Time to Add Canning 101

I remember late summers working on my cousin's farm. One of the chores I helped my cousin and aunt to complete was canning, which is defined in the Webster's Dictionary as, "the act, process, or work of putting foods in cans or jars for preservation." I was reminded of this most basic of home economics when listening to NPR this morning during and interview with legendary blues musician, Elvin Bishop. During the interview he was asked if it was true that he grew his own food. He indicated that not only did he grow his own food but he canned it, too. In fact, he mentioned that he "had canned some applesauce just yesterday!" He even packs his canned fruits (jam) and vegetables when he flies out to do a gig because he wants to eat his own food.

There were more stories from Elvin on this matter but it begged the question, "Should we be teaching this craft to culinary arts and hospitality students, especially when there is a strong trend toward growing one's own food or purchasing it locally?" I say that the answer is, "absolutely." Imagine the student that is able to go to the local farm or farmer's market and purchase bushel baskets full of fruits and vegetables and able to bring them back to the restaurant and work with the staff to can them, or as my coursin used to say, "put them up." Also think of the savings that would accrue to the foodservice operation that canned its own fruits and vegetables and depended less on regional and national purveyors to provide them to deliver on the menu, as long as local health laws would permit it. Imagine the cost in energy savings that would also accrue as less and less food had to be processed and shipped all over the country. So please find a way to teach that skill to students as it will prove to be more valuable to them as the cost of fruits and vegetables continue to go skywards putting pressure on already razor thin profit margins.