Canning and preserving from your garden

December 18, 5:56 PMIdaho Gardening ExaminerMary Ann Newcomer

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 Bread and butter pickles

A bountiful garden is a beautiful thing but a full pantry and freezer will get you through the winter in style.  One of the best programs in the country is available to home cooks through their University Extension program: formerly called the Master Preserver program, the name has been changed to Food Safety Advisor Program.  Offered in two phases, 30 hours in class and 30 hours of volunteer time in the community plus $100 for your classroom materials.

You will participate in a  hands-on preservation lab where you will make preserved foods. Topics include: food safety, canning acid foods (fruits, tomatoes), canning low acid foods (meats and veggies), making jams, jellies and preserves, dehydrating food, pickling, food storage and freezing.

The New York Times ran an article this week on saving money on your food bill the old fashioned way: by canning and freezing. A huge benefit: you will know exactly where your food came from and the exact ingredients, no small feat in today's global grocery system. Guess what? No high fructose corn syrup or funky chemicals you can't pronounce. A win-win project.