Ferment all the things!

Ive been really getting into a groove with my ferments. They're so crazy easy and I've enjoyed connecting with the anthropological history of what I'm eating. My endeavours are not too adventurous, but the great thing is that it's easy to learn and needs only very basic supplies, so is accessible. I won't expound the virtues of fermenting, but you can learn about it if you're curious.

So! I have been drinking kombucha for a year. Over the spring/summer I got really good at the "2nd fermentation" (or 2F), which is taking the fermented tea and flavouring it, while also locking it into a pressure top bottle (a flip top!) and letting it sit on the counter for a couple of days to make it fizzy. It's like pop, but actually good for you! 

I also started a sourdough starter, which consists of flour and water, a jar and 5 days! So easy and yielded amazing bread. The bread had some learning curves, but it was fun experimenting! 

I also started a new batch of sauerkraut. It took me 5 months to work up the nerve to eat my last batch, which I made in January. I have finally consumed one jar, so have one left. I have two more on my counter which will be ready to hit the fridge in another month or so. 

I also made fermented peppers and garlic! I imagine the garlic is not quite done, brined garlic takes 6+ weeks to be ready, but the peppers are ready, so into the fridge. They taste a little bit like roasted brined peppers, which is delightful! They are still a bit too salty, but they can't sit out anymore (too soft!!). They are, however, very pretty!!

Yes there are things growing in my kitchen....

I have been fascinated with fermented things for most of the summer. Have I actually gotten to it yet? No. A couple of weeks ago one of my FB friends have me a SCOBY, which is essentially a symbiotic culture of mold and bacteria used to ferment drinks. Yes, you heard me.

No, I am not making wine on my kitchen counter.

I am (hopefully) making kombucha, a fermented tea drink.

So, in the next 7 days, hopefully this massive jar on my counter will turn into a fermented drink of goodness.

You can see the SCOBY floating around like some kind of alien creature (it really does look like an alien creature).

Why eat/drink fermented things? Well, there's lots of science behind it and far better explanations out there than I can give. Mostly it has to do with the way of eating that we have followed for our entire existence, that the bacteria produced in fermented foods is required by our guts for healthy living and helps protect us from getting sick. I have very annoying eczema which presents mostly on my hands, as well as multiple moderately annoying GI issues (bad teeth, sensitive and often upset tummy and intestines). My eczema is directly related to my gut issues. So this is part of working to heal my guts. I'll get into the other parts later. 

In 7 days I will start tasting it to see if it's ready. Then I'll mix it with some fruit juice and pop it in the fridge to drink whenever and make a new batch. If it's successful, I'll post another picture. If it moulds off and dies, the whole thing goes in the garbage. Ick.