Welcome to Fermenting for Foodies! I’m Emillie, and this is my website dedicated to all things deliciously fermented.
Want to learn all about fermenting? Check out my award-winning cookbook Fermenting Made Simple. It’s a no-fuss primer on fermenting that covers everything from sauerkraut to sourdough!
A Passion for Fermenting
I came to the world of fermented foods through my family. Among the four of us, we were either allergic or intolerant to a huge list of foods. Everything from celery to sulfites, from shellfish to eggs, and a whole lot of other things in-between. We all suffered from a host of autoimmune conditions, eczema, and digestive sensitivities. We had trips to the pediatric allergist, the hospital, and pretty much every alternative practitioner available.
In the end, it was our Family Physician who suggested that we start eating fermented foods, even though we had tried a number of probiotic supplements without much success. My knowledge of fermented foods was limited to beer, wine, and yogurt, but I was willing to try anything.
In 2014, I made a resolution to feed my family something fermented at every meal.
After checking out every fermented food cookbook available in our library and local bookstores, I quickly realized that there was a problem. It seemed like everyone was so focused on the health benefits of fermented foods that no one was really focused on offering a variety of delicious recipes! So I started this blog as a way to document my family’s fermentation adventure and to share some of our delicious fermentation-focused recipes.
Just a few short years later, fermentation made a huge resurgence with many people offering delicious recipes and fermented products. My family was also doing so much better with our digestive issues. Most of our food intolerances were gone, and my kids weren’t even reacting to all of their diagnosed allergies! (Perhaps growing up played a part, but I can’t help thinking that our fermentation-friendly diet helped!)
I’m still gluten-free, so many of my recipes are gluten-free; however, the wheat eaters around here do make a mighty fine sourdough.
About Emillie
I am a full-time writer with two busy kids and a love of cooking. Here are a few fun facts about me:
- I’ve got a Master’s in Neuroscience. And I love science.
- I worked in healthcare for a number of years, including a few years as a healthcare planner.
- We lived in Ireland when my son was a toddler.
- I love to write fiction, garden, and cycle around town with my kids.
- No AI-written content here! All my recipes were written by me and tested multiple times to ensure that they are as perfect as possible.
Want to know more about my interests? Check my Pacific Northwest lifestyle blog, Berries & Barnacles.
Favorite Ferments
I usually have at least 7 or 8 different ferments going, here are a few of my favorite ferments. You will always find them somewhere in my house, though not always in the kitchen because I like to tuck ferments into closets.
hi Emillie!
I’m new to Canada, (just moved to Boton-Est, in QC, near Sutton & Magog,) and slightly experienced with fermenting. I’ve made great Kimchi, at home in florida, and yogurt in past years. I’ll try your vegie kimchi eventually but must say use the fish sauce is easy ~ safe ~ long as you see it fermenting ~ and adds a depth of flavour. (Don’t know where to buy it around here yet!) My recipe also calls for a bit of cooked sweet rice flour (cook in a pan with a little water + a teas. of sugar) too .. otherwise similar. And I ferment it at least 5 days ~ even in florida. About your yogurt recipe ~ very simple and thanks for explaining the “why” of heating the milk. I do not yet know what “denatured milk proteins” are but trust it’s an important step. Any Non-dairy milk ideas? (no dairy for me these days ~ or very little) I’m not into almond milk and cannot touch soy ~ coconut would be good I think but the only kind that is unadulterated that I know of is canned. Thanks for your input. Great info ~ clearly stated too! cheers ~ Josie
I have a bunch of non-dairy yogurt and other vegan recipes (like sour cream, cheese, etc). Here’s a link to some of my vegan recipes: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/archives/1142 Thanks for the advice about the fish sauce. Brad has a shellfish allergy, so we tend to steer clear of those sorts of things, however it probably would add the depth of flavour. I just need to try making some DIY fish sauce. 🙂 Traditional kimchi is fermented with dried prawns. If you wanted to add fish sauce I would stir it in after fermenting.
I was in Magog a few years ago for holiday. It’s very beautiful around there. Cheers
Hi Emilie, sorry to bother you but you brought back hope to my life. I’ve tried alot of thing’s but they don’t seem to work out for me. I’d like to start my own business one day. I just want to ask if I can add preservatives to the yogurt preparations for commercial purposes. Am a novice at yogurt making. I can’t look on without trying. A man’s got to do something positive for his family. Please, could you teach me how and when to add the preservatives. Thanks
Hi Michael, I’m not sure about adding preservatives to yogurt. I don’t think that commercial yogurt has preservatives (other than sugar in the sweetened yogurt). The bacterial culture will die with the addition of traditional preservatives (sulfites, etc.) It sounds like you want to make and sell yogurt? I recommend looking at your local food production guidelines. I’m not sure what those look like in other countries, but I know there are rules around taking a food safety course, and how to set up your kitchen, etc. Cheers!
Fermenting is preservation! That’s how our ancestors kept their food without refrigeration.
Yes!
Fish sauce is is used in many Asian dishes and is considered to be the umami in many dishes. I suggest you try any vendor that sels asian spices and their other sauces such as soy sauce and sesame oil and fish sauces.If you are unable to find that iten just use anchovies, chopped or paste. That is what comprises most “fish sauces”.
Cheers
Philip litrel
USA
Thank you for what you do! I sure wish you would index your site. I love your recipes. I do find it hard to find them however. I feel like I may be missing a lot of what is there simply because I can’t find it.
