Experiments with Food

Perusing the Nourishing Traditions book, by Sally Fallon, I'm feeling inspired these days. I have so many things fermenting and processing, and separating, and rising on my counter.. I can see I'm going to need a new system.

A few months ago, I decided to take a stab at kefir. I ordered some water kefir grains and some milk kefir grains, followed the directions, and set them out of the way. Unfortunately, that also meant out of mind. I managed to salvage the milk kefir, put it in the fridge with some milk, and hoped they'd survive until I was ready to pay attention to them. The poor water kefir was not so lucky. By the time, I checked in on them, the grains themselves were totally gone, and there was a scoby half an inch thick on the top. It didn't smell bad or anything, but the grains were definitely toast. I'll have to give that a go at another time. See more about my kefir adventures in my last post

A few weeks ago, I put together a jar of beet kvass and a jar of ginger carrots. They bubbled along just like they were supposed to. I haven't had the nerve to actually try the beet kvass yet, but it is in my fridge. Maybe today. The ginger carrots though, just keep getting better and better.

This week, I started sourdough starters, two of them. One I used a starter starter from Culturesforhealth.com. The other I used the recipe in Nourishing traditions. We made the first bread from the scratch starter this week.

From 2011-04-07

From 2011-04-07

We also did another batch of those pastry cookies from Nourishing Traditions which uses some of that wonderful cream cheese you get from your sour milk separating. This batch turned out a little more sour (the cream cheese was a little more sour this time) than the first batch, and I experimented with a few other fillings like chocolate chips. The first batch was better I think. Will keep experimenting.

From 2011-04-07

I have pineapple vinegar brewing away, and will strain that out and put it in jars this afternoon.

From 2011-04-07

I then went off the deep end, and late at night mixed up some homemade ketchup. It too is lactofermenting on the counter as we speak.

From 2011-04-07

Today, I had big plans for more ginger carrots, something with the bag of cherries I defrosted (thought they were marion berries -- label your bags, people!), potato leek soup for dinner with our super awesome baked bread, and I wanted to get some vegetable starts going. The day, and therefore the weekend itself, is getting away from me already however. Perhaps I can get to the vegetable starts this evening.