Fermentation Friday!

Does anybody know what this thing is? Anyone? I'll give you a hint, it has something to do with the other things on the table...

Cultures for Health Booth at Ancestral Health Symposium

If you guessed fermentation crock you're right! You get a cookie! Ok you don't get a cookie, cookies are bad for you (unless you can find a low carb cookie). But you can have a pickle that has been made by our very own Dr. Moghissi in a crock just like this one. She bought her crock from the Cultures for Health (http://www.culturesforhealth.com/) booth at AHS this year.

Say cheese Dr. Moghissi!

Pickles and other fermented foods are actually pretty good for you, they help with digestion and they also help balance good bacteria in your gut. Dr. Moghissi made her first batch last week, and this afternoon she shared her recipe with me...

You will need:

Fermentation Crock (Dr. Moghissi uses a gallon sized crock)

A couple cloves of garlic, smashed (for me, the more the merrier, but its completely up to you)

Dill

2 bags of black tea-tea has tannin (part of the makeup of the leaves) in it which keeps your pickles crunchy!

Salt Water-you will need 3 tablespoons of salt per quart of water

Cucumbers

So, now that you have your ingredients together, throw your cucumbers, garlic, dill, tea bags into the crock. Fill the crock with the salted water (so your pickles don't get mold) up to about an inch above the cucumbers so they are submerged.

Bubbles at the top mean that your pickles are fermenting!

There are weights that come with the crocks that you will need to weigh the pickles down so they don't float to the top of the water. Cover with the lid and let it ferment, checking on it every once in a while. Five days or so later, your pickles will be ready! Happy Eating! *Crunch Crunch*

Be ready to fend off your family (or staff members) for these crunchy delights.