Food Prep, Preservation, and Safety

Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service

Upcoming Events

ServSave Food Safety Manager Class and Exam - In Person

Attendees who successfully complete the course and pass the exam will receive a certification from NRA Solutions which is nationally recognized and valid for 5 years. The 8-hour course (including a lunch break) will utilize the ServSafe Manager Book and approved videos. Payment is required at the time of registration. No refunds available. Your book will be mailed to the address provided in your registration process.

Please review the ServSafe book in its entirety. It will take at least 5-7 hours to review 10 chapters. We recommend reviewing the material thoroughly in order to gain a better understanding of concepts that may be new to you. Once you have paid the registration fee, a 7th edition ServSafe Manager book will be mailed USPS to the provided address. If there are special mailing instructions, please email ambenson@nmsu.edu directly.

  • Date/Time: April 11, 8 AM - 5 PM
  • Location: 1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107
  • Lab Fee: $199
  • To register, click Register for ServSave. If you are unable to register online, Please call (505) 243-1386 to register.
Bread Baking at Altitude: Using Ancient Grains & Sourdough - In Person

This workshop will explore traditional grains like Sonora White Wheat, Mexican June Corn, Barley, and Rye. We will learn how these grains have been traditionally used and how you can incorporate them into your everyday baking. Altitude can play a significant role in baking and present challenges for home bakers. This class will provide trusted resources for high-altitude baking and include a hands-on baking lab. Participants will make their very own sourdough starter to take home.

  • Date/Time: April 25, 9 AM - 12 PM
  • Location: 1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107
  • Lab Fee: $20
  • To register, click Register for Bread Baking. If you are unable to register online, Please call (505) 243-1386 to register.
Koji Rice & Koji Barley: Starter Culture - In Person

This workshop is a beginner's class to the world of Koji, a traditional Japanese starter culture often used in food production. Koji is a mold-based fermentation that can be used to make many food products like miso and soy sauce. In this class, participants will learn a brief history of koji, the enzymes koji provides, and how to use koji in their home kitchen to enhance daily Western-style cooking. Participants will get to taste koji-derived condiments and take home a starter culture. A hands-on lab will teach students a recipe utilizing koji.

  • Date/Time: May 9, 9 AM - 12 PM
  • Location: 1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107
  • Lab Fee: $20
  • To register, click Register for Koji Starter. If you are unable to register online, Please call (505) 243-1386 to register.
Vinegars from Start to Finish - In Person

This workshop is a beginner's introduction to homemade vinegar. Participants will be introduced to acetic acid, learn about different types of vinegar, necessary equipment, and how to safely ferment apple scraps into a homemade apple cider vinegar. Participants will get to taste many different vinegars. Students will get to start their own apple scrap vinegar to take home.

  • Date/Time: May 23, 9 AM - 12 PM
  • Location: 1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107
  • Lab Fee: $20
  • To register, click Register for Vinegars. If you are unable to register online, Please call (505) 243-1386 to register.
Kraut & Kimchi Workshop - In Person

Sauerkraut and Kimchi are vegetable ferments. Learn how to make your own at home safely through research-based information. Participants will get to make both Sauerkraut and Kimchi in a hands-on lab. Students will get to take home a jar of their choosing which includes a pickle pebble (fermentation weight) and pickle pipe (fermentation airlock).

  • Date/Time: June 6, 9 AM - 12 PM
  • Location: 1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107
  • Lab Fee: $35
  • To register, click Register for Kraut & Kimchi. If you are unable to register online, Please call (505) 243-1386 to register.
Pickles Workshop - In Person

This workshop will focus on how to use a salt-brine solution to make pickles. Participants will learn how to safely ferment vegetables using a brine to create lactic-acid fermentation. Students will learn how lactic acid fermentation works with vegetables to create pickles in a hands-on lab. Class participants will get to take home a jar of lacto-fermented vegetables.

  • Date/Time: June 20, 9 AM - 12 PM
  • Location: 1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107
  • Lab Fee: $20
  • To register, click Register for Pickles Workshop. If you are unable to register online, Please call (505) 243-1386 to register.
Hot Sauces Workshop - In Person

Learn to master the basics of lactic-acid fermentation. Participants will learn how to safely ferment peppers in a salt solution to create flavored and aged hot sauces that can be bottled and shared with family and friends. A hands-on lab will allow participants to create their very own hot sauce or paste to take home and ferment.

  • Date/Time: June 25, 9 AM - 12 PM
  • Location: 1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87107
  • Lab Fee: $20
  • To register, click Register for Hot Sauce Workshop. If you are unable to register online, Please call (505) 243-1386 to register.
Events at the Agri-Nature Center of Los Ranchos - In Person

Learn about a wide variety of topics in horticulture and agriculture from experts in these fields. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

Food Preservation and Canning

Resources for New Mexico and high elevation canning. Please contact Amber Lehmer at ambenson@nmsu.edu or phone 505-243-1386 for specific food preservation questions

Holiday Cooking Tips

Announcements

NC State Extension Flyer titled COVID-19 and Food Safety Frequently Asked Questions Is Coronavirus a concern with Takeout?

Food Safety

Games for Kids!

  • Theme Park Kitchen: Supports food safety learning for middle school youth.
  • Science Pirates: (no longer available) builds better understanding of science processes and food safety.

Quick Links

  • KRQE's "New Mexico Living" Episodes - External Site Video
    NMSU Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension staff share health and nutrition tips on monthly episodes of KRQE's "New Mexico Living." Here are a few favorites:
  • The Mind Diet - Foods to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease - Video
    BernCo CES' Dianne Christensen discusses the The MIND Diet, developed to prevent Alzheimer's disease. It emphasizes plant-based food choices and limiting animal proteins and saturated fats. Click here for a recap and video of KRQE's New Mexico Living episode.
    (Note: External link via KRQE.com. The page includes a recipe for the MIND Diet Spring Salad).
    For more information, contact Dianne Christensen via email, call 505-243-1386, or email: diannec@nmsu.edu.

mind diet

Recipes Booklets

  • New! - Hearty New Mexican Soups and Stews - Recipe Booklet
    Perfect for winter meals, try these favorites recipes that are sure to warm you up. Previously available for Cindy Schlenker-Davies' winter cooking classes; now in PDF format (with clickable links in the table of contents).

Hearty New Mexico Soups and Stews cover art depicting a steaming bowl of stew surrounded by carrot, a mushroom, and a spoon

Topical Resources

Videos and Webinars

Games for Kids!

Contact Us

NMSU-Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service
1510 Menaul Blvd Ext NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Phone: 505-243-1386 844-409-0562 (Toll Free)
Fax: 505-243-1545
Email: bernalillo@nmsu.edu
URL: https://bernalilloextension.nmsu.edu

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