fun with fermentation - or - it's not purple drank

Whenever I say fun with flags fermentation it makes me giggle. If you watch Big Bang Theory you know what I'm talking about. If you don't....well, then I guess you're not a nerd. Quick post today! I'm trying to start thinking of different formats to post in. Along with all my ramble-y, personal, trying to make connections to larger issues posts, and in accordance with my desire to post more frequently, I'll try to some shorter posts. Today's is the start of a 2, 3, 4??? week (depending on how long the fermentation takes) documentation of my sauerkraut adventure.

Two days ago, while simmering chicken broth for 9 hours (part of an upcoming post), I also thinly sliced about 3/4 of a purple cabbage. Hacking it in half was half the battle.

Once it was all sliced into a bowl I tossed it with 1-1.5 tbsps of coarse sea salt.

Then I alternately massaged it (with my hands, a good forearm workout I must say) and pounded it (with a wooden dowel-shaped rolling pin I use for such sadism) every once in awhile for the next few hours. I let it sit overnight, and in the morning packed it (tightly) into a jar and topped it with the liquid that had formed. Setting aside one whole leaf, to use as a "lid" to push everything under the brine is such a great idea!

I'll check on it everyday to make sure it's still submerged (I've talked about why before here).

Last night it looked like "purple drank" - a sugar/colouring/flavour concoction our cooks used to make once in awhile.

catching up, part three - hallowe'en

We carved pumpkins. And made pumpkin soup - following a recipe from Heidi at 101cookbooks - with brown rice, toasted pumpkin seeds, parsley and scalliions. We used the "decorative" pumpkin from Thanksgiving. And we ate it with roasted kale and beet salad, based on Sarah B's recipe at My New Roots (Have I mentioned that I adore her site, her life, and look up to her a LOT, as another Sarah B from Ontario who dreams about someday being a cook and doing a holistic nutrition degree?)

S. had never carved a pumpkin before (!), but I think he did a great job.

It was my first time carving in a couple years, and for the last decade I have mostly carved OM symbols. Not faces. Don't ask.

The soup was delicious, we ate it all week for lunches and felt so nourished. It was bright, the colour sunny and uplifting, the texture rich and fulfilling, leaving us satisfied and full, yet knowing we'd put great, healthy food in our bellies.

And I got my lover on the roasted kale chip train. Meaning that last week he made me dinner (while I read my book - lucky girl!). It was roasted kale and potatoes, with spicy Italian sausage and romesco sauce. Did I mention I'm lucky?

pretty lights and a pound of pits, or skrillex and sour cherries

Sour Cherries!!! First time I've ever managed to get them before the season is gone!!! First time I've even really seen them in Toronto (obviously I have fairly poor eyesight). For my trial run, I bought one pound today (for 4.99) at my local veg store, literally downstairs from my apartment. I'm going to try to look around for them a bit more, as I feel that may be a bit expensive. My work schedule is pretty packed for the next week, and they only last for two weeks, so that may or may not happen. Having read, as usual, a fair bit online about sour cherries, pitting sour cherries, sour cherry recipes, etc I decided to use the chopstick method: remove the stem, push the chopstick (thinner end) through the stem end, popping the pit out the bottom. Reading about pitting cherries (especially the softer sour cherries) had filled me with dread, and impatience, and reluctance. However, it was super quick and easy!


I put on some Pretty Lights since I'm going to see him and Skrillex next weekend at Fort York in Toronto. I saw Pretty Lights open for Nero last summer and it was...unexpectedly amazing! I've never REALLY been into hip hop before (don't get me wrong, I do like old school tribe called quest, and the roots, and probably anything else along those lines, and I'm not saying that PL is hip hop by any means) but this was like some great mash-up of hip hop, rock, dub, electro, trance, psy, etc etc, that really got me dancing. So....I put on some Pretty Lights (new track for me, not my favourite, gotta say I'm partial to High School Art Class, Hot Like Sauce, and I know the Truth. ) I suppose I do sometimes question their use/mash up of other tracks, but I find it quite danceable. And great for cherry pitting. Which took all of 4 minutes 39 seconds apparently.

