Preserving Classes in Chicago, IL

In this hands-on class, we will discuss how to use the abundance from the farm for vinegars, shrubs, and kombucha. Put your knowledge to work by starting your fermentation to take home.

When apples are in season, we all stock up with as many as we can store. Pies, cobblers and sauces are made. And then we realize we still have more apples and we want to preserve them for use later in the cold winter months. The solution - we will turn these apples into apple pie filling that will be processed in a hot water bath. This way the filling...

Take some of your favorite summer crops and learn to preserve them for the winter months. This hands-on class will cover crop seasonality, food safety, and popular food-preservation techniques. Put your knowledge to work by preserving local fruit and vegetables to take home

Learn about the distinctive and rich tradition of home food preservation in Jewish cuisine with local food blogger Emily Paster, author of the new book The Joys of Jewish Preserving. Emily's book, rich in heritage and culture, includes modern recipes with traditional roots including fruit jams and preserves, pickles and savory preserves, and a chapter...

In Italy, people have been preserving their food for centuries. From conserves to pickles, sauces and sott'olio or "under olive oil.” Join us as we learn to preserve ingredients from our local harvest here in Chicago, Italian-style.  In this class, our la scuola chef will demonstrate various methods of food preservation using seasonal ingredients...

Our Cooking Lab classes teach the basic science and techniques all cooks need to know, and will teach you to understand the causes and effects of your actions in the kitchen. We examine various cooking methods and ingredients to discover parallels that will amaze you. Your view of cooking may well be transformed!  In today's class, we'll teach...

Our Cooking Lab classes teach the basic science and techniques all cooks need to know, and will teach you to understand the causes and effects of your actions in the kitchen. We examine various cooking methods and ingredients to discover parallels that will amaze you. Your view of cooking may well be transformed!  In today's class, we'll teach...

Learn to eat more seasonally and locally throughout the year by canning, fermenting, dehydrating, and freezing. You will practice step-by-step methods for water-bath canning and fermentation. Safety concerns and equipment needs will be addressed.

Join us for one of our very favorite food activities – canning and preserving! This is a time aged tradition that really is the gift that keeps on giving. You’ll thank us for this during the first polar vortex – when you bring out your cowboy candy to add to, well, anything. MENU Blueberry Jam Dill Pickles Cowboy candy (pickled sweet and...

Learn how to ferment cabbage in a saltwater brine, creating an environment in which probiotics can flourish, to turn it into tasty, tangy sauerkraut. Learn the how and why of lacto-fermentation including salt-to-water ratio, proper fermenting environment, and knowing when your sauerkraut is ready. Prepare your own jar of kraut to bring home and ferment...

Learn about canning, fermenting, dehydrating, freezing, and more in this hands-on class. Local food blogger and cookbook author Emily Paster will demystify the most common methods of home food preservation and help you learn to eat more seasonally and locally this year.  The class will dig into the how-tos of water-bath canning—a safe...