Fermented foods permeate our pantries, our refrigerators and our menus. They’re a part of our meals every day.
Consider beer, wine, chocolate, cheese, but also pickles, vinegar, sourdough bread, kimchi and sauerkraut.
Fermenting is experiencing a resurgence in home kitchens across the country, and cooks are embracing the salty, the stinky and the sour.
The reality is, anyone can make fermented foods. For centuries, this technique has been used for preserving food and building flavor.
Long before refrigeration, fermentation was a way to keep food. Yet in a technology-driven world that now offers us smart refrigerators, interest in fermentation continues to grow.
“There isn’t a culture on earth that doesn’t ferment things. You can go all over the world and you will find someone leaving something out to make food different,” said David Zilber, a Toronto native and head of the fermentation lab at Noma in Copenhagen.
Zilber spent the past two years working on “Foundations of Flavor: The Noma Guide to Fermentation” (Artisan, $40), a look into the science of fermentation through 100 recipes created with René Redzepi.
Zilber notes that fermentation makes a major impact on the creativity and dishes served at Noma, where they’re always trying to preserve the flavors of the growing season over a long winter, much like Wisconsin.
“I write all the recipes for the restaurant, and there isn’t a single dish that isn’t touched by some form of fermentation,” he said.
“The beauty of fermentation is you can make your own food, toppings and condiments,” Zilber added. “The most common lacto-fermented vegetable is the cucumber, the beloved dill pickle.”
The newly updated “Better Homes & Gardens: New Cookbook 17th Edition” takes note of the surge in interest. While these books have always featured preservation and pickles, this year’s edition includes an entire updated section focused on fermenting. Recipes include popular favorites like homemade sauerkraut, kimchi, mustard and kombucha. They explain that the fermenting process “creates a less-friendly environment for the bacteria that causes spoilage.”
But what exactly is the difference between fermented and rotten?
“The difference between rotten and fermented is did you want it to happen,” said Zilber, noting the fermenter is making a choice. “There is a thin line between rot and fermentation. That line might be just the line like in a nightclub. … When you ferment you’re taking the role of a bouncer. … You can either let everything happen or select for what you want to happen.”
You don’t need to have your own fermentation lab, or be a trained chef, to ferment at home. Your biggest investment will probably be time. Fermenting requires a bit of equipment and a lot of patience.
“You don’t have to be a scientist or a nerd,” said Kathryn Lukas, who is now co-writing a cookbook with her son, Shane, a professional fermentologist in Denmark. “Everybody used to do this.”
Due in stores next June, her upcoming book is “The Farmhouse Culture Guide to Fermenting: A Practical Guide to Crafting Live-Culture Foods and Drinks, with More Than 100 Recipes from Kimchi to Kombucha” (Ten Speed Press).
Lukas fell in love with fermentation while living in Germany, and she found herself missing those flavors when she moved back to California. She was inspired to create her own line of sauerkraut and other fermented products, and Farmhouse Culture was founded in 2008.
Select products are available locally at Outpost Natural Foods, Woodman’s, Fresh Thyme, Health Hut and Good Harvest. Lukas has gained nationwide sales with krauts in various flavors, including traditional, garlic dill pickle, smoked jalapeño, and a new turmeric option with golden beets. Her favorite is a horseradish leek kraut.
Her expanding line of fermented products includes kraut krisps and gut punch sparkling probiotic drinks in flavors like cherry cacao, mango guava and strawberry hibiscus.
Lukas is a fan of live-culture ferments. That means they aren’t cooked.
“I know in the Midwest you have a big kraut culture, but the majority of it is canned and pasteurized. It doesn’t need to be if you make it at home, and these live cultures are so incredibly good for your gut,” said Lukas.
“Sauerkraut is so hard to screw up,” she added, suggesting it as a good starter for newbies.
“If you get into some of the other ferments, or you do this commercially, we are ultra clean. We’re worried about yeasts in the air, and that’s the worst thing that can happen. Yeasts or molds get into your kraut and makes it soft or weird-tasting and you have to throw it out.
“When you see three inches of mold on your kraut because you didn’t keep it submerged in the brine properly, you’re going to throw it out. But if you set the stage for the good bacteria to win, 99% of the time it will work out.”
Zilber built a specialty lab at Noma and teaches people step by step in pictures in his book to create the perfect environment for fermentation. But it’s OK to start more simply and with minimal investment.
“There is nothing about fermenting on your kitchen counter that would make your ferment fail,” said Zilber. “You can be anal about it and create an environment where it will not fail. That’s what the Noma lab was created for, of course,” said Zilber.
“We are trying to control chaos, but (fermenting) has always been slightly chaotic. Being able to do it on your kitchen counter is more than enough. If you have a little corner, some space on top of your fridge, your miso will turn out just fine, your pickles will turn out just fine.”
