Some of us only recently began to feel comfortable discussing things like, 'probiotics'. We heard it a little here, a bit there, and eventually came to understand it had something to do with yogurt and intestines, although maybe not in that order...
But we did figure one thing out for sure...They're good for us!
Then, we started hearing a word so slightly different that some of us thought, "Probiotics, Prebiotics...Humph...some one's just trying to throw us off...they must be the same thing." And honestly, references made to both did include gut talk, so...yeah, must be the same thing.
But just in case the wondering still tickles the back of your brain every time you see the newer TV ads or glance at the prebiotic pill promotions...your ticklish brain may be grateful to know, that yes, there is a difference.
Pretty simple, too...Probiotics are what we, so far, talk about on this site. Good Bacteria. This is the stuff we work so hard to cultivate in our lacto-fermented foods. It's living and breathing. So very good, in fact, that God made sure we all got some of it in our intestines from the get-go. And he made sure we'd get plenty more of it in Mommy's raw milk, and as time progressed, the unadulterated milk of other animals as well. He even gave man the idea of fermentation. Do I know how? You know I don't, but everything good comes from God, so I know the idea had to come from him!
Unfortunately, antibiotics, environmental toxins, and medications like NSAIDS and a host of others, kill off those good gut bacteria. And in our "safe", (facade), world of pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization and sanitization...we don't get probiotics back into our systems very easily. So, our bodies succumb to grody illnesses like IBS and anything related to a lowered immune system because our first line of defense is broken. Over time, what seems little, grows into big and bigger still health problems...if we don't take steps to re-establish the beneficial colonies of good bacteria living in our intestinal tract. Yogurt has gotten many accolades for this and it is a fine effort, but there are better efforts like dairy kefir made quite simply from unpasteurized milk and living kefir cultures. NOW, you're packing a whopping 9x MORE probiotic power in your dairy punch!
Prebiotics help probiotics by acting like good kitchen scraps heaped upon the compost pile. In other words, they feed our good bacteria. There are some items of food we don't include in compost, like meats and fats. They don't add that much nourishment to the compost, they draw flies, and they cause it to smell disagreeable. (If you know me and this site, you know I am not saying here that meat and certain fats are bad for you...they are indeed, very good if grass-fed.) In the same way, prebiotics aren't just anything tossed in to help the gut. But you don't have to take a pill, (as so many suggest), to get them, either. In fact, although we haven't discussed them specifically as prebiotics, they have been discussed...because they are quite simply, fiber.
This type of fiber isn't digested by our bodies, however. Instead, when prebiotics reach the intestines, they make for a fine lunch for the good colonized 'probies' living there. Get it? Prebiotics are probiotic food.
Every time we've talked about grains, fruits and veggies, we've talked about foods containing prebiotics. Honey's another one...and we all need just one more excuse to consume that, don't we?
Probiotics continues to be the greater challenge, so we ferment and culture and grow our little lovelies so we can tuck them away into our intestines. But the average Joe needn't be too concerned with prebiotics as long as he is consuming plenty of healthy grains and produce.
Those with highly compromised intestines, however, may want to consider a season of adding prebiotics and probiotics in pill or powder form to the diet in order to get the gut up to speed, then continue along the more natural route of foods as your source. If you are on high doses of antibiotics, are taking chemo...or recovering from chemo, steroids, or any of a host of medications that can compromise immunity due to compromised gut health, this might be the course of action to take. But don't take my surmising as prescription...Please dig into some research, ask others who have been 'in your boat' and come through and talk to your natureopathic doctor or medical doctor if this is you.
Now tell me...You really were wondering about this probiotic-prebiotic thing, weren't you?
(Okay, Okay...I was.)
So, as always, eat well, move around a bit, get around other like-minded beings, be full of and stand on your faith in the healing provided by the true 'Lover of our Souls'...because this will take us beyond the limits of physical foods, herbs and medicines. And just...live well. Yes, Laugh! He made laughter. Yes, Cry! He made tears, too. Yes, Love! He is the author of all things loving and lovely. Yes, BE in whatever way God provides for you in this season, BE that to the fullest. All the while remembering, he always knows what he's doing even if we don't have a clue. So, in the name of Jesus and all he has provided for our health through his created world and the deep cuts he took in our behalf for no other reason than his magnificent love for us...BE healed.
Today, just sign me,
"GUT-sy Lady" ;0)
Showing posts with label fermentation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fermentation. Show all posts
Monday, March 5, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Beet Kvass Update-An EASIER Way to Those Tiny Bubbles...
