Lacto-Fermenting

I know that this is supposed to be a knitting blog, but occasionally I just have to post about other cool things.   Recently we have started lacto-fermenting vegetables, and we are hooked.  Love the spicy crunchy taste, it is so easy to do and almost fool-proof.  This is how we are going to keep many of our vegetables from this summer’s harvest.  The technique has been around for centuries, think Kimchi and Sauerkraut.

The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anti carcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.

 

I called Cass to ask if he had ever done this, and he said that he and Mom used to do pickles this way all the time.  I wish Mom were still here so that I could talk to her more about this.  So many things I still want to know about/find out from her…

Basically, you just get a clean sterilized jar, add whatever vegetables and spices you would like, top off with some slightly salted filtered water, herbs and spices of your choice, and set on the counter for a few days to start the fermentation process. (The 2 small jars here are carrots and Daikon radishes in a slightly sweet vinegar bath to gently pickle and those went straight to the refrigerator).  These took about 20 minutes to prepare.

After about 3 days, the jar will become a bit cloudy.  When you open it you will see all of the veggies fermenting and bubbling away.

 

Let them fizz until you like the crunchiness and taste, then move to cool storage or the refrigerator to drastically slow down the  fermentation process.

In theory, they will keep for months in the fridge, we have trouble keeping them for days.   Any combination that you can think of works.  Our first test was just carrots, this is cauliflower, carrots, daikon radishes and red peppers along with some spices.  So yummy.

This is a good blog post  if you are interested in learning more.

 

And then there were Sheep

Of course I saw sheep at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival this past weekend, it is just that my purchases took up most of my blogging space yesterday.

There were cute babies, only 2 days old:

And, if you have never seen sheep sheared, watch these videos.  This guy is at the fair every year, and it is fascinating to watch.  Once the sheep are flipped onto their backs they are very docile.

On our visit to Old World Wisconsin they were making Tomato Jam at the Inn, and I got very interested in what this was like, so made up a batch of it last night.  Dan had it for breakfast, and said that it was very good.  Here is the recipe that I ended up using, it takes awhile to cook the tomatoes down.  Grandpa’s Sauce is on the burner today, that also simmers for hours to get the great reduction.

Pressure canning

I just ordered and received a new pressure cooker, so that I can expand my canning this summer.

And, my first pressure canning was asparagus on Friday.  They all sealed (7  quarts, the maximum that can fit in the canner), a couple seem a tad short on the water, but we will see if the preservation lasts to next winter.  Asparagus is my favorite vegetable, and the season is just too short.   I have 5 quarts of full pieces, and 2 quarts of small pieces, which I will use to make soup.   The only thing about the pressure canning is that they are cooked quite a bit.  I will let you know when I open my first jar next winter.

Continuing work on my next shawl.  I think that I am going to be disappointed in the size, but I only had one skein of this yarn.  If it is too small it will make a great scarf with a coat, lots of color to brighten up a dreary day.  I started this on a size 6 needle (pattern recommended a 5 or 6 and I wanted it to be bigger), and went up to a size 7 where the lace started.  I sort of wish that I had made the entire shawl with the size 7 needles.

Jam and Merino

I spun up this Merino before leaving for my trip to Michigan.  In fact, I was originally going to take my Joy with me on the trip so that I could spin, and stayed up late to clear out a few extra bobbins.  In the morning, my mind changed as I thought of lugging it through the train station.  It was a wise move, as I really did not have the time on this trip to spin anyways.  Knitting is much more portable.

Before spinning:

And 350 yards of 2-ply later.  I love the softness of this yarn, and how the colors spun up together.  I am glad that I did not try it in my early days of spinning, as the Merino took a bit more getting used to.  I keep touching this, it is so soft.  It will become a scarf for my husband.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon making 3-berry jam (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries).  Heaven.  My new favorite, the combination jams are definitely the best.  I yielded six 1-cup and four 1/2-cup jars, plus a little bit for the refrigerator.

This jam on Whole Foods Seduction bread is to die for.