be mine.

"Torshi Left", or Lebanese pickled turnips, made a highly appropriate appearance on the eve of Valentine's day. This latest Culture Club offering is hot pink, crunchy and delicious. Made with love.

Extra! Extra!

At the beginning of January I sat down with writer Natasha Pickowicz to talk about lacto fermentation (and winter coping strategies!). Here's her article for the Montreal Gazette. That's not me in the photo, it's Leyla Majeri, home-fermenter extraordinaire.

choucroute garni

Fig. 1. After daylight fades, meat, potatoes and sauerkraut sustain on the longest nights of the year.

The eve of the shortest day of the year calls for slow-simmering pots. Butter. Onions and russet apples. Red cabbage sauerkraut, sour spiced beets, red wine, vegetable stock. Salt and pepper. In that order. Boiled special potatoes from Patrice at la société des plantes + more butter and dill. Spicy smoked sausage with mustard. You're ready for anything.

Holiday Puces Pop and a special announcement!

Elves have been working away in the 100%ferments kitchens... Come taste their new wintery creations! Sour spiced beets, zesty salt-cured lemons, winter kimchi, horseradish sauerkraut and all of the old standards are back for another round of Puces Pop!

And, an important announcement:

Introducing the "Culture Club" Pickle/Kraut Share!

Sign up to:

• Receive one jar (500mL) of lactofermented vegetables per month, from January to May – five different blends artisanally made from seasonal Québec vegetables, spices, and creativity. Pick-up in the Mile End, on the second Monday of the month. Starts January 9!
  
  
• Participate in a hands-on workshop where we will discuss different methods of vegetable fermentation while we make two different vegetable blends that you will take home with you. Date to be determined – in February or March.
  
  
• Support a young entrepreneur who looks forward to growing her business while working with local producers, seasonal produce, and traditional and multicultural methods.

This is a great deal for $45! There are only 40 spots, and it all starts January 9th!

To sign up, email haley[at]100ferments[dot]com

curtido 2

It's a bird! It's an egg! It's curtido!

Fig. 1. Curtido hangin' at its pal's. 

cold storage

Puces Pop is long gone, but fondly remembered. Bread-making has resumed full-force. Sour beets are on the horizon. Sauerkraut, mushroom and onion pierogis have been assembled. And since last posting, a second (huge!) batch of sour pickles matured and departed. Fall  Winter is in the air.

Documentation is forthcoming.*

*my camera has been gobbled up by Parc Jarry.

Pop Puces

With fall frostiness comes... Pop Montreal. If you're around next weekend, don't miss out - check out some shows, but also drop by Eglise St-Michel at 105 St-Viateur West for Puces Pop, the craft-sale extraordinaire. I'll be there hawking my goods, including sauerkraut, curtido, kimchi, and pickles, from 11am-6pm on Saturday and Sunday, September 24-25. Come to visit and try something tangy. I hear pickles-on-sticks are excellent sustenance for long, arduous musical journeys.