MFP Trainee Class Update, Pressure Canning Class and Other Events
Ernest Miller
Once again, I have been remiss in these email updates, but I assure
you, I've been keeping busy on the food preservation front.
First, the Master Food Preserver Trainee course is going very, very
well. We are now half-way through the course and moving from canning
into other forms of food preservation, such as freezing (this week)
and dehydration (next week). MFP Trainee Rachael Narins (of Chicks
with Knives fame), has been covering the course for the LA Times'
Daily Dish blog.
Her most recent article was on our pressure canning class:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2011/04/canning-it-working-under-pressure.html
Speaking of pressure canning, I will be teaching a class on pressure
canning for beginners at the Farmer's Kitchen. Frankly, as I told the
MFP Trainee class, I believe that mastering the pressure canner is one
of the most important aspects of canning. Jams, jellies and pickles,
which can all be processed in a boiling water bath, are wonderful.
Don't get me wrong, I love jams, jellies and pickles. However, they
will never be the focus of the meal. With a pressure canner, however,
you can process soups, stews, meats, vegetables, sauces and all sorts
of other things that can be your meal. Buy dry beans in bulk and can
them yourself. Buy chicken on sale and preserve it without taking up
room in your freezer. There is nothing like coming home after a long
work day and pulling a can of home made chili off the shelf to make a
meal. Pressure canning - learn how!
To learn pressure canning basics, sign up for the class here:
http://www.hollywoodfarmerskitchen.org/events/event-info?event_id=6139
There are also several other food preservation events.
Later today (sorry about the short notice), there is a panel on food
preservation at the Santa Monica Public Library - "Preserving the
Bounty" from 7:00pm - 9:00pm. The panel includes, Barbara Spencer,
Windrose Farm, Paso Robles; Kevin West, Master Food Preserver; Valerie
Gordon, Valerie Confections; and is moderated by Akasha Richmond of
Akasha Restaurant.
This Sunday, Mother's Day, Master Food Preserver Delilah Snell will be
doing a free demo of lemon preserving techniques (including how to
make limoncello!) at the Hollywood Farmer's Market! Definitely a
great way to start your Sunday (and don't forget to stop by for
breakfast at the Farmer's Kitchen and say "hello"!).
Speaking of the Farmer's Kitchen, we continue to produce a wide
assortment of preserved foods. This week, so far, I've made
strawberry-chipotle jam and strawberry-balsamic jam. I'm looking
forward to making strawberry lemonade concentrate and strawberry-lemon
marmalade. Next week I plan on pickling some asparagus. Drop on by,
we have some great Mother's Day gifts and delicious food.
Speaking of Mother's Day gifts, we have an excellent one: buy your
mother a series of canning class sponsored by Food Forward, the
non-profit that gleans fruit for our food banks. The Farmer's Kitchen
is hosting their series of four classes on canning, spread throughout
the year, taught by local canning experts, including yours truly on
June 4th. Other classes will be taught by Delilah Snell and Evan
Kleiman, Kevin West and Nina Corbett. Sign your mother up for the
classes now! http://canit.eventbrite.com/ She'll be sure to thank
you.
Again, I'll be doing a couple of classes a month at the Farmer's
Kitchen. After pressure canning we'll be doing a class on berry
preservation (freezing, drying, canning - how to preserve those
berries!). I will also continue to do demos at various locales. Last
weekend I was at the Workman-Temple Homestead Museum in the City of
Industry giving free demos on food preservation in the 1840s-1860s for
their "Romance of the Ranchos" festival.
In addition to Rachael's articles for the Daily Dish, MFP Trainee
Felicia Freisema has been writing articles for the LA Weekly's Squid
Ink blog and Karen Hobert is blogging her experiences here:
http://karenzblog.tumblr.com/
We also have a Master Food Preservers of Los Angeles Facebook page
now! http://www.facebook.com/MFPLA Check it out!
For those who Twitter, we're using the hashtag #MFPLA
That's it for this newsletter ... lots more interesting things planned
for the food preservation community in Los Angeles!
As usual, if you have any questions about canning, pressure canning,
fermentation, dehydration, freezing, pickling,
curing, smoking or brewing, feel free to email me at
ernest.miller @ gmail.com.
Be sure to check out the blog, which hasn't been updated in awhile,
but I plan to do some updating (probably):
http://preservenation.blogspot.com/
And/or join the Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=280846286958
Thanks,
Ernie