Now according to Wardeh Harmon of GNOWFGLINS, (and if you haven't checked HER out, you should asap, because this God-loving young lady is the bomb as a traditional foods prep and cooking instructor), not having fizz doesn't necessarily mean the beverage is without nutrition. But we all know we love that bit of fizz on the tongue and it is a sign of some good things going on, namely lacto-fermentation.
Before we go on, let's redirect just a moment and focus in on this thing called 'lacto-fermentation'. What is it and why do we seek it? Lacto-fermentation actually increases the nutrients in our foods. It adds beneficial bacteria to our gut, and to top it all off, makes the food consumed more easily digested and used by the body. Remembering that this is, essentially, a blog about getting the most bang of nutrition we can from our food, all these reasons are great reasons to consider fermentation.
In the 'old days'...before freezers, before pressure cookers and water-bath canning, people preserved food via lacto-fermentation. Over at The Nourishing Cook, Kimi Harris tells us that recently, lacto-fermentation has gotten more attention because birds with Avian Bird Flu started recovering after being fed fermented kimchi and sauerkraut. Wow. (That last link will lead you to more info on lacto-fermentation, by the way.)
I believe it was Sarah Pope, of The Healthy Home Economist, (yet another over-the-top traditional foods- savvy chick), who suggested that man has an intrinsic knowledge that fermented foods are good for health. She surmises that this could be the reason we so enjoy carbonated sodas...they mimic the 'mouth effects' of fermented beverages/foods.
Now, I'm not going to go into the benefits of beet kvass in this post as you can get that information by clicking the 'beet kvass' link in the first paragraph, but I wanted to tell you of my most recent, successful experiment with it.
Even though we will drink our kvass 'fizzless', and I do trust that it's somewhat effective in that state, I prefer fizz, but I sure don't like having to wait a total of eight days to get it! So, since Mrs. Morrell said that finely cutting the beets can cause it to over-ferment, I thought, well, what if, I go ahead and finely, or at least, 'small-ly' cut them, and closely watch the ferment?
Because there has always been such a large difference in my kvass fermentation time and Mrs. Morrell's recipe time, I decided to take the plunge and 'small-ly' chop, (about 1/4 in. cubes and I'm not real particular about exactness here...a little more, some less...it's all good), and then check daily for fizz.
If you choose to use this method, when the fizz is there, keep it from going 'over the top' fermentation-wise, (we're not trying to make beet wine, after all), by putting the jar in the fridge...and remember my recent post about the swing top bottles? They are great for keeping the fizz fizzy and the beverage from further fermentation. Strain out the beets and start an immediate second ferment using them and a quarter cup of the already made kvass as a starter. It will be weaker, but still effective. (After the second use, the beets go in the compost pile.)
If not using the bottles, keeping the beets in the mason jar used to make the kvass is fine, just strain as you pour. The beets can be used to make a second ferment when there is only about a quarter cup of kvass left. (Use this instead of whey as your starter. Each batch of kvass made from now on can be started with kvass from the previous starter. If you ever forget and drink the kvass down to the last drop, just use whey again the next time as your starter.) If using the white plastic lids that have become so popular for mason jars, put plastic wrap or a small baggie over the opening of the jar before placing the lid on, as an extra measure of air-tightness.
Well, I got fizz. It took two days.
I made it just as the recipe said, only I chopped the beets much smaller than my original 'coarsely chopped', then sat the jar on top of my 'favorite' heating vent.
Only two days. Not eight. Two.
I've been making this stuff for two years and have just now gotten this bright idea.
But the truth is, I think God's been whispering the solution in my ear for a long time. I just didn't want to 'disobey' Mrs. Morrell, and doggone, it!...I got confused for the umpteenth-thousandth time between His voice and mine! (Ugh!)
Oh, silly, silly, me.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Eye-Opener Thursday: SOY, BABIES & BEYOND
Soy has been touted as a great American food. Supposedly good for menopause, babies and those attempting to avoid meat in their diet, soy is the soapbox tonic for just about everything.
Or is it?
1-Soy and Corn are the two largest industrialized products of America. We grow a lot and most is genetically modified. It's good for business to find many uses for it. Soybeans are used as a base for a great deal of food products, including everyday condiments such as salad dressings and mayonnaise, (one of the reasons I make my own mayo now. See, "Busy Days and Mayonnaise"), and the unsuspecting baby formula.
2-We have been lead to believe that the use of soy as a food dates back several thousand years, but the truth is, it wasn't used until the Chinese figured out how to use it to make soaked/fermented products: tempeh, natto, and tamari, (late Chou dynasty, 1134-246 BC). To this day, these are among the limited ways in which soybeans can truly be safely used. Although Asians are often considered to be huge consumers of soy, the fact is that the Chinese average about two teaspoons soy intake a day and the Japanese, only one to two. Even then, it's not consumed as a meat substitute, as western civilization has tried to use it, but rather, as a condiment.
