Articles of Interest
Informative and educational articles on a variety of topics and perspectives.
CANNING
By Nathalie Alexander
Hi, my name is Nathalie, and I am a canner. When I say that, most people assume that I was raised in some rural community on the bayous of my native Louisiana, but in fact I grew up in the heart of New Orleans. I have a long history that is intertwined with canning, and it has in recent years found its way back into my life. I was first exposed to canning by my mother at a very young age. Growing up, we had a peach tree and a fig tree in our backyard. Every summer, our kitchen would be filled with the sweet smells of the peach and fig preserves that my mother prepared. It was in this way that I had my first experiences with canning.
Some 50 years later, canning made reappearance in my life. In the decades since my first canning experiences, I had gotten married, raised 5 children, welcomed countless grandchildren into the world and retired. As a hobby, my husband began selling produce at a nearby farmers’ market. As the seasons began to change and we had very little fresh produce to sell, we were encouraged by a vendor at another market to try canning. Having only basic knowledge from my childhood, accompanied by a technologically savvy daughter I turned to the place that you can find anything under the sun: The Internet. I began by looking at videos on YouTube, reading various blogs, and buying a few books on Amazon. Through this process I began learning the latest techniques and food safety practices for safe canning, which while largely unchanged, has advanced quite a bit since the days in my mother’s kitchen. When I first started, I would bring my laptop into the kitchen to watch and re-watch the video as I intently tried to follow the recipes. I started my adventures into canning with pepper jellies. Before attempting any recipes, I checked the shelves of the local supermarket for what flavors were already easily available to the public. I wanted to make something different, not just redo what was already in the market. I started with mango, pineapple, and a super hot habañero jelly that we call “Fire! 911!” Now we have expanded to at least six different kinds of pepper jelly. As we began to expand our canning ventures, my husband talked about Chow Chow, a cabbage relish that his mother made when he was a child. When we found a recipe close to what he remembered, we made Chow Chow. It was an instant hit! Expanding further into the realm of social media, I joined several Facebook groups for people that enjoy canning, including one called Canning for Christians. Over time, I have acquired lots of encouragement and lots more recipes from all over the world.
Our family trade has also expanded. My husband is now selling our products in 2 different local markets. I am pursuing certification with the State of Louisiana Department of Agriculture to enhance my knowledge of food safety in canning practices. One of my daughters and one of my granddaughters now help with the jellies and canning. I am glad to see that they will help to pass on the things that I have learned to future generations. I truly enjoy what I am doing! I only work when I feel like it, and I am able to change products when I get bored, when I find a new recipe online, or when the seasons change. However, there are a few staple products that are always in high demand! With impending threats of unrest, food shortages, and food recalls due to contamination, I am happy to say I am a canner. I know that in my food there are no additives, no food dyes, no preservatives, and no chemicals. I am feeding my family and members of my community all natural food and all made with LOVE.
