If only I had discoveredSister Coletteback then.
You may find her wearing can while you’re able to aprons and t-shirts.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Simply Recipes / Sister Colette
Can anybody can?Anybody can can.
What I am trying to do is to put a different image out there about the canning world.
Those of us in inner cities really need food preservation.
Today, we’re dealing with food shortages and inflation.
Homesteaders already have access to the food.
Plus, you don’t need to be growing your own food.
They think they’re going to experience botulism, make themselves sick, and die.
One thing that I’m big on: helping us get comfortable.
Youre not going to blow up the thingmodern canners have safety features to prevent that.
Botulism is real, but the number of people experiencing it is small.
It is very important to follow proper canning steps.
Invest in a canning recipe book that will tell you how.
They’ll tell you which jar size to use and the exact processing times.
The only thing that could possibly happen is a lid on your jar doesn’t seal properly.
How did you start canning?I call myself a newbie because I have not been canning for long.
I learned to can around 2015.
We learn about food safety before we even touch the canner.
Im an older woman.
I’m 52 years old.
I was on Facebook at the time with only about 600 friends.
I was a part of a business group for like-minded individuals trying to grow a business online.
The group encouraged me by saying, You gotta start posting things!
That was a fun first post and I thought, Wow!
I kinda like this!
But it took a little time and I’m still working on it.
I’m just being myself.
That’s really the thingjust be your authentic self.
You evenadd them to milkshakes!
It’s because it holds so much protein and nutrients.
We’re big on the navy bean.
We even have anavy bean pieits delicious, but sounds weird.
We’re very famous for our navy bean piesits a dessert with a lot of sugar in there.
It’s just delicious, smooth, and healthy.
Does your canner have a name?Yes, they all have names.
I dida video on Youtubeabout the importance of developing a relationship with your canner.
One way is to give your canner a name.
Do you have other canning day tips?Plan in stages.
Let’s just say you’re planning oncanning salsa, which is one of my favorites.
It can make for a long day if you’re doing it allprep and canningin one day.
Break it down into stages.
Get whatever ingredients and tools you needthat’s day one.
The next day, prep the ingredientswash and dice them.
The following day is set-up day: clear your counter space and bring out your canner.
Some of us gotta go to the basement to bring it up and sometimes that’s a chore.
That’s pretty much it!
Having canned foods is convenient for meit’s one benefit after of course, food security.
I love to reach for something I canned to add to my meals.
After a long day, I wonder, Oh shoot!
What are we having for dinner?
But then of course, I’ll have to replace it, you know?
I really should stop eating them as much as I do.