Thanks! I’m not sure what you mean by index? I have all the recipes linked to categories by type of dish (main dishes, treats, breakfast, etc.) and type of fermentation (GF sourdough, beverages, etc.). They’re found in the header and organized into sections). I could probably make a single list of all the recipes. But they wouldn’t necessarily all be gluten-free, vegan, etc. Would love to know more, because I definitely want to present the recipes in a way that makes it easy to find them. 🙂
Cheers, Emillie
On my computer they don’t come up that way. There are headings such as baking which are not live links. If you get into that section, you may find a handful of recipes. However, I know from experience now that there are more recipes that don’t show up. For example, your gluten free barmbrack, and this gluten free sourdough recipe we are discussing are not in the gf section. I’ve had better luck googling fermentingfor foodies and putting in a recipe that I would like to make, and hoping you’ve already tried it out. I notice when I am thinking about making something, often I find you have done exactly what I was thinking of, and already tested it. Unlike almost every other recipes I use, I have not had to significantly change your recipes. ( I did change the gluten free flour mix to more whole grain flour in the amazing gf bread recipe and it worked great. I also soaked the fruit in English breakfast tea for the raisin bread, and add a different spices.) The problem with using Google to find your recipes, is that Google grabs other parts, and yours are not always the 1st to come up even with the fermenting for foodies in the search. I do try to use the search function on your website, which seems to be the only efficient way to find a particular recipe, but really doesn’t work for all of them. I wonder if you have to enter the exact name of the recipe as it appears on your site. An overall index that listed all the recipes with live links would be way more efficient. It would be fine to put them in categories…
Interesting… I definitely have the GF barmbrack in the general gf and the gf sourdough sections. The headings aren’t live, but there should be a green See More button that you can press to see the whole list of recipes (often several pages of recipes).
It definitely sounds like a glitch. Do you mind telling me what browser you’re using? It may be browser-specific. And I’ll chat with my web admin to get it fixed. I’m glad that you enjoy my recipes! Much thanks!
I am using chrome. Yes, I found the green button some time ago.
Thanks!
I’ve come across your website when googling for info on how to take proper care of my newly adopted milk kefir. Thanks very much for sharing your knowledge and experience! I’m keen on learning about fermented foods, so your website is a delight for me to peruse. Seems that you live on Vancouver Island? I am located in Vancouver in the GVRD.
Best wishes, vera
I am in Victoria. 🙂 Have fun with your milk kefir. we love ours.
Emily,
HELPPPP…. i’m worried… I was drinking my Gingerade Kombucha which i love and all of a sudden i felt the slimy texture and viscous consistency of the scoby, which i SWALLOWED… should i be worried about this..? i once heard of a guy who had swallowed an amoeba and somehow it went to his brain…!!!! do you know if the scoby will survive in my stomach..?
You will be fine. People eat scobys all the time. It’s just the same yeasts and bacteria that you get from drinking kombucha.
Hi Emily,
I made kombucha for the first time and within 5 min of drinking about 2 oz.. I had a strange reaction…I started feeling a gripping cold sensation first going down my arms then down my neck and upper back. Somewhat like chills. Not sure how long it lasted. It began to go away it would come back every now and then. I also had diarrhea but no vomiting. Within 3- 4 hours I felt fine. Do you have any idea what happened, My daughter drank the same amount and was fine. The scoby looked perfectly healthy with no signs of mold.
Hi Karen, Was it your first time drinking kombucha? Or at least non-processed kombucha? (The stuff in your grocery store is usually not an active culture.) Here’s a whole post on what can happen when you try a new ferment. I had a similar reaction to miso and water kefir. It should go away with time, as long as you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients. https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/archives/1425
Just getting into fermenting. I have made some really good pepper sauce and a really lousy (lol) batch of half sour pickles. Enjoying every minute of it. Thanks for the tips and recipes.
Great! Better luck next time with the pickles. Try using really farm fresh cucumbers.
Hi, Emillie!
I’m relatively new to the world of sourdough starters / natural yeast and I really enjoy your sourdough pancake recipe. I’ve made it several times and put sliced apple or pear and made them into turnovers and they’re really good.
I just have one question regarding the use of sourdough starter / natural yeast. I’ve been looking all over the Internet trying to find out how much natural yeast or sourdough starter I need per cup of flour. I know the generally accepted view is that you need about 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of instant yeast for about 4 to 5 cups of flour but to me it seems like trying to get a clear answer about the amount of natural yeast or sourdough starter for the same amount of flour seems to vary person to person.
Do you have any advice? I’m currently using a starter that I think Maybe slightly over 100% hydration. Its texture is kind of similar to a very thick pancake batter. You can pour it but it’s kind of solid and really sticks to stuff. It used to be about 100% hydration, but somewhere along the way I kind of messed up and it might be at more like 120% but I’m not really sure. Like I said, I’m new to this world and so I’m kind of just stumbling around right now.
Hi Vincent, Thanks for your feedback. It’s always nice to know if my recipes work out as well for other people as they do for me.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a good rule of thumb for a starter to flour ratio. It really depends on how long you ferment and how active your starter is. I generally start out with a small amount of really active starter, then leave my dough for a LONG ferment. I like the flavour of a longer ferment, as it is more sour and less yeasty. As you get use to baking with sourdough you’ll develop a feel for it. Things will be different in the winter versus the summer, and depending on the type of grains you use.