Start simple and keep a few things in mind. Start with salt. Non-iodized salt to be exact.
“We tell people not to use iodized salt because iodine can be antimicrobial,” said Zilber. “We tell people to use kosher salt or evaporated sea salt. In the book we talk about why salt is this amazing mineral that has the ability to keep food safe.”
When trying your first ferment, always keep safety in mind. “Understand where things can go wrong,” said Zilber. “Your health is never worth your weekend experiment.”
When it comes to equipment, there are numerous kinds of fermentation crocks on the market today, including the Sauerkrock from Wauwatosa-based Humble House.
Another option is Masontops, which were created to work specifically with mason jars of different sizes. Available locally at Outpost, the Masontops line began with “pickle pebbles,” weights to help keep your ferments under liquid. Finding success with a Kickstarter campaign and that product, co-founder Michael Bacher said the company decided to focus on products for home fermenting. The line now includes a “pickle packer” and a “pickle pipe” that provides a patented airlock seal.
“If you were to ferment in a fully sealed jar, as the carbon dioxide is released it could explode,” he explained. “You have to find a way to let that pressure vent, but at the same time you want to limit the exposure to oxygen as much as possible.
“What a lot of people were doing (traditionally) was burping the jar: opening the lid, quick release, then close it back up again. You do this two times a day for two, three, weeks or longer.
“That’s what we tried to solve with the “Pickle Pipe,” a silicone lid with a one-way valve. When pressure builds in the jar, when it gets to the level where before you would vent it manually, now it will automatically vent. At all other times, the valve is completely closed and never lets anything from outside enter, whether oxygen or bacteria.”
While some start with sauerkraut, others find their way by making vinegar.
That’s where Marie Viljoen started. After years of making her own vinegars and drinks using vinegar, Viljoen has written “Forage, Harvest, Feast,” published this month (Chelsea Green, $40).
There are various ways to make vinegar, whether using fruit peels or using an alcohol, like a red wine that has been allowed to ferment.
Viljoen got hooked after making her first “scrap” vinegar by accident. These require fruit scraps (apple peels are a good starter), water and sugar to create your base. Jonathan Sawyer, owner of The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland, offers his tips in “House of Vinegar: The Power of Sour, with Recipes” (Ten Speed Press, $30), published this month. While he delves into the science, safety and vocabulary, he also explains the simplest approach to start a two-stage vinegar ferment.
He writes: “I simply take all the apple peels and bits from the cores, put them in a 1-quart wide-mouth mason jar, and add enough water to cover them by about an inch. I cover the jar with cheesecloth, put it on top of my fridge and then wait. Once I see bubbles moving in the jar, I know the wild yeasts on the apple skins have begun to metabolize.”
From there, he watches and waits, tasting periodically until he sees the “mother of vinegar” (a filmy substance that forms at the top surface and helps turn alcohol into acetic acid).
“The nice thing about vinegar-making is if you’ve used apples for pies or tarts, you can use the cores and peelings,” said Vijoen. “Vinegar is a thrifty way to get a lot of flavor from ingredients you might otherwise throw in the compost.”
“I can recall just one batch (of vinegar) that went bad on me, and that was probably rather predictable,” she said. “I tried making some with durian fruit, the very stinky fruit. I’m surprised my husband didn’t leave me.”
She attributes the continued growth in fermentation interest partly to social media, where new flavors and recipes spread quickly.
“I also think we’re becoming more aware of the food cycle, and vinegars and fermentation are a very accessible way to gain control of what we eat,” said Viljoen. “It is not hard to make them at all, it is actually incredibly simple. To see that reward for relatively little effort is the instigator.”
A class on fermentation is a good way to learn. Here are some classes coming up around Wisconsin:
Fall Fermentation Education Series Session III — Kombucha! with Christina Ward at 6 p.m. Nov. 13, Black Husky Brewing, 909 E. Locust St. The hands-on class, where participants use a tea base and fruit juice to create their own beginning kombucha ferment, costs $30 for members of the Friends of the Domes and $35 for non-members. (414) 257-5608 or milwaukeedomes.org/adult-programs
Wellspring, 4382 Hickory Road, West Bend, offers classes with Linda Conroy of Moonwise. Classes in November include Herbs and Fermentation for Digestive Health from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 15 for $35, and Sourdough Bread Making from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 25, $45. wellspringinc.org
Driftless Folk School offers various classes throughout the year in LaFarge. The next class will be Beyond Cabbage: Fermentation for the Season, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 28. driftlessfolkschool.org
Mark your 2019 calendar: The eight-year-old Fermentation Fest brings in experts from around the country for classes and related events. The annual fest is held in Reedsburg the first two weekends in October. For information: fermentationfest.com.
