What are you fermenting today?

[freemotion]

Although it needs to age a bit imo, dh loved the horseradish mustard. Not sure if it will get to age enough!

I got my book today, Wild Fermentation! Off to bed early to read!!!! And plan!!!

Well, what do you think?

I think I love it.....I decided to read it cover to cover and fell asleep around the end of chapter one!!!! Guess I was extra tired! Will try again tonight.

 

[ORChick]

Free, from all that I've heard, miso and tempeh don't have the horrid qualities to them that the other soy products do because of the fermentation. I've heard that from multiple sources, so I'm going with it. I have a thyroid that can be seriously affected by soy, but if I stick to those two I don't have a problem. Everything in moderation here, though, neither miso or tempeh will ever be a regular in my diet - but I love them both.

Fermenting will make the nutrients more bioavailable and neutralize the antinutrients and make it more digestible....less gas and cramps and such. But it does not neutralize the hormone-disrupting effects of soy, so should only be used on occasion and in condiment amounts. I'll try to find a quote later for you, unless Wifezilla uses her crazy nerd skilz and gets to it first....hint-hint!

Freemotion, did you ever find that quote?
I try to avoid soy on principle - Sally Fallon, see what you have done? - but I like Asian, particularly Japanese food. And, as mentioned in another thread, I am just back from 2 1/2 weeks in Japan. I ate a fair bit of soy there, though mostly fermented - miso, natto, tofu (not strictly fermented, but *changed*), soy sauce (though I suppose that even in Japan most of that is the cheap, non- or only partially fermented stuff.) I have also read that fermenting negates the bad effects. And I have to wonder, if soy is so bad, why are there so many healthy Japanese?
Speaking of Japanese food - though not necessarily fermented - we ate many weird and wonderful things while there. Amazing the things one will try - and end up liking! - just so as not to stand out as a wussy foreigner! Though I suppose my size (only 5'4", but I seem a giant over there! Among the older folk, at any rate), blue eyes, and red hair are a dead giveaway.

 

[ORChick]

Speaking of horseradish mustard, one of the little tours we went on while in Japan was to a wasabi farm - wasabi, for those not partial to frequenting sushi parlors, is a green condiment, usually served with sushi, with the same ability as horseradish to blow your ears off if eaten with abandon. As some of you I'm sure know, wasabi in America (and, I dare to believe, even often in Japan) is usually made of a paste of regular (European) horseradish with a bit of green food coloring. It is, however, a different plant entirely, although it is also the root (actually, in the case of wasabi, the rhizome) which is used. This rhizome does indeed have a green color, and doesn't need the dye added. It is, however, very expensive. I bought my hostess a small root (for somewhere around $5; could have spent $10 for a slightly larger one), which gift was greeted with delight. At the same time I bought one for myself (or, truthfully, the other way 'round - mine first, with a belated thought to the lovely lady who took such good care of us for the first part of our trip). I admit here to bringing the thing back into the country, contrary to established order, in the hopes of encouraging it to grow in my garden. I wil need to do some research - the wasabi at the farm was growing in gravel, with clean river water washing it's roots all the time; I have no running water on my property. $5 for a condiment that tastes just like horseradish (which has no problems growing - and growing! - in my garden) is rather expensive; $5 for a horticultural experiment that may, or may not, work, but will prove a learning experience in either case, seems like a bit of cheap fun

 

[freemotion]

I admit I didn't look. It may have been in a recorded lecture given to my by a naturopathic physician.

Oh, and like everyone else in today's world, the Japanese don't eat traditionally anymore, either!

 

[ORChick]

I admit I didn't look. It may have been in a recorded lecture given to my by a naturopathic physician.

Oh, and like everyone else in today's world, the Japanese don't eat traditionally anymore, either!