Your starter should be quite thin, especially as it ages, since the yeasts will be breaking down the grain. Pancake batter sounds about right. However, feel free to add a little extra flour if you think it’s too thin. Sourdough is definitely an art as well as a science! Cheers, Emillie
Thanks, Emillie!
Hi Emillie,
I have featured two of you amazing articles in my post about Gut Friendly Desserts. A friend of mine made the peanut butter and banana pudding and she and her family loved it!
Thanks! You’ve got some good recipes in that round up. The pomegranate mousse sounds amazing.
Hello Emily,
What happens to Sour Cream with extended fermentation other than it us obviously lactose free? Does pure Cream fermented ever be ome a thickened Curd / cheese ? Without the milk proteins to curdle can pure Cream be one a sliceable cheese or is Mascarpone as stiff ss it gets (cream mixed with lemon).
Thanks very much
Brian
Straight curded cream will thicken to something like marscapone (but more sour). It will never turn to a slicing cheese. You can use rennet to make cream cheese. https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/archives/2252 Or shake up the cream to make cultured butter: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/archives/1868
Happy Fermenting!
Greetings from Hawaii, Emily! I was wondering if there is a way to contact you, as I am curious as to your opinion of a vegetarian/vegan diet and adequate nutrition in the adolescent stage. I am 16, and I believe that the fermenting methods that you advocate are very helpful in unlocking the potential of various foods, but was simply curious if you may be able to provide more insight as to what one can do if he/she is on a vegetarian vegan diet and what types of vegetable ferments are best for obtaining the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
Fermenting certainly makes food more digestible. I soak and ferment all my grains, sprout all my beans and lentils. Fermenting soy (into tempeh) really increases the nutrition. Eating lots of green vegetables will help with calcium, etc. if you are vegan. I think variety is key to a healthy diet, vegetarian, vegan or otherwise!
Hi Emillie,
I’ve been using your sauerkraut recipe for 2 years now. I try to get fresh organic, crisp cabbage and I always add a little liquid from the last batch to the new batch. Over time I have found it has gotten less and less tangy. It also stays pretty crispy. Not at all like store bought ferments. Is this a good thing? I really like it.
Store bought sauerkraut is usually made with vinegar, so it’s fairly different. You don’t need to recycle your brine from one jar to the next, as the cabbage provides its own culture that develops through various stages as it acidifies. Using a starter culture probably alters that process, but if it works for you, then that’s fine!
Any idea who makes sour dough buckwheat pancakes in the Carolinas ?
Sorry, no… but here’s a recipe if you want to try it yourself! https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/archives/2822
I’d like to have a go at making tempeh starter following your instructions. Do I have to use soybean tempeh to make the starter or can I use any? I’m currently making a batch of haricot bean tempeh as the local store didn’t have soybeans.
It should be fine to make culture from any kind of tempeh. You just need to let it spore! It’s the spores that will culture your next batch. Good luck!
Thank you! I have made two batches of tempeh from the haricot beans (Navy beans in US I believe) and it’s fine. I’m trying to keep one of them going to spore to harvest the starter, but it’s been going for nearly four days and only has one or two tiny spots of black on. Is something stopping it from continuing to culture?
Hum… I’ve never tried to culture with something other than soy beans, so maybe that’s it. You could try leaving it for another few days. Or just eat that batch and try with soy later. I order a lot of specialty food online. I have a good recommendation if you are in Canada. Otherwise you could try buying soy beans from amazon.
Hi Emillie,
I have Rickettsia (a tick-borne disease similar to Lyme disease). I started taking kefir milk on Thursday 6 June but noticed the symptoms of this illness I have started returning from 10 June. I have stopped taking the kefir milk from this morning, 12 June meaning I had it only for 6 days.
You aren’t supposed to have any raw animal products whilst being treated for Rickettsia, which may be the problem. However the lady I bought the kefir milk from told me it had been made with pasteurised milk, not raw milk. I’m dismayed that all these symptoms have returned since I’ve been feeling generally a lot better of late compared to the last 8 months. Since being on double antibiotics for a week in every month since January 2019, my system must be craving probiotics, hence my wanting to try kefir milk. I’m terribly disappointed at what has transpired.
Can you help by perhaps having more knowledge about kefir milk and rickettsia and whether it’s suitable, whether symptoms that return are just temporary etc.?
I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you.
Kind regards,
Bridget Green
(South Africa)
Sorry, to hear about your illness. I’m not a doctor, so I don’t have any particular knowledge about how to manage probiotics with a particular disease. However, I have written a post on what happens when our body is introduced to a new set of probiotics: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/side-effects-fermented-foods/ Perhaps something in there will help?
Hi there
I’d like to get your opinion on home made yoghurt making
I recently made some home made yoghurt via a good quality yoghurt maker
Sadly it left me with an upset stomach
The only thing I may have done wrong was to add kefir milk aswell as cows milk along with the starter culture
There is some talk of cross contamination which I don t really understand would this have been the reason I didn’t tolerate it ??
Many thanks
Tim
I don’t think that yogurt and milk kefir combined would cause your stomach issues. They would just compete for the lactose. Was either of the cultures new to you? Sometimes new cultures can cause an upset stomach: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/side-effects-fermented-foods/
I’m in the middle of a pickle ferment. Closed
Glass jar. I’ve never fermented in a container
That I can see into. It’s getting cloudy, and I’m
Noticing stuff at the bottom of the jar, whitish
Film, didn’t know if that was normal? Please
Let me know.