Keep safety in mind when working with fermentation. If in doubt, throw it out.
Always use a tested recipe from a reliable source. Altering any method, ingredient, amount or timing of a recipe can affect safety.
Food must remain submerged by at least one to two inches under the brine when fermenting.
The ideal temperature range for fermentation is 70 to 75 degrees. Higher temperatures increase the risk of spoilage.
Try not to disturb the vegetables during fermentation to reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the vegetables so that mold doesn’t develop.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation has tested recipes available for fermented dill pickles and sauerkraut. The center also has information on suitable containers, covers and weights for fermenting food.
Sources: Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), House of Vinegar: The Power of Sour with Recipes (Ten Speed Press), The Noma Guide to Fermentation (Artisan), Preservation: The Art and Science of Canning, Fermentation and Dehydration (Process Media), Sandor Katz’s “The Art of Fermentation” and “Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition and Craft of Live-Culture Foods.”
This kraut was one of the first Kathryn Lukas made for Farmhouse Culture, and it reminds her of her time in Germany.
Wash and sanitize all fermentation equipment, including your jar, fermentation lid, mixing bowl, knife and cutting board, and set aside to air-dry.
Prep the cabbage by removing the outer leaves until a clean, shiny head is revealed. Set aside 2 cabbage leaves for later use and discard the rest.
To core the cabbage, cut the head in half and make a V-shaped cut using the tip of the knife to pry out the wedge. With larger heads it may be easier to remove the core if you cut the heads into quarters.
Place the halved heads with the flat side down on the cutting surface. Starting at the tip end, cut the cabbage into ⅛- to ¼-inch shreds. Weigh the shredded cabbage as you go, add to a large mixing bowl or stockpot, and sprinkle salt over the shredded cabbage.
Massage, squeeze and mix the cabbage and salt with your hands vigorously until the cabbage renders a juicy brine (about 5 minutes). You will see the cabbage transform in color and texture, becoming more translucent and pliable as you go. The mixture is sufficiently macerated when you can grab a handful of shredded cabbage and squeeze the liquid out of it easily.
Add all other ingredients to the cabbage mixture and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to your jar. Tamp down the mixture with your fist as you go, in order to submerge the solids under the brine, and to force out any air pockets. Continue this process until the jar is almost full, allowing for 2 inches of headspace at the top of the jar.
Take one of the 2 reserved outer leaves, give it a quick rinse, and fold it up so that it fits into mouth of the jar. It should cover all of the cabbage below and ever so slightly protrude from the top of the jar. The folded-up cabbage leaf serves two purposes: 1) It protects the shredded cabbage below in case of a breach of oxygen through the airlock or lid, and 2) It applies downward pressure on the mixture so that the solids stay submerged below the brine. Depending on the size and density of the leaves, you may need to fold and add another cabbage leaf.
Seal the jar with the fermentation lid of your choice. You should feel some resistance from the cabbage leaf as you tighten the lid, but not so much that tightening the lid is overly difficult. Place your sealed jar on a plate or in a bowl, to catch any liquid displaced through the airlock during fermentation.
Ferment kraut in a cool place away from direct sunlight for 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the fermentation temperature. Ferment for longer when the ambient temperature is cooler and shorter when warmer (64 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 weeks is ideal). When the kraut is ready, transfer into smaller jars and move to the refrigerator, where it will last for up to a year.
Juicing your own apples will allow you to use local varieties and create a blend to your liking, but feel free to use a good-quality store-bought unfiltered apple cider; farm stands often sell fresh-pressed cider in season. Because the juice is naturally sweet, you won’t need to add sugar to this recipe. You will need a scale for this recipe to weigh out the proper amount of the ingredients.
The recipe is from “The Noma Guide to Fermentation” by René Redzepi and David Zilber (Artisan Books).
Pour the apple juice into the fermentation vessel. “Backslop” by stirring in the unpasteurized kombucha. Wearing gloves, carefully place the SCOBY into the liquid. Cover the top of the fermentation vessel with cheesecloth or a breathable kitchen towel and secure it with a rubber band. Label the kombucha and set it in a warm place.
Leave the kombucha to ferment, tracking its progress each day.
Make sure the top of the SCOBY doesn’t dry out; use a ladle to moisten it with some of the liquid, if necessary. Once you’re happy with the flavor of your kombucha — probably between seven and 10 days from the start — transfer the SCOBY to a container for storage and strain the kombucha. Consume immediately or refrigerate, freeze or bottle it.
Notes: SCOBY and kombucha kits are available at Northern Brewer, 1306 S. 108th St., West Allis.
Backslopping is a vital technique in prepping microbial environments for fermentation and will come up numerous times in this book, especially in the production of kombucha and vinegar. The idea is basically to give the substance you intend to ferment a boost of beneficial microbes by adding a dose from a previous batch of that same ferment.