Now what to do with the cherries? I only pitted them because there is apparently a one-minute expiry date on their freshness, and even leaving them in the fridge overnight can result in armageddon. So now I guess I'll freeze them - even though I have imminent plans for jam, infused bourbon, maybe a pie a cake a crisp a clafouti, Sour cherry soup? and perhaps some sort of quinoa or wheatberry salad or pickles??? Lots of plans for sour cherries (and despite my preconceptions, they're pretty tasty for just eating), so I'll keep squirreling them away for now. Also, there are apparently a bunch of things to do with cherry pits, so i'm keeping those too. Nevermind, I threw them in a mini mason jar with some vodka. And I cracked a few open and ate the noyeaux inside...crossing my fingers i don't die of cyanide poisoning.

No good pics! I pitted them too quickly. Maybe next time :)

Also: as part of this being my own keeping-track-journal, I want to write some potential unusual flavour combinations to try, inspired by my re-re-reading of ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS EVER - The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit. More about this book in an upcoming post. For now (note to self): sweet corn!

annual sicky soup post

So I guess it's that time again (as least it isn't the ONLY post this year). Yes, I am sick. My throat is sore and scratchy, I'm coughing, exhausted, and actually considering calling into work sick (decided against that since I'd lose out on money AND actually have to pay to bring in a doctor's note). I can make it through, I just need sleep, water, vitamins, and SOUP.

Tonight was a redux of two years ago - chickpea (noodle) soup. I was planning on making a chickpea, chipotle and kale soup, but something about the basic, salty, comforting "chicken noodle" style appealed to me. Especially after a day filled with work, studying (oh you want me to learn all the italian wine appelations in one week?), and errands. And its delicious, and simple. And I cooked extra chickpeas so I can roast those tomorrow, or perhaps use tonight's leftovers with a bit more broth, chickpeas, chipotle and kale. Lately, these somewhat basic formats have been appealing to me. I get bored when I cook a big batch of a certain bean or grain salad/soup that is enough to last for several days. Since I've really started focusing on eating MORE of (/mainly) these whole foods, and I will cook up a big batch of beans/grains whichever day I have off, I tend to keep them plain. Then I can use them in different variations throughout the week. Last week it was black beans, the week before was red kidney beans, the week before that chickpeas. And since its only me, I really only make enough for 3-4 servings. And there's usually a batch of quinoa kicking around too.

A friend of a friend was talking to me last week, asking for advice about his recent attempt at vegetarianism. This was one of my key pieces of advice - cooking a batch of something yourself when you have time, but keeping it relatively unseasoned so you have more room to play with it later. My #1 piece of advice for him was not to stress too much about it. He had been feeling rather low energy, and I advised him to focus more on eating whole foods, a variety of them, than on stressing over getting a certain percentage or amount of specific nutrients. Now, some people might think this is bad advice, but I think as long as you eat a range of whole grains, beans/pulses, and vegetables and fruits, with some dairy/eggs thrown in there if you like, you really won't have to worry too too much about not getting enough protein, vitamin B, or whatever it is. Yes, I take supplements (vitamin B100, vitamin D, and vitamin C mainly), but I think one thing I have read and thought more about lately is JOY in food. Yes, I've always loved food, but sometimes, as I've said earlier, this obsession almost seems to be a chore, or an addiction ("oh dear, I HAVE to make sure to make the most of every single item of produce available this season"). And I know for SOME people who label themselves (as vegetarian or vegan, or whatever kind of food label you subscribe to) according to a particular diet, there is a feeling of it being a task, a deprivation. Whereas really, eating a plant-based diet can be much more diverse than a meat and potato-based one. Can be. I no longer label myself or my diet according to any particular 100% theme. Anyway, as usual I'm losing track of my focus here.
Point: Enjoy a VARIETY of foods. ENJOY a variety of foods. And I believe this will help you be healthier, and happier, than if you didn't. And when it doesn't keep you healthy - eat soup!


Chickpea (noodless) soup

One medium yellow onion, diced

Saute in olive oil over medium heat, 5-10 mins, until translucent
Season.

Add:

One (large) stalk of celery, finely chopped
Two large cloves garlic, minced
Two small carrots, chopped

Season and saute for 5-10 mins more.

Add:
Chopped hot pepper (I used a 3/4 of an anaheim)
Vegetable broth (homemade for me in this case) and some chickpea cooking liquid (I don't know, maybe around 1-2 cups)
One small bay leaf

Cook over med-high heat (@ a simmer) for 10-15 mins, until the vegetables are tender.
I then added about a cup of chickpeas with some more of their cooking liquid, and maybe a small head of baby bok choy. Simmered for another 5-10 mins until the bok choy was cooked through. Added a pinch of chili flakes and some thyme. And fresh parsley.