That sounds normal, especially if it’s throughout the jar. Have a look at the fido jars half-way down this post: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/probiotic-pickles/
If it looks similar than you’re fine. Otherwise it could be kham yeast, which is also OK. https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/kahm-yeast-mold/
Hallo Emellie.
Ich bin fermentier süchtig, ich lebe alle deine veganen Rezepte da ich mich seid 28 Jahren vegan ernähre, danke für deine Rezepte.
Es wäre so toll wenn du deine Rezepte auch in Gramm angeben würdest, bitte bite!
Viele Grüße sendet,
Jesse-Gabriel aus Berlin
Love google translate for helping read your comment! I do most of my recipes in cups because that’s the standard in North America. Is there a particular recipe you would like in grams? I do have a scale, and could measure it the next time I make it. Cheers, Emillie
Oh wie toll, das wäre super, danke das du zurück geschrieben hast.
Ich melde mich.
Liebe Grüße,
Jesse-Gabriel
this blog has a lot of useful information that I would like to read, however i cannot figure out how to folllow it.
Thanks! I hadn’t realized that my follow buttons had disappeared! They’re back again.
We are doing fermented beets and wondering if there needs to be a lid on it at all?
Yes I am also making the fermented beets (your 5-way recipe) I am making the garlic one, and just wondering if the lid needs to be on while they ferment?
You don’t need a lid… but I like a loose lid on all my ferments to keep out fruit flies and other potential pests. 🙂 Enjoy!
Thankyou for the quick reply! So looking forward to trying these!
Hi Emillie, I am new to sourdough. I have been trying to make a sourdough starter from buckwheat flour. I get just a little bit of bubbling but not much. I have gotten the pink liquid that I pour off. I also have a white flour sourdough from a local shop and it is super bubbly. Am I expecting too much bubbling from the buckwheat?
Hello Emillie,
Can you please send to my email address the answer to this question?: How much B12 (in micrograms) does a 100 grams of chickpeas tempeh contain?
Very grateful for your prompt response,
Anne
Sorry, I don’t know if the B12 in tempeh is any different from the amount of B12 in cooked chickpeas.
One of the reasons I don’t have nutrition facts on my site is that fermentation does change things. However, none of the nutrition calculators is able to account for this change.
Cheers, Emillie
Hello!
I am new to tempeh world. I fell in love with thi snutty soft whitecake. I started to read about it from internet and found some uncomfortable information about rizopus oryzae. I would like to know your opinion about this.
“R. oryzae commonly causes a disease known as mucormycosis characterized by growing hyphae within and surrounding blood vessels.”
What do you think, is this true?
Best
Marie
For anyone with a compromised immune system, there is a risk of infection from all sorts of things. Raw (not steamed) tempeh may be a problem, as is mold-ripened cheese (brie) and other ferments, like miso, honey ferments etc.. If you’re worried about it, then just eat cooked tempeh. However, mucormycosis is rare in healthy people.
Cheers, Emillie
Hi, Emilie, thanks for your recipes and congrats for your nice website.
I received yesterday the yeast from Indonesia and Im starting today to experiment with chickpeas tempeh. You say that when it is ready, it needs to stop the fermentation like:
“Steam tempeh for 20 minutes to halt fermentation….”
Question: would be the same, to stop fermentation, if I put in the microwave for 30 seconds or 1 min?
thank you very much for your advise,
Martin
I haven’t microwaved tempeh, and I don’t know much about microwave cooking. Maybe try to simulate the steaming by putting in a covered container with a bit of water and steam it in the microwave that way.
I am in isolation, and i have some milk that is getting old. will it hurt my kefir grains to make kifer in that milk? It is just starting to taste a little off but still drinkable milk.
If the milk is so sour that i can’t drink it will it be ok to use on the kefir grains and how will it taste?
It depends on how old your milk is. I often use kefir to culture milk that might expire in a day or who. However, if it’s already starting to taste off, then I wouldn’t do it. Use it up for baking tonight instead. Take care and be well.
Hi!
Im looking over your gluten free sourdough bagel recipe and I want to try it out, however I am vegan. Is there any substitute for the eggs, or can I just leave them out?
Thank you!
I haven’t tried this without the egg. I’m concerned that it would be a bit crumbly. But if you’re willing to experiment, try using flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax and 1/4 cup of water) and add 2 tsp of xanthan gum. Good luck!
Hi Emilie, I’ve just added you to my short list of gurus. First, land YIKES your listed affiliate‘ ain’t got Koji-Kin. Any others! Also re allergies and gut biome maybe check out WFPB (google it) for my other “gurus” like Dr Neal Bonnard (practical) and Dr Michael Gregor (vets nutritional studies/research with gentle humor).. I think of myself as a plant strong foodie following a Whole Foods Plant Based life style. Best of luck to you …Bob
Thanks! I’m just someone with a science background and an interest in fermenting. 🙂 As for Koji-kin. Unfortunately, cultures for health doesn’t have it. You can find it on Amazon, and I have a universal link on this page: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/homemade-koji-rice/ I just checked and the product is still available in my country. However, Amazon has had some issues with supplies and shipping overseas. If it’s not available in your country, you may need to look for the more widely-available koji rice. Cheers!
Hello Emillie,
Thank you for your blog!
One question.
I have tried twice making rice Kouji following your recipe.
Both times gray-black growth happened in the result. I threw the whole thing away.
