Pickling Isn't Just for Cucumbers Anymore

If, like me, you’ve had fears of canning and pickling, just read today’s Good Eating section in the Trib to get inspired.

I love that the Trib quoted a state fair champ:

Linda Amendt, author of several preserving books and a frequent state-fair prize winner, says: “The perception that home canning is old-fashioned and a dying art could not be farther from the truth. Home canning is actually experiencing a resurgence in popularity.”

Now that’s a statement I can believe, especially as the popularity of CSAs increases. I can’t tell you how many people I talk to who hate to waste food and are left wondering what to do with the abundance of produce they get each week from their CSA share.

It’s no wonder that canning is being explored as an option.

For classes on pickling, the Trib provides a local resource list. I’m walking distance to the “Get Pickled” class at The Chopping Block at the Merchandise Mart. But the class at Kline Creek Farm in DuPage County looks the most interesting, from a history perspective.

The photo in Damascus is a Flickr find and shows that just about anything can be pickled.