Fermentation, June 27
Our very first potluck and food workshop! We were excited to be at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House with its big hall and full kitchen, and there were 15 of us ready to get our hands dirty and make sauerkraut.
After the potluck and introductions, Steph gave us a quick overview about kombucha and the benefits of fermenting for gut health. She also split some 'mother' starters into jars for a few of us to take home. The idea is that you can keep splitting more starters with each batch of kombucha you make. Next, we touched upon kefir, which is a fermented type of yogurt. Unfortunately you need kefir grains which you can't buy in stores here, but Joann offered a solution: coconut kefir, which uses coconut water and a probiotic pill.
Finally it was time to roll up our sleeves and start chopping and massaging some cabbage. With the recipe we used, all you do is add salt and massage the veggies to force out their juices. The process was a bit frenzied as veggie scraps flew everywhere and we began to run out of time, but we managed to punch our veggies into glass jars and clean the mess up. All in all, a fun and fantastic night!
If you're interested in making kombucha, there are a few of us with mothers that could hook you up with a starter. MILF, get it?? (Mom I'd Like to Ferment??)
Also, check out Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz (the unofficial guru of fermenting) for tons more ideas!
Tell us: How did you use your sauerkraut? Leave your comment below!