I thought that I needed to be more careful about sanitization.
So yesterday I started the process the third time. I sanitized everything carefully and the rice with Kouji kin has been kept at 90F for now almost 24 hours, and I saw small spots of gray matters growing. I took off those spots as much as I can. But am afraid that I am failing again…
I really don’t know what I am doing is causing this problem.
If you could instruct me, I will be very grateful.
Yuki
Nanaimo
Hi! I replied to your other comment. But just in case, here it is again: The grey sounds like the koji is sporing. Though that should be more of a green-grey than pure grey. Either way, it sounds like you have very active koji kin! Try stopping after 18-20 hours and test your koji rice on something quick like amazake. If it works, then you’re fine to use it for miso and sake. Good luck!
I came across your recipe for cobbler after asking myself if one could make a sourdough cobbler. I created a starter from wild yeasts when there was no bread or yeast on the store shelves. Now I must find ways to use it as I’d hate to actually discard my discard. I have a question about your cobbler recipe: why are you using baking powder as well as baking soda? So far in converting my quick breads and muffins I have only used baking soda and the acid in the starter is enough to activate the soda.
To be honest… I usually just use baking soda. However, I try to “fool-proof” my recipes, so adding baking powder means that if someone decides to not use sourdough or doesn’t have an active sourdough then the recipe will still work out. 🙂
Hi, Emeli,
Do you have an email list I could subscribe to by any chance?
I just stumbled upon your blog after just recently beginning my own fermenting adventure, you have so many great tips that I will experiment with. I have made different kimchis and sauerkraus, but I love miso and eat a lot of it, so that was my next experiment. I have read you can use different grains, beans or pulses but have yet to find anything, recipes or otherwise explaining what or how.
Do you have any insight into this?
Hi, I don’t manage an email list… mostly because I don’t have time! I have only made miso with soybeans and koji rice. Because it takes so long to ferment, I haven’t been brave enough to experiment with other types of beans. I don’t want to find out that something didn’t work after 6 months. 🙂 However, I have used miso to ferment other things… particularly bean spreads like hummus. I also had my homemade miso accidentally ferment the noodles in a miso noodle salad (not recommended.) So I guess it is possible to make miso with other grains.
If you want to experiment, maybe make small batches (just 1 or 2 cups). Let me know how it goes! I actually have some koji rice, so maybe I’ll try starting a small batch of chickpea miso later this week. I’ll let you know how it goes in 2-4 months. 🙂
Cheers, Emillie
hi emillie
i mohsen from —— sorry
My problem in making wine is that there is no yeast in the country and I have to use bread yeast, and this is always too far away and unbelievable to feel the tastes that you define. Thank you for helping me make and get any yeast.
Maybe you can buy it online from an international store? Good luck!
my sour dough starter seems to be starving by refrigerated day 3. IS this a good sign or a bad sign? I use it weekly take it out a good 8 hrs and feed while it warms. Then I use what I require, feed is again and refrigerate it with lid on but not sealed tight. Also the fruit flies are wanting to feast on the starter if I leave it one the counter unprotected. This is also daunting. I guess I am just looking for direction and or confirmation all is right.
Fruit flies will go after sourdough starter. Just keep a good tea towel over it, and they shouldn’t get in. A hungry sourdough just means you need to feed it a bit more. I always do like you do… take it out and feed it before baking with it. Then I feed it again before putting it back in the fridge (about double its volume). That way it has flour to eat while in the fridge. Hope this helps!
Hey I’m an island dweller from Maui with some of the exact same food issues… my wife and I are about to dive deep and trying to understand the science of fermentation, probiotics, and yeast… any good books or resources you recommend? Been doing kombucha forever but bored with it… need something new, or a lot of something news… mahalos for the website
Hum… Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz is the original fermentation resource. But there’s a lot of new info and more coming out all the time. I have a science background, so I try to follow the science and provide links in my articles and on my Facebook page. Otherwise, all I can recommend is to keep fermenting! Try to enjoy a bunch of different fermented foods and hopefully, over-time, it will improve your food intolerances. Good luck!
Merhaba Emillie.
Fermantasyon tariflerini çok beğendim.
Sana çok güzel bir fermente çorba tarifi önermek istedim.
Türkiye’de çok güzel tarhana çorbası yaparız.
Yapımı uzun zaman alır ama aylarca kullanılan kurutulmuş hazır çorba karışımı elde edilir.
Tüm tariflerin için teşekkürler…
Hi! Having been to Turkey a few times I recognized the language, though I don’t know how to write it. 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation. I will add that soup to my list of recipes to try. Be well!
Thank you for your Web site.
My question is regarding your of vegatables. Do you use only organic or just plain green grocer items?
THankyou
I try to use mostly organic. Especially if fermenting without a starter (using the natural starter on the vegetables). However, that isn’t always possible in my part of the world… especially in 2020. I haven’t had any problems fermenting non-organic vegetables, so use whatever is available.
I ground some quinoa to make flour in my Krups coffee blender. I put the flour in a glass jar and put a lid on it to use it later. This took place over a month ago. Today I opened the jar, and found the “flour” to be moist and smell and taste like it was fermented..I thought at first that I had just made it paste like, but with the small and taste it seems fermented. How can I use it in cooking or uncooked?
Hum… my go-to answer for anyone who is wondering if something fermented when they didn’t expect it to, is to be cautious. If you are sure the quinoa fermented, then it is probably with wild yeast and bacteria. So you have a GF sourdough. However, it could just be musty-mouldy. In which case it is not good to eat.
