Spicy Korean Pickle!

Sandor Ellix Katz style.



I have a summer farmshare with Riverland Farm in Sunderland, MA, and over the course of a few weeks, I've acquired quite the stash of cabbage. Two honking napas, one that I made just a regular sauerkraut from and the other, along with two purple cabbage heads, KIMCHI! I turned to our dear friend who wrote Wild Fermentation for help.


I made a brine of salt water for the chopped cabbage and diced carrots and a daikon radish to soak in overnight. I then chopped up onions and garlic, one Hot Wax pepper and one Jalapeno pepper, cayenne powder, and grated ginger. Pouring off the brine, I mixed the vegetables and spice melody. Packed into sterilized jars, using the brine to help raise the water level. Fermentation will take about 1 week. According to the Korean Food Research Institute, the average Korean eats about a quarter pound of kimchi every day. I don't imagine I'll be consuming it that readily, so hopefully it'll last for about half a year or more. Kudos for food preservation.

How To Make Raspberry Jam

It was my Sunday harvest at the garden, and I was:
less than a farmer,
more than a passer-by,
...
mingling amongst vibrant, red berries, gathering in glass, avoiding the sting.

Ethically self-harvest local & organic berries, leaving some for others. Take of which that is right, with thankfulness and gratitude for the Earth, as she so willingly shares her bounty. If it is cold, wear a coat, if it is too sunny, wear a hat.

Gather twice as much in berry form that you would like to make, as the mass of the berries divides in half when they're mashed. 1 quart = 4 cups; gather 8 cups of berries if you'd like to make 1 quart of jam.

Keep fresh.

Mash the berries, and warm the same amount of granulated sugar in the oven at 250 degrees fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.

Boil hard the mashed berries for 1 minute, mix in sugar, and return to a full boil. Stir until gel - 5+ minutes without added pectin.

Smile when you eat or prepare. The homecraft warms your heart.