food and nourishing dialogue. Chef Kat and I created a nutritious menu, and Tiana guided us through thoughtful, meaningful prompts. The Wiley Dinner Series in Nashville was deeply restorative because of the presence and work of Chef Kat and Tiana. Below you will see images from the hometown dinners of Wiley Canning Company.
Our Nashville menu was the largest of all. Chef Kat prioritized a vegetable-forward menu and sourced the majority of our produce from Bloomsbury Organic Farm.
We paired Martha Stoumen’s Honeymoon 2022, Post Flirtation White 2022, Venturi Carigan 2022, and Post Flirtation Red 2022 with our full-of-vibrance menu.
At the Wiley Dinner Series in Los Angeles, Elise Joseph burned Gorgo Incense by Blackbird throughout her home, and we carried this comforting detail into our Nashville dinners.
Natalie Barnet of Fleur Sure created the most enlivening floral arrangements for our dinners, as well, which you will see in the images below.
Our Nashville dinners were sponsored by:
Martha Stoumen
Year & Day
Morrow Soft Goods
Bloomsbury Organic Farm
Mayker Events
Fleur Sure
Europerfumes
Juliette Has A Gun
All photos were taken by Zachary Gray. Our menu was designed by Josh Nava.
You can listen to our Nashville dinner playlist, curated by Elise Joseph, on Spotify here. It is also shown below.
The Wiley Dinner Series in Los Angeles
The Wiley Dinner Series in Los Angeles is a memory I will cherish for years to come. Not only was the evening filled with incredible women, but it was also shown tremendous, unexpected luck.
The Wiley Dinner Series in Los Angeles
The Wiley Dinner Series in Los Angeles is a memory I will cherish for years to come. Not only was the evening filled with incredible women, but it was also shown tremendous, unexpected luck. While it rarely rains in Los Angeles, it rained and rained the evening of our dinner, situated outside on a welcoming, candlelit patio. However, somehow, our neighborhood in particular only received a very light, short sprinkle. We could hardly believe it.
In this moment of luck, we gathered for a sold-out dinner at the beautiful home of Elise Joseph, nestled in the rolling, tree-covered hills of Highland Park. Chef Chloe prepared an absolutely delicious dinner, built around recipes from The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook and farmers’ market finds, that nourished a table of sixteen as the moon rose and the California breeze swept through the evening.
It seems we eluded the passing of time, as we could not bring ourselves to leave one another’s company after many hours of being together. My greatest hope for our dinner was that it would enable us to share nurturing food and nurturing conversation, and Elise and I certainly experienced both throughout this intimate evening.
Our Los Angeles menu was filling, nutritious, and colorful. Chef Chloe remained committed to sourcing from nearby farmers’ markets for our dinner, and this was instantly noticeable as we bit into each dish.
We paired Martha Stoumen’s Honeymoon 2022 and Nero d’Avola Rosato 2022 with our menu. The Nero d’Avola Rosato 2022 in particular was a favorite among guests when paired with Chef Chloe’s Lemony Gigante Beans and Wiley’s Pickled Radicchio.
Elise burned Gorgo Incense by Blackbird throughout her home and treated guests to an interactive, paper fortune teller—one that is visually striking and evocative of childhood memories—coming next month to Duende.
As we gathered, we were surrounded by the floral wonders of Kelly Ross, an artist and friend who is as vibrant as her creations.
Our Los Angeles dinner was sponsored by:
Martha Stoumen
Year & Day
Morrow Soft Goods
All photos were taken by Emily Ferretti. Our menu was designed by Josh Nava.
You can listen to our Los Angeles dinner playlist, curated by Elise Joseph, on Spotify here. It is also shown below.
The Wiley Dinner Series in Charleston
Last Thursday, on a 70-degree October evening, we gathered for a sold-out dinner in Charleston, South Carolina as the tide rose and muhly grasses danced.
The Wiley Dinner Series in Charleston
The Wiley Dinner Series has officially begun!
Last Thursday, on a 70-degree October evening, we gathered for a sold-out dinner in Charleston, South Carolina as the tide rose and muhly grasses danced. Using recipes from The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook, the touchstone of our dinner series, Chef Vilda Gonzalez prepared a vegetable-forward dinner that nourished a table of fourteen as the creek beneath us glistened.
In The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook, I write, “Delicious ingredients lead to delicious meals.”
This is true for a meal. This is true for a life.
“When we have a single ingredient that is homemade and precise, we can create an entire meal that awakens our hearts and minds, one that sends a tingle through our jaw as we take our first bite.”
When we allow single ingredients to drive our meal, we can build a table covered in delicious, thoughtful, and life-giving food.
Our dinner in Charleston represents a rare culmination of luck, history, and collaboration.
You will notice as you read our Charleston menu, we began the evening with Pickled Shrimp, sourced from Tarvin Seafood, a local favorite. We served Pickled Shrimp, my collaborative recipe with Chef Sean Brock, atop leafy greens and pistachio dukkah.
Chef Sean Brock is one of the very first people with whom I shared my vision for Wiley Canning Company. Charleston is a significant part of Chef Sean’s story, and to share this recipe here, of all places, felt enriched and connective. During our dinner, I also learned Chef Vilda previously worked with Chef Sean, reinforcing the truth that we are all deeply connected, whether we are aware of it or not.
At each place setting, a photographic print by Charleston-based Olivia Rae James, shown on Instagram here, was awaiting guests’ arrival. It was a huge joy to have Olivia herself at our dinner, as well, as her presence only amplified the beauty of her print. When I first spoke with Olivia about sharing a print, she shared how this scene in particular was captured near Sullivan’s Island, at a time of year when the muhly grasses bloom in pink for only a short time in the fall.
The grasses were in bloom during our dinner.
I invite you to read further about The Wiley Dinner Series here. Tickets are now available for our upcoming dinner in Los Angeles here.
Our Charleston dinner was sponsored by:
Avaline
Year & Day
Morrow Soft Goods
We would also love to thank Ghia for our non-alcholic beverages.
All photos were taken by Zachary Gray. Our menu was designed by Josh Nava.
You can listen to our Charleston dinner playlist, curated by Elise Joseph, on Spotify here.
The Wiley Dinner Series
We are so excited to announce The Wiley Dinner Series. Please join us to celebrate and honor recipes from The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook.
The Wiley Dinner Series
We are so excited to announce The Wiley Dinner Series.
Please join us to celebrate and honor recipes from The Wiley Canning Company Cookbook. Our intimate events will center around shared ingredients, seasonality, space, and connection.
Each incredible chef will create a special menu incorporating Wiley recipes: canned, pickled, and preserved fruits and vegetables.
We are absolutely thrilled to begin our dinner series in Charleston, South Carolina with Chef Vilda Gonzalez. Vilda beautifully couples artistic expression with delicious, seasonal dishes.
Next up…Los Angeles with Chef Chloe! I first met Chloe at our event at The Well Lived Woman last May, and it is a dream come true to work with her this November.
Our final dinner of 2023 will take place at home, in beloved Nashville, Tennessee, with my dear friend, colleague, and incomparable ideator, Tiana Gidley, as well as Chef Kathryn York. Kat is deeply inspiring to me as both a chef and a teacher, and it will be an immense joy to share this evening.
The Wiley Dinner Series is possible due to the women above, as well as the remarkable humans who support Wiley Canning Company.
Elise Joseph, another dear friend and colleague, has conceptualized this series, executed numerous planning details, and wholly inspired and supported my hand in it. Josh Nava, a third dear friend and colleague, designed all illustrations and graphics related to this series.