Fermented grains smell sour. Mouldy grains smell musty. If you aren’t sure, throw it out. If you’re sure it’s a sourdough ferment, then try testing it with something simple, like GF sourdough pancakes: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/gluten-free-sourdough-pancakes/
Good luck!
Hi,
Last night I ate for the first time some home fermented sauerkraut, homemade labneh, + oven roasted veg & seeds, all very tasty but within the hour I felt very unwell, cold with aches all over and a gasey stomach. I have been to the loo 4 times in the last 20 hours. Do you think I just over did it for the fermented foods to affect my system in such a dramatic way? My husband ate the same as me with no ill effects.
Thanks
That could be. If it was the first time you had sauerkraut you may have introduced new types of bacteria to your system. Here’s a post I wrote on the subject: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/side-effects-fermented-foods/
My only other thought is if you have a histamine sensitivity (also found in alcohol, dried fruits and processed meats). Then that might cause the reaction. Be well, Emillie
Dear Emilie,
Thank you so much for your amazing blog and all the great advice.
I just read through this post where you mention the histamine intolerance- do you have any further information or recommendatiins on this, eg if it’s ok to eat steamed tempeh.
I have veen experiencing digestive issues and the HI seems to be a possibility, however I believe that my trouble can be cured with good quality snd easily digestible foid.
Thank you for any hints you might have- in a a strictly non-medical context, obviously.
Unfortunately, histamine is often made during fermentation. That’s certainly true for soy-ferments like tempeh. If you want to have some fermented foods in your diet, but are following a low histamine diet, then focus on short and fast ferments. So kimchi, instead of sauerkraut. Also, avoid fermented proteins… which would include all soy-based ferments. Be well!
Hello, I am not seeing how I can subscribe to your blog. I am sure I am missing it. But, can you help please?
Thank you!
Hi, I don’t have a newsletter. I just don’t have the time to maintain one. 🙂 However, you can subscribe to the RSS feed, Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook page. The FB page (and group) is probably the best way to keep up on my new content and chat about ferments. Cheers, Emillie
Also, the follow buttons are on the sidebar, right below my intro. Cheers, Emillie
Hi Emille,
What is your experience with making starter with just oat flour? Also I would like to use my einkorn starter to get a batch of oat flour started. Is this a good idea??
Thank you,
Carol
Hi Carol, I responded to your comment on the GF sourdough post. I recommend just starting right away with oat flour. There’s not going to be an advantage to converting an already existing starter. Cheers, Emillie
Hi Emillie!!
I am so pleased to have found your site. Your recipes and explanations are great. I have not been able to find a subscription link on your site. Please advise.
Thank you!!
Hi Patti,
So glad that you enjoy the site! Unfortunately, I just don’t have time to maintain a newsletter. However, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. I also have a FB group, Fermenting For Everyone which is a great way to share in fermenting.
Cheers, Emillie
Hi Patti,
I just created my first newsletter sign-up! You can find it in the sidebar, and I’m planning on sending out an update on the 12th of every month. Cheers, Emillie
Hi Emillie,
I am new to fermenting and I ran across many of your recipes and your website on Pinterest. I am an avid gardener and beekeeper. I’ve canned and frozen garden produce for many years, but I’ve never given much thought to fermenting. I recently made your hot pepper sauce with jalapeños, onions, and carrots from my garden plus fresh garlic. Wow! It turned out great! I added a touch of ACV and some raw honey after rendering the liquid from the pulp. Flavor wise it’s perfect, but was wondering if there’s a good way to thicken it some? Would love some suggestions.
Sounds amazing! Hot sauce is tricky to thicken because you really don’t want it too thick. Usually, just adding back in a bit of the pulp works for me. Another way to thicken it would be to boil it down, but that would definitely kill the probiotics. Are you able to add a bit of pulp back in? Even if it’s not from the original ferment… just something thick, like the pulp from juicing apples? Sorry, I don’t really have a better suggestion!
Thank you! That helps. I will purée a bit of the pulp and try that.
I cannot read any of these recipes and I do not have ad blocker.
I only get 3 dancing dots for each one and no recipe.
I did sign up for mid monthly newsletter to see if that would work and it would not.
Please please help. Here I am with your starter and need some kind of bread.
Hello, I’ve never heard of this issue before. So, I shared your comment with my website admin. I’ll let you know what he thinks. Hopefully, we can get it fixed for you soon! Cheers, Emillie
Got some more info. Ryan (web admin) thinks that it’s related to your browser. Perhaps your browser needs updating, try to clear your cache/history or try an alternate browser? If neither of those work, you can email me at hello @ fermentingforfoodies.com with details about what device and browser you are using? Cheers, Emillie
Hi Emillie
I am really enjoying this great website. Thank you! We have plum, apple and pear trees. I started with 4 batches of plum wine. Now that that’s going, I am about to harvest our apples and pears. I’m wanting to make lots of apple and pear cider with those. Can you share a recipe for sparkling apple and/or pear cider? I don’t know how much fruit/water/sugar I need to combine to get this right. I’m not on Facebook.
Thank you,
Max
Hi Max, I have a recipe for whole-fruit pear wine/cider (got 3 batches going right now!) https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/how-to-make-pear-cider-and-wine/ Apples are so much firmer, that they need to be juiced to make cider. If you have access to a juicer, here’s my recipe: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/how-to-make-hard-apple-cider-from-juice/
Enjoy!
perfect, thanks! We have a lot of pears. Wish me luck!
