Month: August 2014

Judging by my most recent posts, it’s obvious that fermented foods is top on my list. I’m really excited about fermenting on an active basis. Before, I just did it now and again.

I will readily admit the biggest turnoff for me, was the wait time; however, I must not look at that as the negative aspect of fermenting. In actuality, that’s one of the most important steps to making fermented foods so healthy.

Recently, I wrote a post about Fermenting Crocks.

@suituapui, Yes, these do look lovely. I do hope they measure up. I’ll be getting one more crock, another brand that has a well where you can add water. I’ll see which type I like the best.

In the comment section, I mentioned to suituapui, I’ve decided to purchase a few different fermenting crocks. The first fermenting crock, the Ohio Stoneware crock will arrive tomorrow. I’ll also be ordering a TSM fermenting crock. I chose the 15L size, which holds a little over 4 gallons.

 

 

The TSM crock, costs a bit more than the Ohio Stoneware crocks. I decided to purchase one of those because of the reviews.

What I like about the TSM fermenting crocks is that they have a “well” that you fill with water. I’ll see which I like better and purchase additional fermented crocks based on my review.

I’ve been craving fermented lemons for quite some time. They are delicious on their own, but I mainly add them to dishes or use them as a marinade. Fermented foods is just another way to maintain/restore your healthy gut bacteria.

To satisfy my craving, later this week, I’ll make a batch of fermented lemons with honey,  ginger and garlic in one of my fermenting crocks.

More than likely, the fermented lemon, garlic, ginger and honey blend will be a blend that I use to marinate soup, hummus, lentils and the occasional meat dishes that I prepare.

I’ve included a video so you can the fermenting process. Of course, the reason I’ve always loved fermenting my foods was that I could come up with my own recipes and of course the quality is much better than what I can purchase in the store.

The only downside to fermented foods, is that you can’t eat them right away. I’ll have to wait for about a month, before the lemons are fully fermented. Which means they will be ready shortly before my birthday!

 

Since I really don’t have too many smaller fermenting crocks, I’ve decided to purchase  more. I should be getting them sometime this week.

Of course… choosing an appropriate crock is not an easy decision since there are so many lovely ones available. However, based on the reviews, I do believe I found some that will last me for some time. They are Ohio Stoneware crocks.

You don’t have to purchase the lids or even the weights to cover your fermenting crock if you have alternates available. A plate would work well as a lid.

To insure proper fermentation, you need weight to keep the mixture compressed. An alternative to purchasing the weights is to place a ziplock bag filled with water on top of the mixture or you could even choose an appropriate sized saucer that could fit inside the crock. Since I didn’t want to bother with that, I just decided to purchase the weights used for preserving food.

I must say, that I’m looking forward to making more fermented foods later this week. In addition, I’ll be canning some jams and jellies (much to my daughter’s delight). Regarding fermenting, my next produce that I most likely will ferment will be sauerkraut. Eventually… I’ll try to make miso.

Today, after church, my daughter and I stopped by the local grocery store to purchase a few items I needed to make my kimchi.

I didn’t need much since I had most of the items at home. I purchased 15 pounds of carrots from the store (not all was being used for kimchi). I also juice with carrots.

We went home, and after our meal, I immediately started prepping my kimchi. The cabbage, leeks, radish and peppers all came from the garden. As soon as I’d packed everything in their containers, my daughter said… “Eww, what’s that smell!” I said, “kimchi!”

The only thing left to do is wait for it to cure. I most likely will sample it in about three days, but looking to let it ripen for seven days before I transport it into the refrigerator.

 

Tomorrow, I’m going to start making my Kimchi. I must say I’m looking forward to the experience and can’t wait to taste it once it’s ready to eat. I eat kimchi alone and I also use it as a condiment.

Kimchi is quite healthy; it speeds your metabolism, aids in digestion, boosts the immune system, it’s a great source of probiotics and it’s amazing for those suffering from candida! I eat it plain or use it as a condiment for a variety of foods. You can’t go wrong with kimchi or many fermented foods that are available. Of course, another appeal to preparing more fermented foods is that I’m making them myself. I try to be as self-sustaining as possible.

Last evening, I was on Facebook, chatting with a FB friend “P” about fermentation. I told her I was planning on using Mason jars for my kimchi. I have plenty of them since I also use them for canning.  My mom used to use her crockpot for fermenting foods.  “P”  mentioned that crockpot liners make excellent fermenting crocks. Wait, wait, wait… I have one of those! But, mine is used exclusively for soap making.

Since crockpots are cheap, I purchased the one you see above from Amazon. This is the type I already have for making soap. This new crockpot will arrive tomorrow.

Today, I’ll go into the garden and pick an appropriate cabbage for my kimchi. I can’t wait…

Eventually I’ll purchase some lovely fermented crocks, but for now, I’ll rely on what I have.

 

Resources:

1. Three Biggest fermenting mistakes you are already making
2. How to turn a Mason jar into a fermenting crock