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.