Traditional craftsmanship meets food rescue
Have you ever wondered what you can do with those shriveled carrots in your fridge? Are you interested in how to preserve your seasonal vegetables for longer? Or have you always wanted to learn about food waste and canning?
On November 3rd, we – Sarah from Die Vetzgerei and Johanna from SIRPLUS – organized our second preserving workshop. Together, we hosted a lively evening filled with delicious treats and plenty of tips and tricks on preserving, food waste reduction, and repurposing. The workshop is especially suitable for beginners for whom the vast world of preserving is still a bit of a mystery.
“We don’t want to stand by and watch a truckload of food end up in the trash every minute; we want to do something about it. Namely, preserve it.” That’s what the two initiators, Sarah (in the green sweater in front) and Johanna (in the back), said.
Everyone knows the feeling: your eyes were bigger than your stomach, the offer at the market stall was simply too tempting, or you spontaneously decided to eat out again. Then the groceries from the other day are often still waiting in the fridge, but there's just no time to use them up.
"That sort of thing doesn't happen to me. I preserve everything in jars, so I have something for a rainy day," you can hear Grandma saying in your ear.
Our grandmothers are undoubtedly true heroes when it comes to appreciating food. We think we should all take a page out of their book. But anyone who thinks canning is old-fashioned is mistaken. While canning is one of the oldest methods of preserving fruits and vegetables for several years, it has recently gained more and more enthusiasts who are returning to this traditional craft and rediscovering the joy of homemade goods.
To prevent large quantities of food from spoiling, there are many different processing methods available. It doesn't matter whether the harvest is canned, pickled, fermented, smoked, or cured. In our preserving workshop, we focused on pickling and canning. Johanna and Sarah demonstrated everything that needs to be considered.
After a warm welcome and a brief introduction, they got straight to work. Once the recipes were handed out and the work areas assigned, each team diligently started chopping.
Meanwhile, Sarah regaled the participants with a wealth of interesting and fascinating facts about the art of canning. The most important thing, Sarah explained, to ensure everything goes smoothly, is "to rinse the jars with boiling water before filling them, so that no germs are present and the preserves keep for a long time." She also emphasized the importance of ensuring "that the screw-top lids on previously used jars are completely intact, guaranteeing an airtight seal. Furthermore, the ingredients must always be piping hot when added to the jars; only then can a long shelf life be guaranteed."
The prepared treats were now simmering merrily, filling the entire room with a delicious aroma. It was the perfect opportunity to learn about the origins of the ingredients. Johanna had prepared this , presenting fascinating information about food rescue in the form of a quiz . The answers sparked lively conversation and repeatedly gave the participants an "aha!" moment. Johanna explained why she is so enthusiastic about preserving food. On the one hand, she sees it as the perfect way to enjoy leftover food at home for a long time, throughout the year, with just a few supplies. "This way, you can bring a taste of summer into your own pantry," she said. On the other hand, it's an environmentally friendly alternative to reuse old jam jars or other suitable containers and thus recycle them yourself.
Finally, after much anticipation, some of the results were tasted with great excitement. Afterwards, everything was poured hot into jars, lids were put on, tightly sealed, and ready to make its way home.
Tip: The preserves are also excellent as a small but thoughtful gift with your own personal touch.
Are you interested in learning how to repurpose perfectly edible and valuable food with us? Then come to one of our upcoming preserving workshops!
++ Next appointment: February 12, 2018 at 6:45 p.m.
++ Where: Die Vetzgerei GmbH , Raumerstraße 36, 10437 Berlin
++ Cost : €35 (ingredients, snack and drinks included)
++ Registration via: http://bit.ly/EinkochWorkshop
What do I need to bring to the workshop? Nothing, except a good mood and no panic, because you don't need any prior canning experience. =)
We look forward to seeing you.
Sincerely
Sarah and Johanna
Photos: Thilo Gögelein
