Cells and spores of C. botulinum. Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control. Tested recipes recommend glass Mason-style jars and 2-piece self-sealing lids for home canning.  In the past few weeks, several calls have come in about jars and lids and ensuring a good seal when canning foods at home.  Handling jars and lids correctly will go […]

Even more evidence this week from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the importance of cooking flour-containing products before eating.  National foodborne illness outbreaks in 2016 and again in 2019 tied to pathogenic E. coli have been linked to consumers eating raw dough or batter.  An outbreak report released this week indicated that several people interviewed admitted […]

A pressure canner may have a dial gauge for indicating the pressure or a weighted gauge, for indicating and regulating the pressure.  Regardless of the type of canner chosen, the USDA recommends that a canner be large enough to hold at least 4-quart jars standing upright on the rack, with the lid in place.  A pressure canner must […]

The Big 8 Food Allergens Millions of Americans have food allergies and may experience an adverse reaction to products that contain allergens.  Of those that are school age, an estimated 8% of children in the United States have a food allergy.  That’s 1 in 13 children, or about 2 students per classroom.  A food allergy occurs […]

By far the most important step in safe home canning is to follow an up-to-date, research tested recipe.  Research-tested recipes recommend metal 2-piece lids for home canning.  Two-piece lids are sold to fit regular and wide-mouth glass canning jars and are made up of a flat metal lid and a metal screw band.  The lid contains a sealing […]

Sugar maple, state tree of Wisconsin Wisconsin ranks 4th in the nation behind Vermont, New York, and Maine in production of maple syrup.  In 2014, Wisconsin producers yielded 200,000 gallons of maple syrup, contributing 6.2 percent of the country’s total maple syrup supply.  The 2014 crop was valued at about $3.2 million. What are the […]

Making maple syrup is a time-honored tradition in many parts of Wisconsin, and it is as much of an art as a science.  Even though sap does run in other trees such as birch and elm in early spring, maples produce more and sweeter sap than any other tree. Collection.  Once trees are tapped, a collecting […]

Sugar maple, state tree of Wisconsin If you have been scrolling the internet of late, you might have noticed that some companies are touting the reported health benefits of drinking tree sap.  Some ads suggest that drinking tree sap or ‘tree water’ is a natural way to hydrate.  Regardless of whether drinking tree sap is […]