Community Can Jam: Marmalade

Marmalade season is upon us! The market shelves are overflowing with a plethora of exciting citrus, and we are ready to preserve it for the year ahead. And while we rather like the meticulous, meditative work - the chopping and juicing, slicing and simmering -for many folks it is hot messy work, best done is with a group of likeminded friends and managed by knowing, watchful eyes.

Our Community Can Jam is just that experience. It’s not a class, exactly, though jam-master Shakirah Simley will be on hand to guide us through her recipe. Rather, it’s an old-fashioned community gathering that will include equal parts socializing, learning, and standing over a hot pot. We’ll be making a giant batch of marmalade, and every participant will take home jars.

Hearty snacks, wine, and beer will be served. Have garden or fruit tree excess? Feel free to bring and share with your classmates!

Shakirah Simley is the Community Programs Manager and Canner-in-Residence for the Bi-Rite Family Businesses. She wears a number of hats including: developing jams and preserves for its PUBLIC Label line, cooking instructor at 18 Reasons (its educational arm) and is in charge of giving and community outreach, with a penchant for programs that support youth empowerment and increase access to healthy food. Before arriving on 18th Street, Shakirah attended the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy on a Fulbright scholarship, where she received her Master's degree and studied under Italian canners. She has previously worked on nutrition and recreational equity policy issues, on youth organizing campaigns, and owned her own small-artisanal jam business, Slow Jams run out of La Cocina. In 2013, she was recently named one of Zagat's "30 under 30: SF Bay Area Up and Comers." Shakirah loves putting her food systems, community engagement and jammy talents to work every day, and if you catch her on 18th street, she loves to talk food justice, policy, jamming, school food and the perfect cappuccino.