Lacto-fermented patty pan squash with oregano and thyme.
This flavour combination turned out really well! Summer squash and oregano is a good combo. Adding one bird chili in the ferment was a good amount, adding a subtle amount of heat. The garlic (clove and scape) is also subtle.
The texture is really pleasant, too: lightly crunchy.
After about 10 days or so, this ferment developed kahm yeast, so I poured off the surface growth and put the jar in the fridge. This was my first time fermenting summer squash, so I'm not sure whether this veggie is just prone to yeast, or this batch was unlucky, or what.
I decided to try making sauerkraut for the first time, because I had leftover cabbage and didn’t know what to do with it. I started with 1/8 head, thinking it would be a lot; but after packing it into a jar (right), I thought I’d try making even more, so processed another 1/4 head (left).
I read that I should use about 2% to 2.5% of the cabbage’s weight for my salt, and wrote my measurements/recipes on the jar. To weigh the veg down, I used ziploc bags partially filled with water.
Jar 1 (larger jar on left):
490 g cabbage
12 g salt
1/4 tsp dill seed
1/8 tsp celery seed
Jar 2 (smaller jar on right):
324 g cabbage
8 g salt
1/4 tsp carraway seed
Day 0:
I was surprised at how much water came out of the cabbage!
Day 1
It doesn’t look like much changed. I think some of the green leaves got greener--or it might just look greener by comparison as the majority of leaves got paler.
Day 2
Not much colour change, I think the cabbage got paler overall. But I did see the first signs of gas production!
It’s alive! I can tell because it’s farting!
Day 3
The cabbage started turning yellow. Gas production continued.
Day 5 (I forgot to document day 4)
The “green” leaves turned yellow, and overall the cabbage got paler. Gas production continued. I think this was the day where I started feeling bold enough to poke the floating leaves back down using a chopstick.
Day 6
Exciting! Not much difference since day 5; maybe slightly more gaseous. There was definitely a “cabbage fart” smell, but like, in a good way, I guess?
