What are you fermenting today?

[garden pixy]

Apple cider vinegar... where do I start?

I was thinking of picking up Bragg Raw ACV because i would like to do raw vinegar (thank you Sally Fallon) and I am currently all out of ACV.

I would like to make my own ACV with apple scraps this fall, is it possible to use the 'mother' that comes in the Bragg vinegar to help kick start my own ferment? I do have a local source for organic, unpasteurized apple cider, so I could do that too, but it's a little more cost wise (and my kids & I really go through apples in the fall) I have to purchase vinegar because we are all out and fermenting takes time, but making my own definitely sounds like the best option.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Lacto-fermented zucchini pickles are on my counter

 

[jess]

Lacto-fermented zucchini pickles are on my counter

I'm eating a salad with chicken, bacon, and my lacto-fermented zucchini pickles, and it is awesome. They turned out great... and I'm not a huge fan of either pickles or zucchini.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Lacto-fermented zucchini pickles are on my counter

I'm eating a salad with chicken, bacon, and my lacto-fermented zucchini pickles, and it is awesome. They turned out great... and I'm not a huge fan of either pickles or zucchini.

 

[yardfarmer]

Just finished shredding cabbage for a batch of saurkraut.

My DW asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I said I would like a cabbage shredder; don't like the mandolin too much, and using a knife takes forever.

The look she gave me was something I would not want see again. Not sure if disgust or she thinks I've gone over the edge. Good thing I didn't ask for one of those fancy Harsch fermenting crocks; she'd probably have me committed. Guess I'll have to settle for a new air compresspor

 

[dragonlaurel]

Just finished shredding cabbage for a batch of saurkraut.

My DW asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I said I would like a cabbage shredder; don't like the mandolin too much, and using a knife takes forever.

The look she gave me was something I would not want see again. Not sure if disgust or she thinks I've gone over the edge. Good thing I didn't ask for one of those fancy Harsch fermenting crocks; she'd probably have me committed. Guess I'll have to settle for a new air compresspor

You should have gone for the crock. Just say you want some good old fashioned pickles and they're hard to find. If they send you to a shrink for it, you can describe them to him. He' ll ask you to make extra for him. Could be a new business.

 

[chicken stalker]

I revived this thread about making ACV.....hoping to get a couple questions answered
http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4277&p=8

 

[jess]

I unintentionally fermented coconut milk.

I found a jar of coconut milk shoved in the back of the fridge. When I opened it, I found that it smelled sour in the ferment-y way, and had thickened. So I tasted it, with no ill effects thus far. I'm familiar with coconut milk that's gone off - it tastes rancid and gross, and this was definitely not like that.

If I toss in more coconut milk, it thickens up again within a few hours.

I'm a bit baffled, as this is all occurring in the fridge, not at room temp or greater, so presumably Streptococcus thermophilus is not one of the cultures present! And, for that matter, how it happened at all. The lid on the jar was labeled sauerkraut, and the jar itself was likely previously used for something fermented, so it may well have been inoculated that way. I tried throwing a little bit of pickle juice in with some fresh coconut milk, and that didn't have any notable effect overnight (though even the little spoonful gave it an interesting garlic-dill flavor, which I may end up using in another context soon). I may need to try that experiment again with a little more patience.

Since I thus far haven't replicated the results with my existing brine, I guess I'll try to keep this baby going.

Next I'm going to try putting some in with canned coconut milk. The coconut milk I used to start the experiment was made from shredded coconut.

And I'm going to taste test it on blueberries

(You know you've gone Mad Kitchen Scientist when you start eating and nourishing the food you find shoved in the back of the fridge...)

 

[freemotion]

Sandor Katz refers to the fridge as a "fermentation-slowing device!" Not a fermentation stopping device. It takes more time, but still can happen.

 

[Homemaker]

Oh, all-knowing fermenting experts. I seek your knowledge Do you know if you can ferment plain old english cucumbers. I'm up to my ears in cucumbers this year and I would love trying to ferment some. I read the Lost Art of Real Cooking earlier in the summer and I've been dying to try to make pickles. Could I just cut up the cuks into spears or slices and ferment them?