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Fermented foods? Looking for further reading suggestions
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I have seen the term “fermented” used in threads here from time to time, but I haven’t really paid much attention to it. However, I’m curious as to how and why any of you use fermented items.
I don’t necessarily want to clog this delightful CM forum with a lengthy discussion on this, so I’m thinking maybe some of you could provide a link or two to credible information about this topic. Thanks.
Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon has helpful information. I know ice checked out other books on the topic, but this one I have in my own collection and use it quite often. Oh, Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Katz might be useful. I’ve seen blogposts and websites devoted to fermentation. I mainly make sauerkraut, pickles, beets, corn relish, and salsa. I have made marmalade in the past. This year, I hope to put up garlic, mustard, and ketchup (these are labeled as fermented foods in NT.)
Becca<><
Oops. Meant to list The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying & Start Making, by Alana Chernila. It’s awesome. Only a bit on fermentation, but it’s my new favorite cookbook.
Becca<><
Nourishing Traditions -Sally Fallon and Mary Enig
Wild Fermentation – Sandor Katz (not really for the beginner, though excellent as you begin to expand)
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/expert-advice (recipes and aritcles, as well as starters if you need them)
http://www.gnowflgins.com (she offers some intro classes to fermenting and cultured dairy)
http://nourishedkitchen.com/getting-started-with-real-food/
There are some others, too, but these are good starting points. Besides the soaking and sprouting of grains and nuts, making the dairy ferments are the easiest to start, IMO and then the simple cheeses, pickles, salsa and sauerkraut. Then it becomes more of an adventure and artform.
I guess what I’m really looking for is….are fermented foods especially healthy for you? I suppose Nourishing Traditions would cover that in the book. I just don’t want to Google “fermentation” and not know which of the many results to click on! There’s gotta be a better source on this than Wikipedia, lol.
Sue, YES, fermented foods are super healthy for you! Imagine taking a raw vegetable, already full of enzymes, vitamins, and nutrients, and making it even better. That’s what a fermented food is! It’s like raw food on steroids…errrr…if there were good steroids.
Basically, fermenting the food not only enhances the enzymes and nutrients, but it also adds beneficial probiotics to the food. I’m sure you’re already aware of the importance of gut health. Eating fermented foods is just one more way to add those probiotics to your diet to repopulate the gut with good bacteria. Another advantage to fermenting foods is that it extends the life of the food. Fresh cucumbers might last a 3-4 days in your fridge without softening or molding, but a raw, fermented cucumber will last 3-4 months in the fridge! So fermenting is a great way to make sure none of your produce goes to waste. I have fermented cucumbers, salsa, pinto beans, cabbage, carrots, apple butter, and of course things like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and the like. I love knowing that my family is not only eating raw foods, but raw foods with a lot of extra nutrition!
Happy fermenting!
No offense, but fermentation smells awful. I know a family who do regular fermentation with cabbage, etc. and you can just drive up to their house and it is smelling from the outside. Ugh!!! They never used to smell before doing this.
So, fermentation is fine, but remember to check clothing and house odors before guests arrive. I’m really not kidding here.
Lactic acid fermentation shouldn’t smell awful if it’s being done properly. I’ve never had any of my ferments even smell up the fridge when put in there. I can smell my kefir or other things when I open the lid, but it’s not a bad smell-if it is then it probably went bad.
There’s something going on there…
You may be right, Rachel. She cooks VERY large quantities because of the large size of their family. Maybe that is one reason?? It’s not just the house though, it’s them too. I feel terrible for saying this, but it’s hard to even be physically near to them. In fact, my kids quietly roll down the windows if their kids go somewhere with us in our car. Again, they never smelled before starting fermentation a couple of years ago. I have thought of mentioning this to her, but she is so strict with this way of diet that it probably wouldn’t do much good. Besides, it is just a smell and I know I should just ignore as best I can.
I am so relieved to hear that the odor is not a common by-product of fermentation. I was getting a little worried there!
I’m interested in this because it seems as though every time I look into using nutrition to heal us and keep us healthy, the cost of special dietary ingredients, vitamins, herbal supplements, etc., etc., eating is just so expensive. It’s amazing how cheap the powdered cheese pasta in the box is, and the nasty sandwiches on the “dollar menu,” and the store-brand-fizzy-sugar-water stuff they sell by the 2-liters….yet produce is so much more costly and we throw half of it away after a few days. What Lindsey, Rachel, and all of you are saying makes good sense, and I’m intrigued with the thought of having a cucumber last for months instead of days.
Now if I can just figure out if we’ll like the taste of various fermented foods. Case in point: NONE of my kids like sauerkraut…..NOT ONE! I was raised on sauerkraut….and they call themselves Slovak??!!! Were they all 3 switched at birth for some non-European babies??!!!!
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