I spent a lot of time over the last 10 days learning about and exploring lacto-fermentation. Last week I explained what that was and my first steps. This week I will give you a brief update and a suggestion as to why I am enjoying this new (to me) discovery. So far I have fermented cucumber (very good, almost all gone and will definitely make again), cherry tomatoes (pretty to look at but very soft, not my favorite), salsa (a few beginner problems with vague recipe directions, but delicious and really easy to make), sauerkraut (a very messy first few days but tastes good so far), limes (looks like slow progress and haven’t tasted them yet), carrots (easy but slow going, not much happening yet), and turnip (I am trying to replicate those pink sticks that you get with Lebanese food, but without the beet that provides (only, I hope!) the color). I was concerned that I wouldn’t like the taste of the fermented food, but so far, except for the cherry tomatoes, that hasn’t been the case. Lacto-fermentation is pretty easy to do once you understand the principles, but because I am still learning, it does take a significant chunk out of my days, time that I should probably be using to get ready for my next art show at the end of the month. It’s not like I have huge quantities of garden produce that need preserving, so why am I doing this? Besides the fact that I like to learn new things, and that I let myself get distracted by things that look fun, in order to avoid things that do not (some would call this procrastination), I read something this morning that could explain it, or at least that my ego will more readily accept as the reason! In my search for learning materials, the name Sandor Katz was mentioned in a YouTube video. I looked up his books, thinking I would buy a used copy (of course). But even used, his books are expensive, and considering that I don’t really know how long this new rabbit hole exploration will be, I am hesitant to buy yet another book! There are a lot of videos of him on YouTube, including interviews, workshops and demonstrations, and usually I would go that route, listening while I do other things. But I honestly have never heard anyone say "You know" so often, so much so that it makes him impossible for me to listen to for more than 10 minutes. So books sound like a better option. Reading reviews made me hesitate between his “The Art of Fermentation”, which seems to be more of a “bible” of fermentation history and practices around the world, and “Wild Fermentation”, which seems to be more of a recipe book and guide. One of the reviews to “The Art of Fermentation” on Goodreads had the potential answer to my “why I am doing this?”! As the book title says, fermenting is an art! It is creating something new from something else, not being quite sure of what the result will be. Just like art, there are no clear steps, just guidelines. Each person follows them with their own interpretation, and the results are not always predictable, and not always “edible”. This really goes against my controlling nature, and it’s probably good for me. Hopefully it will transpire in my own art. In the meantime, I continue to scour the Internet for a one-page sheet summarizing those guidelines that I can put inside a cupboard door, or an app to help me track my various experiments. It’s not easy to let go!! What about you? Do you have control issues? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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AuthorMy name is Claire Bureau. Archives
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