Max
Hi Emillie
Just wanted to say thank you. I use the internet all the time for recipes, particularly around sourdough and kefir. Your web site is the most straight forward, easy to follow, generous with knowledge, web site I have encountered. I will be returning often!
Best wishes
Pam (UK)
Thanks!
Hi Emillie, Thanks for the great info on fermentation.
In the instructions for making plum wine you mention pouring boiling water over the fruit. My question is… does the boiling water drain away ie. rinsing, or does it stay in the fruit container to form part of the mix?
Thanks again.
Hi Mike, The boiling water is the water used for the ferment. Boiling it before pouring it over the plums helps to keep mold and wild yeasts out of the wine, but it also provides the water used in the wine. So don’t drain it away. Enjoy!
Hi Emillie,
Could red yeast rice ferment something? I am very curious with what it could do. Thank you!
I believe you’re referring to the mold-cultured red rice? I haven’t personally used it for fermenting, but I think it can be used to make wine, vinegar, and other ferments. However, it’s not as common as koji rice.
Cheers, Emillie
Hi Emillie
I found your Honey Fermented Plum Coulis recipe on Pintrest. Thank you for sharing it!
I have just made it for the first time and after 4 days of fermentation I opened the lid and found that along with the fermentation, there were spots of mould. Have I done something wrong? Can I just scoop out those bits and still eat it?
Unfortunately, mold can’t be removed from something like the plum coulis. When you see mold, it is just the spores, and the filaments are throughout the food. It can be removed from the top of salty brine, but not a sweet ferment. I’m so sorry that this happened!
If you’re willing to try again, here are a few things that might help: 1. Make sure your honey is raw (unpasteurized), otherwise, it won’t be able to culture the ferment. If the ferment was really bubbly and pressurized, then your honey was full of the necessary culture. 2. Make sure the container is in a dark location. 3. If you don’t have a fermentation-specific lid (fido/airlock, etc.) then maybe just ferment for 1-2 days before popping it in the fridge. It will still ferment in the fridge, just more slowly. Best of luck!
Thank you so much for getting back to me. Definitely keen to try again. The honey was raw and lots of bubbles and it had been in a dark cupboard. So the issue might be solved with an airlock. Could it be I hadn’t washed the fruit well enough? Or the fruit was damaged in some way? Would it help to keep it submerged with a saucer or similar on top?
It does sound like it was just bad luck. There could have been some mold on the fruit. Or it could have gotten contaminated after fermenting. Submerging the fruit won’t help, as mold can grow in the liquid. If you try again, maybe just do it for a shorter time? Good luck!
Hi Emillie. I’m really excited to try fermenting my pickles this summer for the first time, and then water bath canning them. I’ve noticed that you said after fermentation, you use the brine for the canning process but discard the cloves and spices. Is there a specific reason for that? Will there already be enough flavour in the pickles by that time that I won’t need to put the spices in the jars for canning? Just wanted some clarification on that. Also, is there a specific amount of fermenting time for half sours and full sours or do you just keep tasting until you feel they’re good to go?
Thanks
John
Hi John, I strain the brine after fermenting because there’s usually quite a bit of yeasty scum on top. (Moreso if you do open-air fermenting). So the spices just get strained out as part of that process. After 6 to 8 weeks of fermenting, they’re pretty packed with flavor.
Usually, canning is done with half-sours (6-8 weeks). Full sours are fermented for more than 3 months. Usually, when I make full sours I just leave them to ferment until we eat them (6 to 8 months)! Feel free to taste test and stop the fermentation when you like the flavor. Enjoy!
Hi Emillie. Thanks for your reply. Forgive me, but I need to pick your brain just a bit more. You give two slightly different recipes for fermented pickles. One which has 2 Tbsp of vinegar added, and one which does not. Now, the one with the vinegar you say we can water bath can it after just two weeks. The other one without vinegar you say we can leave for as long as 7 weeks and then can. I plan to use the pickle pipe lids on my jars while they ferment. How much taste difference would there be between the two methods, and which would you recommend for the best taste? I’m looking for that old fashioned dill pickle out of a barrel taste. Thanks in advance. John.
Hi John, I have 3 recipes for dill pickles (plus a few sweet recipes). Grandma’s pickles are my favorite. They are left to ferment until we eat them (usually 6-8 months): https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/grandmas-fermented-pickles/ They are perfect with your pickle pipe lid. I recommend trying at least one jar of this recipe because it might be what you are looking for.
If you are concerned about not canning, then I recommend the shorter, 2-week ferment. However, the flavor won’t be as good with a short ferment. The 7 week, vinegar-free ferment has great flavor, but it gets scummy, which can be a bit off-putting if it’s your first time.
Hope that helps! Emillie
Thanks for your reply Emilie. Once again, forgive my ignorance, but you said,
” If you are concerned about not canning, then I recommend the shorter, 2-week ferment. However, the flavor won’t be as good with a short ferment.”
Would it be ok to let them ferment with the “two week” recipe (which would be the added vinegar) for a longer time such as maybe 7 weeks and then can? And if so, would the taste be more to my liking?
You also said if I did the non vinegar recipe and let them go for at least 7 weeks, the scum might be a bit off-putting. Is it possible to just wash off the scum and repack into the original brine and then can?
