Worst grapes ever!

Some of the doomsday prepping I undertook in 2020 appears to have come good: here's our first harvest of olives. I would have liked to leave them on the tree longer, but the king parrots had other ideas.

Started another jar of home-grown garlic fermenting in our bees' glorious honey. The first jar disappeared very quickly! Delicious on sauteed mushrooms or drizzled on steamed brocollini.
#Beekeeping #Fermenting

Este es el aspecto de mi masa madre tras 36 horas de fermentación (anoche se me olvidó refrescarla ). Creo que tiene buena pinta, pero no me convence su olor. No sé explicar a qué huele, pero no es lo que yo esperaba. ¿Alguien escapaz de describir a qué tiene que oler?
#masaMadre #fermenting #sourdough

So an update on the #fermenting bits.

The okra is going ok, ...... sort of. I am very curious about it. First, even tho I used unfiltered water it has been fermenting, so that is good. It is the second ferment where I accidentally didn't use filtered water and both are good.

But I noticed some of the slime came out into the brine. Very interesting. It looks less slimy now than it did, and I might take an okra out tomorrow and inspect. It has to be ready as there is no way the okra will not float once I remove one, and I am not faffing around trying to find a way to keep them under the brine in that small jar.

They do *look* good tho.

Vinegar-in-making is still doing its thing. It still tastes like sweet vinegar. Weeks to go yet.

I bought some nice, proper bottles with those metal-attached tops - ... clip lids ... for the vinegar when it finishes. Quite cute. I used one and transferred the Hawaiian Chilli Water into it, as it has a smaller top. Presumably I won't pour too much of it on my food now. It does look cute in the bottle tho.

I use the Hawaiian Chilli Water and also the Fermented Blender Rinsing Water from when I made a chilli paste quite a bit. Delicious drizzled over almost anything, and into rice with some herbs. Funky and spicy.

Considering another ferment for when the okra is finished. I read that fermented eggplant is #ChefKiss

What is next on the #fermenting agenda, I hear you ask? Now that the Vinegar-in-the-making is doing its thing very nicely, I thought I might try a new one.

Okra.

Yes, rinse, dry and trim okra without cutting into the interior, jam them into a jar as tight as you can, jam in some garlic and chillies (or your preferred flavours), add 3% (by weight of water) brine - about 8g salt to 250ml, but always check. Depending on your weather and preferred tastes, leave from 1 week to several. I read of one person who left it for 4 months. Not sure I am THAT game.

Burp every day or two if using an ordinary lid.

The recipe in #SandorKatz's #TheArtofFermentation has it fermenting for "several days". I quite like fresh ferments as it turns out, so it is likely to be under a week for me. Depending - the weather is quite chilly for a week, starting tomorrow.

Success does depend on one other factor. I wanted to try a ferment with our tap water again. The first one was excellent - chillies for a chilli sauce. To prove that wasn't a fluke I am using tap water again. We shall see.

Sometimes I forget that I have to use filtered water.

CHUCRUUUUUUUT!!!

¿Habré dejado suficiente espacio para cuando se expanda? ¿Me habré pasado con la alcaravea? ¿Tendría que haber roto un poco las semillas de mostaza? El tiempo lo dirá.
#fermenting #chucrut #sauerkraut #choucroute

Good morning all you beautiful people. Such a lovely morning. Cooler. Autumn.

A bit of a #FromTheKitchen update.

Dal is soaking to make a 3-lentil Tadka Dal a little later. I have some of the Indian black rice left over, so it will be a nice pairing. Plus something cauliflowery is on the cards.

The vinegar-in-making is still progressing. It still has a sweetish taste so there is some way to go yet. I am not concerned about the film that was on top - it seems to be dissipating.

The #fermenting Hawaiian Chili Water has a strongly garlicky aroma. It has been 5 days - #KirstenShockey says 1-2 weeks, but I find her times to be very long compared to other books and my experience. Plus it is presumably a lot warmer here. I'll decant it today, I think, and have a taste.

Doddapatre is dehydrating. It is such a thick, succulent leaf, it takes forever. Next time I must remember to use a higher temperature right from the beginning, otherwise it would take weeks.

Mi primera salsa picante fermentada. ¡Chispas!
#fermenting #HotSauce #ChiliMash #habanero

#FromTheKitchen #FromTheGarden

I've been a bit slow on the dehydrating and fermenting front lately - a bit busy with other things.

But today I have trimmed the lemongrass to dehydrate for winter lemony teas. Also the doddapatre (aka so many other names like Indian Borage or Mexican Mint) which will help winter immunity. They have both been washed and are drying off in the sun before I snip them up and put them in the dehydrator.

Also, I'll pot up some cuttings of the doddapatre for future plants and also gifts to herb-loving friends.

#FERMENTING: I have decided on my next fermenting project - there are chillies galore in the garden, so I will make a double batch of Hawaiian Chilli Water. I used to make this (without fermenting) and it is great to have on hand to drizzle into or over anything. It is basically chillies, garlic and ginger, but you can add a huge range of optional ingredients too. Each family in Hawaii will have their own recipe.

The basic recipe is from #FieryFerments by #KirstenShockey - I'll make it her way the first time, then play with flavours. Here is her recipe on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FaZFNNL8qw

When life gives you chillies, make #fermented chilli powder.

I was thinking about my next fermentation project when I came across this https://wellfed.substack.com/p/lacto-fermented-rhubarb-hot-sauce

There is enough rhubarb in the garden

Another week; another kilogram of chillis.

Ok, the #rhubarb has been chopped, salted, massaged (twice), mixed with other things and jarred for fermenting. There doesn't seem to be enough brine emerging yet, so will top up tomorrow morning if it is still the case. It already tastes a little bit nice with rosemary, ginger, cardamom, cranberries and goji berries with the rhubarb.

I did a parchment cartouche, but honestly, I prefer fresh grapevine leaves when I have them. I might replace it. Also I hear nasturtium leaves slows fermentation a little - might be good if/when fermenting on hotter days.

Physalis grisea

TL;DR
-tolerates summer heat
-fast to grow/fruit
-can produce in different environments
-favorite of wildlife
-varies in taste by ripeness and application

Hola! Moving here from mastodon.social, new pinned post:

I'm a physicist by education, software engineer by profession, with an interest in helping cultivate inclusive environments in STEM. I spend a lot of time irl, so I'm off and on with my internet presence.

Hobbies include roasting #coffee, #fermenting #cider, running a #homeserver, other things as time permits.

My wife is a mathematician, we have a little human that we're trying to keep alive.

#Preserving #Fermenting #Cabbage #Saurkraut

Since I am the only one who eats it, just 2 quart jars of red cabbage, carrots and onions.