3-The idea that the soy foods in general use today produce the same benefits as fermented soy foods of the past, is fallacy. The majority of modern processed soy products comes from non-soaked, non-fermented soybeans. This fact is of utmost importance. Soybeans cannot deliver nutrients without proper preparation, and they contain toxins that cannot be neutralized without these traditional methods of preparation. Furthermore, the methods used to soak/ferment other beans/legumes/grains, aren't effective for soybeans. They require longer, more aggressive efforts for neutralization. In addition, modern methods used to process soybeans over-processes their proteins and even increase carcinogenic levels.
4-Without getting into the nitty-gritty, scientific wording about types of amino acids, (you are welcome to get into it at "Soy Alert!"), know this: Contrary to popular belief, soybeans are NOT a complete protein.
5-The vegetarian diet needs sources of vitamin B-12, and many believe they can be obtained from soybean products. Not so. Although there is a compound in soybeans that is similar to B-12, it is not B-12 and the human body cannot use is. The real truth here is that the intake of soy products causes a greater need for B-12.
Soy contains 'trypsin inhibitors'. These interfere with the work of the pancreas and inhibit the digestion of proteins. Tests have shown that this can cause stunted growth and pancreatic disorders.
7-Just as we have learned that more B-12 is needed when soy is ingested, so it is with vitamin D...without which, we have disruption of normal growth and development of strong bones.
Phytic acid is a huge problem with soy products. It interferes with assimilation of iron and zinc. Both of these are essential ingredients for the development of the brain as well as the nervous system. The brain and nervous system also are in need of cholesterol, which is not supplied by soy products.
8-In addition, another serious area of concern is the megadose level of phytoestrogens in soy formula. This has been scientifically implicated in the 'epidemic' of premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.
~~~It is important to understand that there is a short span of time in a male infant's life, the first six months, when he experiences a natural 'testosterone tide'. At this time, the infant is 'flooded' with testosterone hormone at about the level of the male adult. At this time, the infant's brain, reproductive system and other organs are being 'programmed for maleness' which is to later manifest during puberty. Consider then, what the consequences might be when a male infant's body at this stage is also being bombarded by concentrations of estrogen at levels 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than infants on milk-based formula or breast milk.~~~
10-Once again, the estrogen-factor of soy comes in to play regarding postmenopausal women. It's been believed for decades that soy will help a woman through the menopause and postmenopausal stages. However estrogen-dependent tumors can be stimulated by soy, and thyroid work is inhibited by soy. The latter problem causes menopause difficulties. Therefore, the use of soy to relieve menopause and postmenopausal symptoms doesn't help, but rather, hinders.
11-Yet, some insist that soy estrogen (isoflavones) is good for us. However, these are what is called 'phyto-endocrine disrupters'. They can stimulate the growth of cancer cells, prevent ovulation, and cause hypothyroidism. Just four tablespoons of soy/day can cause hypothyroidism. Some of the symptoms: lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.
12-Many believe that soy has GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), status, however, recently Archer Daniels Midland withdrew its application to the FDA for this status. This move was in response to a huge protest-not from consumers-but from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of the presence of toxins and carcinogens in modern processed soy.
13-Soy has also been touted as a preventive measure against several types of cancer, but the truth is that there is little evidence that soy protects from breast or any other cancer. The greater, sadder truth is that it can even increase the risk of cancer.
14-What about heart disease? Isn't soy good for that? Well, it can lower cholesterol. (It doesn't always.) However, as yet, there isn't any evidence that lowering cholesterol via soy intake lowers the risk of heart disease.
15-And then there are the libido claims of soy. (If that won't make it sell, what will?) Let's please get this straight...SOY CONSUMPTION LOWERS TESTOSTERONE levels in men. (See #7.) Here's a fun fact for you: Buddhist monks consumed tofu in order to reduce libido. Animal studies have shown that soy foods make animals infertile.
16-Then there is the 'Let's-get-the-Greenies-on-our-side' approach...with claims that soybeans are good for the environment. Yep, good, alright. Think: Genetically Modified=large amounts of herbicides= toxic run-off.
-'Nough said.
17-And finally, let's talk about this matter from a global standpoint. Soybeans replace traditional crops in third world countries. The processing of the beans is moved from that country and its local population to multinational corporations instead...that would be the guys getting the biggest cut. Don't believe the claims that soybeans are good for developing nations. Like all these other claims about the greatness of soybeans, it's balderdash.
