Monday, January 25, 2010

Read.Eat.Listen: Fermentation



Main Entry: 1fer·ment Pronunciation: \(ˌ)fər-ˈment\ Function: verb Date: 14th century
intransitive verb 1 : to undergo fermentation 2 : to be in a state of agitation or intense activity

An odd choice, I suppose, but there's nothing like what the breakdown and melding of parts can do in life. We're not talking compost, but ferment and I like that 2nd definition, perhaps because it echoes a lot of my process. And cooking or making food, always makes tangible the blessings that the messiness of life bring...in time. So.....when I've been home, I've been in a brewing and culturing mode. Not wine and beer rather than tea and cabbage. Yes, My producer gave me a spare kombucha culture so I've been brewing my own. Concurrantly, I realized how easy it was to make one of my favorite condiments: kimchi.
So! Homestyle cultures, brine and fermentation=healthy benefits of probiotics AND saved dough (and, bonus, lack of MSG). Yup, it's about chemical reactions this week. And it should be said that chopping heaps of cabbage, ginger and garlic lends itself exceedingly well to listening.
Read: Healing With Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford. A classic.
Eat: Cabbage Kimchi
Listen: Samantha Crain. Found her via Daytrotter and love what she's up to

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