taste test

Fermented vegetable sauerkraut, take two: four week taste test

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Well, today is the day!

It’s now been 4 weeks since I put up my second attempt at these. If you missed the earlier posts, you can click here, or read about our 2 week taste test here (likes will open new tabs).

Since the recipe I got from my friend said 2 – 4 weeks fermentation, I wanted to see what difference the extra time made.

I continued to monitor the jar over time, and did end up adding some water once, as the brine evaporated enough that the top was no longer covered. Both jars had been topped up in the previous two weeks. In keeping with the changed made after our first, failed, attempt I only used either water that had been previously boiled, or bottled water, just to be on the safe side in regards to our well water.

As you can see in this picture, the brine was no longer quite covering the cabbage leaf, even after being topped up. The leaf itself had floated out of position, though, so I wasn’t too concerned. The main thing is that there is NO sign of mold!

Here, with the cabbage leaf removed, you can see that the vegetables were still covered with brine.

Once again, no sign of mold! Yay!

Then came time for the taste test! After digging some out (and I do mean dig! The contents were very tightly packed. :-D ), I put a regular lid on the jar and refrigerated the rest, which will stop the fermentation.

So… how did it taste?

To be honest, I’m not sure I can tell what difference the extra two weeks made! It still had a nice crunchy texture, and didn’t seem to be any more sour. If I really had to come up with something different, I would say that perhaps the flavours were a little more blended, but even that would be a stretch.

I am also still getting that hint of after taste from one of the ingredients that I don’t really like. I wonder if it’s the ginger? Or maybe the parsley? Definitely not the garlic. Hmm.

I definitely will be doing this again, though I think I will modify the recipe and simplify it. Maybe keep the carrot and garlic, but drop the ginger and parsley, and see what difference that makes.

Altogether, this batch was definitely a success.

The Re-Farmer

Fermented vegetables, take two: two week fermentation taste test

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Today, we got out one of my jars of probiotic fermented vegetable sauerkraut for a taste test!

Before I get into that, though, if you haven’t seen my earlier posts, you may want to visit the links below, first (they will open in new tabs, so you won’t lose this post!).

Take One (includes recipe)
The Failure
Take Two

The recipe I got from my friend said to leave it to ferment for 2-4 weeks. It’s 2 weeks today, so we’re trying the one jar, and will leave the other to ferment for another 2 weeks.

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Crabapple Cider Vinegar, part 3 – the finished product

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Part 1
Part 2

The cider vinegar I made using our crabapples was due to be ready somewhere between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, or to taste.

I checked the flavour somewhere in between then, before moving it to the fridge. Here is what it looks like.

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Taste Testing Tea

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20190124.advent.tea.cups

One thing about the cold temperatures we’ve been having; we’re drinking a lot more tea!

While there are a few favourites we try to keep on hand all the time, the girls and I also love to try new teas. Sometimes, though, the price tag that comes with some of the ones we’d like to try … well, I just can’t justify spending that kind of money on some dried leaves, ya know?

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Something new

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Well, something new to us, anyhow!

One of our errands yesterday was at the international grocery store in the city.  Right at the doorway, their new seasonal fruit or vegetable display table had jackfruit.

We have never tried jackfruit before.

My husband picked up Amazon Prime, since we have all of 2 channels on our Farmer Vision, and they both kinda suck, so he could watch movies or TV.  I tried going through their movies and found next to nothing that interested me, so I went looking through the TV shows and found A Taste of History.  I’ve made it to season four, and have really been enjoying it.  I also happened to watch an episode recently that included jackfruit.

So we decided to buy some.

Not a whole one – those things are massive!  But they did have some in pre-cut chunks.

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After a busy morning that included a dump run and finally moving the rest of the pile of trees from beside the driveway gate, we decided to give the jackfruit a try with lunch.

Thinking of what I saw on the show, I got the pieces cleaned out.

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There is a lot for the compost out of that one wedge!

As a taste test, all we did was give it a try, as is.

I admit to come trepidation, as I’ve read of it as being similar to durian.  My older daughter and I tried a durian drink once, long ago, and were pretty horrified.  More by the fleshy texture than the flavour, which we were no fan of, all on its own!

This, however, has a very light pineapple flavour.  No acidity to it, really.  The texture is much denser; almost rubbery. It was the texture that put off my younger daughter.  My older daughter likes it, while my husband flat out refused to try it! :-D

Only after did I look up what to do with jackfruit, and read that I apparently should have worn gloves, or oiled the jackfruit, the cutting knife and cutting surface, because of its sticky sap that’s hard to clean up.

I had no problem cleaning up.

I also read that it makes a good meat substitute.  Particularly as a pulled “pork.”  With the texture of it, I can almost see how that would work.

Nah.  Who am I kidding?  The texture isn’t at all like meat, and it just tastes like pineapple without the acidity.  Maybe that changes with cooking, but I am doubtful.

With this small wedge, we didn’t bother doing anything to it, and my older daughter and I shared it, raw.

From what I’ve read, the seeds can be boiled like potatoes, for about half and hour, and eaten.  There wasn’t enough in the wedge we got to bother trying that.

Final call: 2:2 for and against.  So while we might get a small wedge again some day, we’ll probably never pick up a whole jackfruit.

I’m glad we tried it, though. :-)

The Re-Farmer