That is certainly very true - McDonald's and Starbucks and KFC on every corner! Hard for a good tourist to find a decent meal ! But they still love their soy! We went to a wonderful market in Kyoto - lots of extraordinary fish, and vegetables, and pickles. The veggies pickled in miso were very interesting. And of course soy sauce is the condiment of choice everywhere. I love to travel, but at the same time I find it very frustrating to visit places like this market - or others, in Provence, in Spain, even in Ireland - and have absolutely no opportunity to do anything with all this bounty except look at it. This is the time to have a rented holiday aprtment with kitchen - but we never travel that way; I'd rather have the locals cook for me. But it is nevertheless very frustrating.

 

[freemotion]

It would drive my stock-up genes insane!

I looked for the quote, couldn't find it. It must've been in that lecture, or in NT. Probably the lecture.

 

[freemotion]

FINALLY got a batch of beet kvass going. It is for the goats. Beets increase twinning and my beet patch failed, so I am hoping this concentrate influences them somewhat. At anyrate, the probio's will be wonderful for them. I will also feed them the beet bits after the second batch. They loved the trimmings I put in tonight's dinner, even picky Ginger searched through her serving of chopped pumpkin to pick out the beets....and eat them. Usually she carefully removes any new food and drops it on the floor before continuing with her supper. Last night it was brocolli bits under her feed pan. Silly goof.

 

[ORChick]

FINALLY got a batch of beet kvass going. It is for the goats. Beets increase twinning and my beet patch failed, so I am hoping this concentrate influences them somewhat. At anyrate, the probio's will be wonderful for them. I will also feed them the beet bits after the second batch. They loved the trimmings I put in tonight's dinner, even picky Ginger searched through her serving of chopped pumpkin to pick out the beets....and eat them. Usually she carefully removes any new food and drops it on the floor before continuing with her supper. Last night it was brocolli bits under her feed pan. Silly goof.

Beets increase twinning in goats? Who knew?
On a related theme: when my grandmother was pregnant the neighbour kept her well supplied with goat milk, to keep her strength up, and (slyly) "you know, goat milk makes twins!". This was in 1916, so things were slightly less advanced then. Anyway, time came (93 years ago today, as it happens), and my father was born. A little bit later it was thought that the afterbirth was on its way - but who should arrive but my - totally unexpected by anyone, doctor, grandmother .... but maybe not the goat man - uncle!
So just be careful who you feed your goat milk to

 

[dragonlaurel]

Speaking of horseradish mustard, one of the little tours we went on while in Japan was to a wasabi farm - wasabi, for those not partial to frequenting sushi parlors, is a green condiment, usually served with sushi, with the same ability as horseradish to blow your ears off if eaten with abandon. As some of you I'm sure know, wasabi in America (and, I dare to believe, even often in Japan) is usually made of a paste of regular (European) horseradish with a bit of green food coloring. It is, however, a different plant entirely, although it is also the root (actually, in the case of wasabi, the rhizome) which is used. This rhizome does indeed have a green color, and doesn't need the dye added. It is, however, very expensive. I bought my hostess a small root (for somewhere around $5; could have spent $10 for a slightly larger one), which gift was greeted with delight. At the same time I bought one for myself (or, truthfully, the other way 'round - mine first, with a belated thought to the lovely lady who took such good care of us for the first part of our trip). I admit here to bringing the thing back into the country, contrary to established order, in the hopes of encouraging it to grow in my garden. I wil need to do some research - the wasabi at the farm was growing in gravel, with clean river water washing it's roots all the time; I have no running water on my property. $5 for a condiment that tastes just like horseradish (which has no problems growing - and growing! - in my garden) is rather expensive; $5 for a horticultural experiment that may, or may not, work, but will prove a learning experience in either case, seems like a bit of cheap fun

I don't know which to be more jealous about. That you went to Japan or that you may be growing fresh Wasabi soon . Glad you had a good trip!

Edited typo.

 

[freemotion]

Huh! Great story about twinning and goat's milk, ORChick!