This recipe for traditional kimchi is excerpted from “Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book” by Meredith Corp. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).
Remove any wilted outer leaves from cabbage. Core and chop cabbage into 2-inch pieces. Measure 12 cups cabbage pieces.
Toss cabbage with the kosher salt; place in a large colander set over a bowl. Let stand 2 to 3 hours or until wilted.
In a large, clean bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
Rinse cabbage; drain well. Add cabbage to daikon mixture; toss to combine. Let stand 10 minutes.
Transfer cabbage mixture to a large ceramic crock, glass container or plastic food container. Using a clean, heavy plate that fits just inside the container, press plate down on cabbage mixture. Let stand at room temperature 2 to 24 hours (5 to 24 hours if fermenting in the refrigerator), tossing cabbage and pressing plate down on cabbage every hour or until enough liquid is released to cover cabbage by at least 1 inch.
(If the cabbage does not release enough liquid, you will need to add additional brine to the cabbage. Make a brine by combining water and kosher salt in a ratio of 1 cup water to 1 teaspoon kosher salt; add just enough of this brine to cover the cabbage.)
Place a large resealable plastic bag filled with 1 quart water plus 4 teaspoons kosher salt over the plate to weight it down. Cover container with a clean dishcloth.
To ferment at room temperature, set container in a cool place out of direct sunlight; let stand 2 to 3 days. To ferment in the refrigerator, chill 3 to 6 days. The kimchi is ready when it is bubbling. Transfer kimchi to jars or airtight containers; seal and label. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
Note: Gochugaru is a Korean chili powder and traditional ingredient in authentic kimchi. It is available in mild or hot varieties. Look for it in Asian or specialty food stores and online. Store the opened bag in the freezer.
Making condiments can be easier than you’d think. This recipe comes from “Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book,” 17th edition.
In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, yellow and brown mustard seeds and salt. Cover and let stand at room temperature 24 hours (the seeds will absorb some of the liquid). Place mustard seed mixture, honey, garlic and whey in a food processor. Cover and process 1 to 2 minutes until a thick, chunky paste forms.
Spoon into a clean 2-cup crock; cover tightly. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours. Refrigerate 3 days to blend flavors before serving. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 months.
Notes: Salt for fermentation needs to be free of additives such as potassium, iodine and anti-caking agents, which could impede the fermentation process.
For liquid whey, place 6 ounces (¾ cup) plain yogurt (do not use Greek yogurt or yogurt that contains gelatin) in a fine-mesh sieve lined with 100%-cotton cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Place the sieve over a small bowl. Cover and chill 24 hours. The liquid that collects in the bowl is whey. Save the yogurt to serve as a dip or with desserts. (Or, purchase liquid whey from a health food store.)
Marie Viljoen is particularly fond of fermented beverages and cordials. Because cranberries ferment slowly, she adds apples to speed things up. She writes in “Forage, Harvest, Feast:” “This ferment has a strong spicebush presence and blends beautifully with applejack, bourbon, whiskey, dark rum and tequila. It also has an affinity for apple cider.”
Place the cranberries and apple in a clean jar. Add sugar and spicebush, and top with the water. Stir well. Cover the jar’s mouth with cheesecloth and stir daily. Small bubbles rising after a day or two are a sign of fermentation. After the bubbles have been active for 5 days, strain the fruit from the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and again through double cheesecloth. Bottle the strained liquid and keep it in the refrigerator until needed.
Note: The botanical name for spicebush is Lindera benzoin, and people can look for shrubs at nurseries to grow their own. Integration Acres also sells excellent spicebush online, as Appalachian Allspice. As a substitute, you could combine a teaspoon of orange peel with a little freshly ground black pepper and a few grains of paradise (available at The Spice House).
Jonathan Sawyer’s interest in making his own vinegar started after trying an expensive bottle of not-so-great vinegar. He explores different kinds of vinegar and cooking with it in his new book, “House of Vinegar: The Power of Sour with Recipes” (Ten Speed Press, $30). For this recipe, he suggests going with the best wine you can afford.
Wash the glass container in hot, soapy water, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Pour the wine into the container. Cover the container’s opening with cheesecloth, securing it with a rubber band to keep out debris.
Let the container sit in a cool, dry and dark place for 2 weeks. Then give the wine a taste; if it’s sharp, tangy and sour (like other vinegars you’ve had), it’s now vinegar. (It’s perfectly OK to taste; no pathogens can survive in either the alcohol or the vinegar.)
Note: If you prefer, you can also judge the progress of your vinegar by using pH strips. Sawyer aims for a reading of 4 or below on the pH scale.
Variation: You can actually make any type of white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar, or rice vinegar with this method by starting with the appropriate wine, champagne, sherry, or sake.