FIeRY FeRmentS PART 1 GettiNg StaRted GettiNg StaRted LL OF THE RECIPES IN THIS BOOK ARE FERMENTED. But what is fermentation exactly? Just a few years ago it was a dirty word, as in scary and weird. A Chocolatiers and cheesemakers (who create some of sexiest fermented foods) did not talk openly about how the flavor and texture that made their products delicious was a direct result of the action of bacteria. Yikes! But that is so yesterday. In the last few years, working with bacteria to produce deli- cious fermented foods has become cool, something to be proud of. The Flavor Makers In fermentation, most of the taste comes from the action of these microbes who act Fermentation is defined as the chemical like billions of little chefs layering on flavor. breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts, These lactic acid bacteria (LAB) comprise or other microorganisms, often resulting a whole assortment of different species in effervescence and a giving off of heat. In that occur naturally in the environment. So lactic acid vegetable fermentation, it is the whether you buy vegetables from the store or members of the lactic acid family of bacteria harvest them from your garden, they come to that transform the (often) low-acid vegetables you fully inoculated with the bacteria needed into high-acid vegetables — a.k.a. pickled to get things started. You just provide the vegetables — by consuming the carbohydrates environment (which we’ll get into later). and converting them to acid. Like the before- We are learning so much about the and-after shots of a makeover, there are some microorganisms that flavor our food and keep significant, almost magical changes that us healthy, but right now, broadly speaking, make these veggies into a long-lasting “super- we know that four key species of LAB organ- food.” Why “super”? (After all, “superfood” isms are present in vegetable fermentations: is an extremely overused word usually used Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus brevis, to describe the next trendy green or berry.) Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Lactobacillus plan- Super, in short, because these veggies, after tarum. Several more species of LAB have fermenting, have more vitamins that are more been found in cabbage-based fermentations. bioavailable because the carbs have been pre- Each of these groups have their own specific digested by probiotic bacteria. But if that isn’t niches and reactions and, we are finding out, enough — and it isn’t, really — they just taste flavors. You will hear most about L. plantarum, mighty good. as it produces high acidity in all vegetable 4 FIERY FERMENTS ferments. But honestly, you don’t need to condiments but ingredients in interesting know or remember any of these guys’ names meals. One of the things that we have enjoyed to make great spicy ferments. You just need most since our book Fermented Vegetables came to know how to manage their homeplace, and out has been meeting both home cooks and they will do the rest. chefs who are bringing these ferments to their People come to fermentation for a num- dinner tables and menus in intriguing ways. ber of reasons. For some it is for the age-old We invite you to enjoy all of the advan- reason of preserving the harvest into the cold, tages of fermentation, from flavor to health lean months. The acidification (or pickling, to preservation. And remember that buying if you will) of vegetables—including peppers, chiles from your local farmers means you are the star of many of the recipes in this book— supporting local foodsheds too, and playing can hold off the forces of decay for months a small part in taking back your region’s food and sometimes years. But many more people security. come to fermentation for the health benefits (or to freak out their parents by eating foods with funk). And this is also a really good rea- You Got This! son to make and eat fermented condiments Don’t be daunted by fermentation. The worst — but ultimately it is flavor that will keep you that can happen is that you have a failed coming back for more. batch — really, that is the worst. You won’t So here we are at the core of why we kill your family (cliché alert), but if we had a ferment: flavor. It has to be flavor because, nickel for every time somebody comes to us ultimately, if you don’t like these ferments and says, “I want to do this, but I am afraid you won’t eat them, and then it really doesn’t I will kill my family,” we would be quite matter how long they last, or how digestible wealthy. After all, for a society that has grown and full of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics up with germ theory and refrigeration, there they are. We hope to introduce you to some is nothing intuitive about sticking something flavors that we find fantastic while encourag- on your counter for a few days or weeks, pos- ing you to invent your own. sibly growing a layer of yeast or mold on top It is an exciting time right now as we that you will remove before digging your fork reinvent our fermentation foodways. Chefs in, and then putting it in your mouth. and home cooks are experimenting with Fermentation advocate and USDA micro- using microbes for flavors in ways previously biologist Fred Breidt is often quoted as saying unimaginable. Many feel we are just scratch- that, as far as he knows, nobody has died ing the surface of possibility. And this possi- from eating properly fermented vegetables — bility lies not only in the fermenting itself but the operative word being properly, because this also in how we use these foods as not only is where things can go south. The good news 6 FIERY FERMENTS is that if they do, you will know. We like to put that in your mouth. And if you do put it in remind people that our species is still around your mouth and it feels and tastes wrong, it after thousands of years because we have five probably is: spit it out. very capable senses. Okay, so you may not Now that you have the worst-case sce- hear it go bad, but you will smell it. Your nose nario out of the way, don’t be afraid to fail. will be the first to tell you this thing you have Take the risk! Enjoy the process, even if it created is no good. The smell is not strange or means you may sometimes feed your com- pickle-y pungent, but bad — like something post pile instead of your family. What we are rotting, which is essentially what is happen- trying to say is, if you have an unsuccessful ing at that point. Your eyes will see things batch, don’t beat yourself up about it. Even that are off-color or otherwise unappealing. a failed batch is a wonderful opportunity (The caveat is that sometimes the top layer, to learn a little more about the process. We the part that was exposed to oxygen, might know, we hated to hear that when we were look off-color — but you will remove that kids, and we still do. If it makes you feel any layer and find wonderful flavors underneath better, we couldn’t write these books without where the ferment is far too acidic for patho- plenty of yuck to keep us learning so that we gens to live.) It may feel soft or slimy. Your can help you avoid those moments. survival brain will kick in and tell you, do not “"With fermented products there is no safety concern. I can flat-out say that. The reason is the lactic acid bacteria that carry out the fermentation are the world’s best killers of other bacteria.” FIERY FERMENTS 7 CH 1 tOOLS AND tIPS (Veggies + Salt) (in a Vessel) + Time = Yum Fermentation is that humble. We humans have been processing our vegetables this way for more than a few years — so long that in the beginning the only vessel we may have had was a clay pot or an animal skin pouch. In this chap- ter we will touch on the many ways to house and care for your ferment. We’ll also go over the key elements of lacto-fermentation — salt and unchlorinated water, brine and time — and how each affects our friends the in the lacto-ba- cillus family. With a few management strategies, you’ll find it an easy process, and your hot ferments will turn out delicious. The Perfect Vessel that with the wide range of possibilities avail- able, you will surely find a fermentation vessel In the last few years, folks have come up with that works for you — your environment, your ingenious ways to manage the process of fer- lifestyle, and your style of cooking. mentation, not to mention stunning pieces of Remember that you want to keep every- functional art. So what you need is more of a thing under the brine, which keeps the question of what will make this process enjoy- process anaerobic. While there are a lot of able and successful for you. For some, that ways to do this, it is really very simple. (This means having a crock that is a piece of art grac- process was perfected a long time before we ing their counter; for others it means a hermet- could peer through a lens at the workings of ically sealed jar that discourages alien invaders microbes, before we even had glass.) Must in the form of yeasts or molds.