Preserving the Harvest: Japanese-Inspired Quick Pickles, Root-to-Shoot Pesto, and Seasonal Preserves
In this hands-on workshop, chef Caroline Ishii will share practical and creative ways to make the most of the seasonal harvest while reducing food waste. Using fresh local produce, participants will learn how to fully utilize all parts of bountiful autumn vegetables — including tops, stems, leaves and other often-overlooked ingredients — into delicious, versatile dishes to enjoy now or preserve for later, with no complicated canning required.
Caroline will share quick, simple techniques and adaptable base recipes that will give you the confidence to create your own versions at home using whatever is abundant in your garden, CSA box or farmers’ market haul.
Together you’ll make a root-to-shoot pesto, two Japanese-inspired quick pickles, and a delicious seasonal preserve. If you have favourite jars or containers you’d like to reuse, please bring them!
Many of the ingredients will be sourced from local farmers and markets just before the workshop, so the exact flavours and ingredients will be inspired by what is freshest and most abundant at the time. We’ll also explore easy ways to extend the season through freezing, refrigerating and drying, with plenty of ideas for making fresh ingredients last longer.
At the end of the workshop, we’ll sit down together to sample our creations along with yasai no misoshiru (miso soup with vegetable "scraps"), nameshi (pickled greens rice), and genmaicha (roasted brown rice green tea).
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Caroline Ishii is an award-winning chef, writer, and cooking instructor whose food is inspired by seasonality, sustainability, and Japanese influences. She was the founder and executive chef of ZenKitchen, one of Canada’s pioneering plant-based fine-dining whole foods restaurants and has taught cooking workshops and created food experiences focused on making beautiful, flavourful food from simple local ingredients. Her approach to cooking celebrates creativity, resourcefulness and using what we have, from root to shoot. carolineishii.com | @carolineishii
