"Discover You Can" Can at the Maple Grove Farmers Market

Editor's note: The following article was published in relation to the June 16 Maple Grove Farmers Market.

Do you love a little jam on your toast in the morning? Or is your guilty pleasure dipping your chips in homemade salsa?

If you answered yes to either question, learning the art of canning might be for you  at the Thursday, June 16 Maple Grove Farmers Market.

“We are hosting our very first canning demonstration at 5:30 p.m., it's part of our summer long 'Discover You Can' program,” Maple Grove’s Farmers
Market Manager Kirsten Bansen Weigle said.

Bansen Weigle said part of their commitment of receiving the Ball Canning grant is to educate the public on home canning and making food preservation more accessible to customers. The Maple Grove Farmers Market opened June 9 and continues every Thursday until October from 3 to 7 p.m. at the .

“As you know, the Food Network has named home food preservation its number one trend for 2011. We want to provide information and resources to our customers, to help them use their market-fresh produce in their own home canning,” Bansen Weigle said.  

Maple Grove Farmers Market vendor and State Fair award-winning jam maker Alya Shafik of Cooked with Pride will break down the steps of making and canning strawberry and double-berry jam during the demonstration.

Shafik makes and sells a wide array of jams, jellies, spreads, olive tapenades, salsas, pasta sauces and more. She says what used to be a part time hobby has become a full time job. 

“After I was laid off from my accounting job, I decided to start my very own business. I was already making jam and salsa, so I thought I would give it shot.  Thus, the creation of Cooked with Pride,” Shafik said. 

Shafik said she will be explaining the steps of choosing good produce, preparing it appropriately and working with canning equipment including a boiling water canner.  

“I will share my experience and tips to help others, when making jam, the amount of water is the tricky part,” Shafik said.  

The number one tip when canning, according to Shafik, is to curb the frustration.

“Don’t get frustrated, it takes time to get it down right," she said. "I always tell people, have a note pad nearby and write down everything, how much you put in, so you can alter it next time if needed.”

Canning cookbooks and coupons available will be available at the Farmers Market and shoppers can enter to win one of two Ball Blue Books, the comprehensive guide to canning, freezing and drying locally-grown produce. 

Bansen Weigle says they plan to sponsor canning demonstrations approximately every two weeks all summer.

Other activities at the Maple Grove Farmers Market on Thursday, June 16 include music from 4 to 7 p.m. by the Dean Harrington Trio as well as a 4:30 p.m. family storytime and free recipes.