Monday, July 19, 2010

GL Challenge*: Canning with Amy Pennington

Last week I took a canning class from gardener, canner, cookbook author & uber savvy business woman Amy Pennington. She's recently written a cookbook called Urban Pantry, Tips & Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable & Seasonal Kitchen. It's about growing what you eat, eating local and preserving food. It's a delightful book full of great recipes and a lot of inspiration.

During the class she made a quick batch of raspberry jam and brandied cherries. I learned a quick and easy technique for water bath canning when one doesn't have the official water bath canning equipment (shes says to put a clean dishtowel in the bottom of big old pan to keep the jars from clanging around together).


Here's Amy looking all Seattle suave with her iced drink and hot pot!


Mmmm....red raspberries cooking down for jam!


All prepped and ready to go!

If you're in the Seattle area, Amy is teaching a canning/preserving class one Thursday a month (day and evening classes) through October at Cupcake Royale on Capitol Hill. Each class she'll can something different and seasonal so if you take more than once class, you'll learn something new! I'm thinking of signing up for the October class to see what fall goodness she comes up with!



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's so fun! Maybe I'll add that book to my birthday list...isn't yours coming up this week, too? I really, really, really want a fancy stock pot and skillet like the one she is using. Man, they are spendy.

I love the iced coffee in one hand and spatula in the other. That's hilarious.

Shannon @ AnchorMommy said...

I agree – love that she's stirring with one hand, sipping with the other!

Looks so fun! I would love to sample the jams YOU make after that class!

Sara K. said...

Looks awesome!!! Do you know what I am thinking? Soon, maybe, soon!

amy pennington said...

OMG, that picture is ridiculous! I am really embodying the "urban" part of Urban Pantry, eh? THANKS FOR COMING! amyp

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