The Fruits of My Labours - how I came to love the art of canning

     It started off in a rather odd fashion. While reading S.M. Stirling's book "Dies the Fire" I figured I should learn how to do some canning. Here in this book is the end of the world, people are starving & dying & this group of characters gets saved by finding an old farmhouse with a stuffed pantry full of canned goods. Reading about the reality of growing food & not knowing anything about where it comes from struck a chord with me. The book is pure fantasy & a very entertaining read, but it was the food struggles & importance of it that stuck with me.
     What do I know about where my food comes from? Nothing. My boyfriend is the single best chef I have ever met. He could make an acorn get up & sing he is so good. Me...not so much. Sure I have followed recipes from cookbooks & I can navigate the produce section of the local grocery store, but what did I really know? I live in the middle of Toronto with great farmer's markets & farms that are a short drive away. So two years ago I decided to make a purchase of a Bernardin Canning kit from the local Home Hardware on Roncesvalles & start canning.

I love it & I am never looking back.