Class is Scheduled!

Canning is no longer a concept practiced only in the country. Chicagoans are realizing that the best pantry gets stocked with the freshest summer produce and people all over the city are learning how to “put food up.”

With kitchen space newly acquired, we have finally begun to offer community based classes at Logan Square Kitchen. The classes will kick off at the kitchen space on August 13, 2011 and are designed to encourage beginning canners to develop the confidence to stock a great pantry. However, we are still offering home-based classes for those who want a more intimate and smaller setting.

Participants will be in the kitchen, learning firsthand how to preserve a Midwest favorite, the tomato. Along with the hands-on portion, there will also be an informational session that will cover a variety of topics including food borne illnesses.

“There is this real sense of empowerment when you have the knowledge to can your own food” says Laura McLaughlin, founder of The Glass Rooster, “It is creating this sense of accomplishment in my clients that I find so rewarding.”

Each person will leave the class with take home materials to help them remember what they have learned and a jar of produce made that day. They will also go home with the knowledge and confidence to be able to preserve the best the season has to offer.

The August 13 class starts at 1 pm at Logan Square Kitchen. The class is $65 per person and class space is limited. A non-refundable deposit is required to reserve a spot in the Canning 101 course.

Gearing up for Spring!!

I am so thrilled that so many in Chicago want to revive this lost art!! We are starting to get a lot of requests for our spring season as many of you know that when the fruit starts to ripen we need to be ready! I have started to pull all of my pots and equipment out of storage and am trying to be ready for everyone! Our strawberry sessions in Florida were a great success and will most likely be our first classes in June. We are also working on some “informational” classes that we may offer in May. This looks like it will be an incredibly busy season for us so contact us at info@theGlassRooster.com when you can and make sure you “save the date” with your friends!!

Moving into fall Apples!!

Hello all! We have exhausted most of our tomatoes for the season for our 101 course, but because there are still so many out there that have the desire to learn we have developed a great class with apples! Not only will you learn the process of preserving your own seasonal produce at home, you will have some of this year’s finest apples to use for a tasty apple crisp, a nutritious addition for oatmeal or my favorite, warmed up straight from the jar with a dollop of ice cream! We only have a few dates open in October so please contact us as soon as you have an idea when you would like to schedule so we can save your date! We will teach as long as our farmers have great apples or through the end of November, whichever comes first!!