When talk among local food nerds turns to chefs who can and preserve their own fruits and vegetables, Vie's Paul Virant is usually the first name to be dropped. And with good reason, as Virant's canning prowess is second to none. more ›

You might look at that headline and think, "Canning? Simple? You must be kidding." That's what we thought until we tried it - turns out it's simple, fun and surprisingly rewarding. You don't need expertise, fancy equipment or anything else - just a few hours of free time and some fresh veggies. You barely even need a recipe - trial and error is probably the best approach, with some basic principles. You also get the intense satisfaction of looking at rows of neatly labeled jars sitting in your pantry. We canned cucumbers and carrots - this is the recipe for the cucumbers, but we're glad to provide more! more ›

We bought a pint of black cherries from Mick Klug Farms at Green City Market last weekend. Cherries are a fleeting presence at farmers markets and preserving them for later use is a great way of extending their seasonality. Some folks dehydrate cherries for use in desserts, breads and entrées; some make jams and jellies out of them. more ›

Sky Full of Bacon 11: A Better Fish from Michael Gebert on Vimeo.
• Mike Gebert visits Carl Galvan and Supreme Lobster Company, one of the country's largest fish purveyors, about the volume of seafood they sell while maintaining sustainable pracitces. [Sky Full of Bacon]
• Phil Vettel and the Trib's resident "Mayor McCheese" Kevin Pang debate pizza pie slices versus the familiar square party cut. Sorry, Kevin: we're siding with Phil on this one. [Tribune]
• Jennifer Olvera gets canning tips from Paul Virant. [Sun-Times]