You see, I’m still planning to can whatever I do, and I’m trying to find the best way to get all the flavor possible, and then still water bath can at the end.
Sorry for all the questions but thanks. John
Hi John, Either of those options are good! The scum is easy to remove provided you keep your cukes under the brine. Skimming the scum off of pickles is part of the tradition! And your pickle pipes will certainly help to reduce the amount of scum floating on top. Cheers, Emillie
Hi Emillie. It’s now cucumber season, and I’m going to try The “Grandma’s recipe you’ve posted. My first question is, would it be OK to put a couple of cloves of garlic in each of the jars, or would you not recommend it? Secondly, since I’m going to be canning these pickles after about 6-8 weeks of fermentation, is the brine from Grandma’s recipe acceptable for the canning process, or do I need to add more vinegar or salt to it? Thanks!
Hi John, I have a different recipe for fermenting then canning pickles. The grandma’s pickle is more of a pack-and-go recipe. So it doesn’t need to be canned. Here are my trad fermented pickles that are meant to be canned afterward: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/probiotic-pickles/ and here is the canning instructions: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/canning-fermented-pickles/ However, if you like the grandma’s pickles more, then feel free to add garlic. Cheers, Emillie
I have heard that once you put your milk keifer (grains removed) in the frigerator, it
can last approximately 1 to 1 1/2 months…is this correct? OR how do you tell if your milk kiefer should be dumped?? I usually have a couple quarts in frigerator as I can’t drink it fast enough…tho I do give it to my chickens & cats ⬛
Thanks for your knowledge & insight!!
Lisa
The longest milk kefir has lasted in my fridge is probably 1 month. But that’s because we go through it quickly. It’s fine as long as it seems fine. Spoiled milk has a particularly strong scent and flavor. You should be able to tell from that. Milk kefir can also get a pink tinge when it goes off. If any of that happens, throw it away. Cheers!
Hi Emillie!
What a great site you have! I’ve been making ACV and sauerkraut for a few years but otherwise am pretty new to fermenting. Today my husband has requested I make (canned) bread and butter pickles out of some of our enormous supply of zucchini. I’m wondering if I can use the liquid released by the vegetables sitting in salt, as brine to ferment more zucchini. I think it’s probably saltier than most brine “recipes,” but it seems a shame to waste all that good veg-liquid if I don’t have to…
Certainly! Depending on how much salt was used, you could also add a bit more water. Ideally, you want about 1 Tbsp of salt for a quart-sized jar of fermented vegetables. I also use salty liquid to season soups. 🙂 I never waste a thing! Cheers, Emillie
Great! Thanks for your help!
Hi!! I’m trying to “rent” your book from a local library as I do that before buying…..hard to find – but had my local library put it up for consideration…..can’t wait! Looks to be a lovely book – thanks!
Great! I’m a big fan of libraries… so hopefully, your library will consider carrying a copy. Cheers, Emillie
I put the yeast in the cider while it was still hot- i pasteurizing it- and forgot to let it cook, what shall I do?
If you think you accidentally killed the yeast, it’s fine to add more yeast to the cider. The extra yeast will get filtered out when you bottle the cider.
What are your thoughts on using food saver bags to make miso? I have used it for other ferments, ie sauerkraut, pickles. But, haven’t heard of anyone doing so with miso, and I haven’t made miso before. Thank you for any input.
Hi Rebecca, I don’t do much long-term fermenting in plastic because of the acidity/salt/etc. can be hard on plastic. However, as you know from your other ferments, food-grade plastic is fine for short ferments. The only difference with miso is that it is always a long ferment (at minimum 3 months, up to several years). Depending on how long you decide to ferment your miso, you may want to use a ceramic or glass container instead. While shorter ferments are fine in plastic, they may start to break down after a year with a highly salty and acidic ferment. Cheers! Emillie
Thank you so much for your input. You have a very valid point. I guess I will go back to my first option of a canning jar, as I don’t own a crock. Thanks again!
That’s what I use! A regular mason jar is perfect. I usually make 2 jars, so I can start eating one early while letting the other one age properly. I’m always a bit impatient. Cheers!
Hi Emillie,
I see that you have a masters in neuroscience. I’m a retired neurologist (double boarded: neurology and addiction). I also note that you mention that there is no A.I. written material on your site – so you are interested in this new computer revolution. Me too. It is an amazing time for those of us interested in how the brain works (and how we will work in the A.I. era), don’t you think.
Thanks for your wonderful website. As our back yard fruit trees are now delivering their bounty, I came to your site with interest in how to make plum wine. One of our friends makes it and I’m doing some homework so we can make some this year also. Another new adventure! (Retirement is a lot of fun!)
Warm regards,
John Barbuto, MD
Thanks for your note! At the moment generative AI is a huge stress for myself and other creators. We aren’t thrilled that it was released without proper licensing or regulation. There are implications for furthering cultural divides when AI is used to create a lot of content without human consideration and reflection. It’s also being used to plagiarize material without citation (Google’s Bard is particularly bad for this… as it will directly display images and content created by someone else without citation). Even engineers like my husband are annoyed that AI is copying lines of code without citation.
Phew… but there are lots of people working on the back end to make it clear that AI is not just a free-for-all. My advertising provider just had us all sign on so they can act as a legal representative in negotiations with Open AI, Google, etc. We shall see what happens!
In the meantime, enjoy your fruit trees and wine! Cheers, Emillie