Seasonal Fermentation

What a lovely and abundant season. Even though all the gardens are a month behind, and it seems it will never warm up here in Vancouver, I'm really enjoying the mild climate compared to the 100 degree days that Denver is getting, or the 100% humidity that my folks get in Wisconsin.

And there is still plenty at the Farmer's Market. Kim chee ingredients have in fact just started becoming available. I almost had to fight someone for the last Napa cabbage at Kitsilano last weekend. I think I got a little bit from almost every farm vendor. I definitely trolled the market exhaustively looking for the best deals.

So - first a little background. I met Catherine at a "Wild Foods" potluck hosted by our own Garliq, I don't mind shamelessly pugging his website either:
Living Medicine Project. I had been thinking of hosting a fermented vegetable class, as I enjoy passing on this knowledge and wanted to practice up before possibly hosting a 'by donation' sort of class.

Much to our mutual good fortune, Catherine brought her friend Janet and already the three of us are thick as thieves. We've fermented twice now and are also planning a shopping trip to Value Village, which will be Awesome to have some ladies to shop with. I do have to give my friend Diether credit for also helping at fermentation night #2.

So, here's what we made. And the reason this is called 'seasonal fermentation' is that you ferment what's available now - what's in your garden, or in your CSA, or at the farmer's market.

First jar (July 14): cabbage, bok choi (Napa cabbage), pak choi, carrots, radish (including greens), garlic, chives (for lack of 'real' green onions), hot peppers (dried Thai dragons from Klippers), black peppercorns. Everything from the Main Street Farmer's market (Wednesdays in Vancouver), except the hot peppers which I got at the Winter Farmer's market. This jar was aromatic and fairly bubbling after only 3 days, so I weighted mine down with a bag of water to keep it submerged and put it in the fridge after 3 days at room temp. I will let it mature in the fridge for another 4 weeks at least before I eat it (a root cellar is ideal for this, but I don't have one of those in Vancouver). You'll see anything from 3 - 9 days at room temp - I say when it gets fragrant and bubbly, it can go in cold storage.

Next batches (July 18) - food mostly from Kitsilano Farmer's Market, Sundays:

-one jar of cukes, onions, garlic (yet another attempt at pickles - I haven't had luck in the past, but maybe they'll turn out better this time)
-two jars of eggplant, kohlrabi, red peppers, onions, and garlic (have you noticed yet that onions and garlic go in every jar?)
-There was a mixture of garlic scapes and whole chives that went in most of the July 18 jars, too.
- 4 jars (one for each of us) of beets (including greens), kohlrabi, onions, and garlic - seasoned with fennel and hot peppers (dried cayennes)
- 4 jars of kale, carrots, daikon radish greens, onions, apples and garlic. Possibly seasoned with fennel, we can't be sure what we did.
- 4 jars of cabbage, daikon radish, garlic, onions, and red radish - seasoned with dried cayennes and juniper berries
- 4 jars of cabbage, onions, daikon radish, seasoned with juniper berries, powdered mustard (whole mustard would have been better but we didn't have any).

To top it all off, we snacked on fresh salad, home-made zuchini hummous with red and yellow peppers for dipping, home-made broccoli quiche (with my own Rosie's eggs), fruit salad, and fresh oysters from the farmer's market.


I can only hope I've made you hungry. Until next time,
Alyssa