Five Points Bakery……..what can I say that hasn’t already been said? I mean, there have been 13 other stories written about them in the last year that I been able to find on the internet. Trust me, this is not overkill. I am deeply compelled to continue singing the praises already bestowed on them.
    In March of 2009 I visited Urban Roots Co op garden center. I noticed that there was quite a bit of activity going on in the adjoining store. I asked Michael who was moving in. He stated a bakery.

     Why it took me almost a year to get back, I’ll never quite know. It’s not like I hadn’t been near there. I had been to Lexington Co op and Guercio’s more times than I can count.  This particular trip had me in search of Thai Pink Egg Tomato seeds from Richard Price’s Faerie Garden Seeds. Lexington co op had run out, so off to Urban Roots I went.
     I was greeted by the intoxicating scent of cinnamon rolls as I entered the store. After making my seed purchase, I followed the pied piper over to Five Points Bakery.
     Behind the counter, Melissa Gardner was carefully bagging a customer’s purchase of multi grain bread. Behind her, Kevin (Melissa’s husband) was rotating willow rising baskets with more of the same. Sunshine streamed in through the front glass, lighting up the rows of canning jars on the shelves.
     While Five Points Bakery is named after the five point intersection of Rhode Island, West Utica and Brayton streets, I (of course!) felt it was a sign from the goddess. The five points of the pentacle symbolize the five elements: earth, air, fire, water and spirit. In item that is baked at Five Points, you can literally taste them. From the earth the local wheat is grown in to the wind that carries the bees for the honey. From the fire of the ovens, not to mention the sun that warms the earth, to the rain that nourishes the seedlings. Most important is the spirit that goes into the labor. How much more spirit can you put into a loaf of bread than the energy of two people actually milling the flour right there, right in the store? The Gardner’s actually have a Samap natural stone mill.
     Almost all of the ingredients for the Gardner’s offerings are locally sourced.  Five Points buys their wheat from growers in Hamburg, Hunt and Kendell NY. Eggs come in from Colden, butter from Moravia, veggies from good ol’ Alden. The greatest thing about shopping at Five Points is that you don’t have to ask or guess about the origins of the offerings. You know that everything is either local or fair trade. Back to that shelf of canning jars: contained within vintage glass top jars are oats, beans and homemade brown sugar to name just a few things. I buy a lot of canning jars at yard sales or thrift stores. Over the years I hard amassed a few dozen glass tops. I brought them with me my next trip. Kevin and Melissa charge a small deposit for the jars, but a fair amount don’t make it back. It felt good to give them a home. The cinnamon rolls Melissa gave me in return were an unexpected, but delightful treat.

     Five Points offers “shares” of bread. You can subscribe for a full year or per quarter. What you get is a weekly care package of selected items. If you cannot get into the city on a weekly basis, or if you think you just cannot eat that many baked goods, just stop in and pick up a loaf (or two, or three!). While you are there, check out the cooler. Inside you will find locally raised beef, pasture raised eggs and milk that actually has the cream on top. Trust me, it’s worth the trip! 

 Five points Bakery                                                                                          
 426 Rhode Island St
 Buffalo NY 14213
 716-884-8888

  Canning is not a difficult process, and requires only a little bit of space for storage and some kitchen items you probably already have. The most popular items (and easiest to start with) are high acid foods. These include jams, jellies, pickles, and tomatoes. 
  Jars are the most essential item you need, and probably the biggest investment. I really wouldn’t recommend reusing jars from commercial food, but some people do. I recently found myself short of jars (naughty people didn’t return  my empties!) I have found that Big Lots and Save-a-Lot have pretty good deals. I have also checked the offers on Buffalo Freecycle. I was able to find many free jars.
  You will need a large pot for your boiling-water canner, some kind of rack to keep the jars from the bottom of the pan and something to lift hot jars out of the boiling water.  You can buy a Water Canner that has the proper rack in it, but a stockpot and just the replacement rack to put in it will work just fine.

  Other items that may make canning easier for you are magnetic jar lifters, a funnel, nonmetallic spatula, and specially designed, non-metallic jar-lifters. You can improvise these things as well, just make sure you are using non-metallic utensils as metal can react to some of the ingredients and cause an off taste.

  The most important part of canning is the lid. Most home canning lids come in two pieces: a screw-top band and a flat metal lid with a sealing compound along the rim. The screw band holds the lid in place during the heat-processing, but it is the flat metal lid with sealing compound that actually preserves the freshness of your food. When screwing your lid down, it is important to not screw it too tightly. It should be tightened only using hands, not over-tightened. Do not reuse any lids, only the bands! It is not worth the risk of spoiled food if it doesn’t reseal right. Who wants to spend all your time and energy only to skimp out and possibly ruin your food?
  In order to properly sterilize your jars, you must heat them  in a large, deep pan filled with water at least three inches deeper than the height of the jars. I just use kitchen sink to do this. I fill the sink with boiling water (stove heated, not right from the tap). In a separate sauce pan, simmer the flat lids. You do not need to heat the screw bands. You can do this as you prepare your recipe . Once you are ready to place your food into your jars, you will fill the jars one at a time.
  Pull your jar out of the water and empty the jar into your simmering pan. It is recommended to not dry your jar. Fill your jar, leaving the recommended amount of head space (space between the lid and your food) as per your recipe. Usually this is 1/4 inch.  Make sure you release the air bubbles using some kind of non-metallic cooking utensil, then wipe down the rim of your jar. Removing food particles before attempting to lid the jar is extremely important as food residue can spoil your jar. I will prohibit it from sealing properly. Take a hot lid from your water dish (use a magnetic lid-retriever, if you have one) and center it on your jar. Screw the band down evenly and move on to the next jar. When all jars are filled, you will boil the filled jars for at least 10 minutes in a covered pan. Follow the processing instructions of your recipe, it will have the specifics. After the specified time, remove the jars from the pot. Don’t tilt them as the rubber sealing compound may not have set yet, and let them cool in a draft-free location for 24 hours.
  When you check your seals the next day, make sure the lids are concave and do not move when pressed. You may leave the screw bands on the jars or take them off, but they are not needed in order for your jars to remain sealed. Canned food should be stored in a cool, dry and dark place, such as a pantry.
  OK! So that’s the basics of canning high acid foods in a Water Bath. Who’s ready for strawberry jam?