About this Event
Food Preservation and Fermentation
Join us in person to explore food preservation and fermentation!
Food Preservation & Fermentation: Keep the Harvest, Build the Flavor
Want to stretch your garden haul or preserve a large foraging harvest, cut down on food waste, or just fill your pantry with homemade goodness? This class covers the time-tested techniques people have used for generations to keep food delicious long after harvest, plus the living, bubbling world of home fermentation.
We’ll start with the fundamentals of food preservation and the science behind why these methods work. You’ll learn the essentials of water bath and pressure canning, including which foods call for each method and how to do it safely. We’ll cover dehydrating fruits, vegetables, and herbs, quick and traditional pickling, and making flavorful, shelf-stable jerky at home. Along the way, we’ll share tips on equipment, storage, and food safety so you can preserve with confidence.
Then we’ll dive into fermentation, where a little salt, sugar, and time turn everyday ingredients into tangy, probiotic-rich foods. You’ll learn how to brew kombucha, care for and bake with the sourdough starter you’ll be taking home, and make classic ferments like sauerkraut and kimchi, along with other easy projects you can start in your own kitchen. We’ll talk about what healthy fermentation looks, smells, and tastes like, how to troubleshoot common issues, and how to keep your ferments going batch after batch.
Best of all, you won’t leave empty-handed. Every participant will take home their own live sourdough starter, ready to feed, maintain, and bake with in your own kitchen. With a little care, your starter can last for years, giving you fresh homemade bread, pancakes, pizza dough, and more for as long as you keep it going.
Whether you’re a gardener or forager looking to save your harvest or a curious cook ready to experiment, you’ll leave with practical skills, new recipes, and the inspiration to start preserving at home.
No experience necessary.
Event venue & nearby stays
NoBo Library - Boulder Public Library District, 4500 13th Street, Boulder, United States
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