The Fermenting class was great, it took all the mythology out of making kraut and lacto-fermenting food. Made it normal, human and even gave it a political edge, which i liked. Taking back control of your food. Forgetting the big boys of food production. Grow a cabbage, use some salt… that's all it takes. Anyway, both me and Mark are now solidly into the idea of fermenting. To not fear bacteria and over rely on the fridge. It's ok to store food outside of a fridge and promote bacterial growth, good little microbes working away for the benefit of your body. I'm ready to make my next batch and mix it up a bit, while i wait for this one to ferment sufficiently. Then i think i'm going to explore Kimchi. I'm going to need Sandor's help for that one. Sandor Katz is the guru of fermenting foods and has a great book, which is seen as something of a fermenting bible. I'm going to have a good read and see what else i can make (well, once i borrow it from Marky!). I'm that little bit more inspired to get growing my own produce next year now, but that has it's own set of obstacles to overcome… small plot, lots of shade and walls on all sides, which seems to have created a snail/slug haven. Shit!
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the green is lettuce leaves that i used to stop the cabbage rising to the surface
and it's weighted with a small glass jar filled with water.
I should have just used the outer cabbage leaves, but they got discarded earlier. |
.... and i did make another batch! I wanted to keep the ball rolling. This one has white cabbage, carrot, red onion, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds and dried chilli. One head of cabbage makes about a litre of kraut, once you pack it all down. I'll leave this one for about 3 weeks. The red one i'm going to start eating this weekend and see how it is.
The place I'm working at has all sorts of fermenting kits and mothers. I'm looking forward to trying some out when I get a few of my other projects wrapped up. We have a jar like yours with an airlock valve that I want to get. I tried kombucha for the first time yesterday, have to say, it's a flavor that has to grow on you, sort of like olives, but I think I like it..... I did try fermenting purple cabbage the way you did and it was very good! Hope yours is the same!
ReplyDeleteI hope so too Tracey! I now have that book in my hands, so i've got some reading to do.
ReplyDeleteI've seen the airlock ones, i thought that's what i might need, but not for these krauts. I doubt it will be long before i have one though! I've never tried Kombucha, or most of the other stuff you can ferment. I'm like you Tracey, i like to learn new things, try different skills and crafts... and look after my family! You do that very well. Liked that hori hori!