Berkshire Grown Presents Canning Workshops In September
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. – In celebration of the fall harvest season, Berkshire Grown, working in partnership with Berkshire restaurants, food purveyors and partners, will present Preserving the Bounty: Canning, Pickling and Keeping the Harvest – a grouping of fun and educational community canning workshops exploring how to get the most out of your garden or farmers’ market through a wide range of preservation methods. The workshops will be offered throughout the region during the month of SeptemberThe current state of our national economy combined with the home gardening boom and local food movement has led to a huge revival in the old-fashioned art of preserving foods. Canning is an important, safe method for preserving food if practiced properly. Canning methods have changed dramatically in recent years and there is more to preserving safe, tasty, nutritious canned fruits and vegetables than breaking out an old pressure canner. These workshops will teach participants procedures to safely preserve the harvest through proper sterilization and seals with hands-on experience under the leadership of local experts.
Preserving the Bounty will present demonstrations and information on canning and preserving fruits and vegetables using techniques including freezing, canning, pickling and drying, as well as making jams and jellies. Advice on best practices for buying and harvesting produce will also be offered by workshop leaders. Workshop dates, class fees, session leaders and specific topics will vary at the participating member hosts throughout the region and will include a selection of foods to take home and enjoy. Storey Publishing is supplying each workshop with copies of The Beginner's Guide To Preserving Food at Home, as a giveaway for lucky recipients.
In support of the Berkshire Grown mission and in partnership with this preservation effort, Cricket Creek Farm, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, Mezze Restaurant Group and Storey Publishing are official sponsors of the Preserving the Bounty event workshops.
"People are choosing to eat locally grown food because it's healthy and delicious and because supporting local farmers helps strengthen our communities," reports Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown. “Preserving food is becoming popular because people want to eat locally grown food throughout the year. Learning how to preserve fresh vegetables and fruits will make it possible for people to eat locally grown food after the growing season,” she added.
"Berkshire Grown has pioneered the Farm-to-Table network, creating links between farmers and restaurants," explains Zheutlin. "Preserving the Bounty will strengthen the connection between community members – all of us who eat – and local farmers and restaurants. We are grateful for the support of our members and sponsors and hope this event increases the possibility for more people to eat locally grown food throughout the year.”
In north and central Berkshire county, participating members include Gala Restaurant and Bar, Mezze Bistro + Bar, The Berkshire Harvest Restaurant and Williams College Dining Services. Participants in south county include allium restaurant + bar, Carole Murko, John Andrews Restaurant, SOL Kitchen Catering and The Williamsville Inn.
Gala Restaurant and Bar’s Executive Chef Chris Bonnivier will preserve fruits and vegetables including heirloom tomato and red onion marmalade, and caramelized fennel and ginger jam with ingredients sourced from Equinox Farm. Gala Restaurant workshops will be held on September 9 and 10, both at 6 pm, at The Orchards Hotel. The cost per person is $8.
Mezze Restaurant Group will host two distinct workshops on September 12 and 23 at two separate locations. On Saturday, September 12 (9 - 11:30 am), guest host and canning veteran Lauren Gotlieb will lead a workshop canning honey-spiced peaches and peaches in syrup from Lakeview Orchards at their newest building, 777 North Street in Williamstown. The cost per person is $18. At allium restaurant + bar in Great Barrington, allium Chef Michael Pancheri will lead a canning and pickling workshop on Wednesday, September 23 from 11 am – 1 pm. A variety of produce for the allium session, depending on harvest conditions, will be procured from Earthborne Farm, Equinox Farm, Farm Girl Farm, Foggy River Farm and Sol Flower Farm. allium’s cost per person is $25.
Registration is required for these classes. Visit www.berkshiregrown.org for details or contact participating workshop host locations to register for specific events. To receive Berkshire Grown’s newsletter for more farm-to-table events, email buylocal@berkshiregrown.org.