All information contained in today's 'Eye-Opener' came from information obtained through "Soy Alert", a division of the Weston A. Price Foundation, and Nourishing Traditions, side-bar, p. 603. If you'd like to go deeper, please check these resources.
Or is it?
1-Soy and Corn are the two largest industrialized products of America. We grow a lot and most is genetically modified. It's good for business to find many uses for it. Soybeans are used as a base for a great deal of food products, including everyday condiments such as salad dressings and mayonnaise, (one of the reasons I make my own mayo now. See, "Busy Days and Mayonnaise"), and the unsuspecting baby formula.
2-We have been lead to believe that the use of soy as a food dates back several thousand years, but the truth is, it wasn't used until the Chinese figured out how to use it to make soaked/fermented products: tempeh, natto, and tamari, (late Chou dynasty, 1134-246 BC). To this day, these are among the limited ways in which soybeans can truly be safely used. Although Asians are often considered to be huge consumers of soy, the fact is that the Chinese average about two teaspoons soy intake a day and the Japanese, only one to two. Even then, it's not consumed as a meat substitute, as western civilization has tried to use it, but rather, as a condiment.
3-The idea that the soy foods in general use today produce the same benefits as fermented soy foods of the past, is fallacy. The majority of modern processed soy products comes from non-soaked, non-fermented soybeans. This fact is of utmost importance. Soybeans cannot deliver nutrients without proper preparation, and they contain toxins that cannot be neutralized without these traditional methods of preparation. Furthermore, the methods used to soak/ferment other beans/legumes/grains, aren't effective for soybeans. They require longer, more aggressive efforts for neutralization. In addition, modern methods used to process soybeans over-processes their proteins and even increase carcinogenic levels.
4-Without getting into the nitty-gritty, scientific wording about types of amino acids, (you are welcome to get into it at "Soy Alert!"), know this: Contrary to popular belief, soybeans are NOT a complete protein.
5-The vegetarian diet needs sources of vitamin B-12, and many believe they can be obtained from soybean products. Not so. Although there is a compound in soybeans that is similar to B-12, it is not B-12 and the human body cannot use is. The real truth here is that the intake of soy products causes a greater need for B-12.
************************************
6-One of the greatest concerns I have in regard to soy is my new found awareness of its dangers when given to infants, although much of what I am sharing here also pertains to the health of adults.Soy contains 'trypsin inhibitors'. These interfere with the work of the pancreas and inhibit the digestion of proteins. Tests have shown that this can cause stunted growth and pancreatic disorders.
7-Just as we have learned that more B-12 is needed when soy is ingested, so it is with vitamin D...without which, we have disruption of normal growth and development of strong bones.
Phytic acid is a huge problem with soy products. It interferes with assimilation of iron and zinc. Both of these are essential ingredients for the development of the brain as well as the nervous system. The brain and nervous system also are in need of cholesterol, which is not supplied by soy products.
8-In addition, another serious area of concern is the megadose level of phytoestrogens in soy formula. This has been scientifically implicated in the 'epidemic' of premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.
~~~It is important to understand that there is a short span of time in a male infant's life, the first six months, when he experiences a natural 'testosterone tide'. At this time, the infant is 'flooded' with testosterone hormone at about the level of the male adult. At this time, the infant's brain, reproductive system and other organs are being 'programmed for maleness' which is to later manifest during puberty. Consider then, what the consequences might be when a male infant's body at this stage is also being bombarded by concentrations of estrogen at levels 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than infants on milk-based formula or breast milk.~~~
******************************************************
9-Some believe that the phytoestrogens in soy enhance mental capabilities, but a recent study showed that women having the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function. Also, a study of Japanese Americans who consume tofu in mid-life showed and association with Alzheimer's in later life.10-Once again, the estrogen-factor of soy comes in to play regarding postmenopausal women. It's been believed for decades that soy will help a woman through the menopause and postmenopausal stages. However estrogen-dependent tumors can be stimulated by soy, and thyroid work is inhibited by soy. The latter problem causes menopause difficulties. Therefore, the use of soy to relieve menopause and postmenopausal symptoms doesn't help, but rather, hinders.
11-Yet, some insist that soy estrogen (isoflavones) is good for us. However, these are what is called 'phyto-endocrine disrupters'. They can stimulate the growth of cancer cells, prevent ovulation, and cause hypothyroidism. Just four tablespoons of soy/day can cause hypothyroidism. Some of the symptoms: lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.
12-Many believe that soy has GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), status, however, recently Archer Daniels Midland withdrew its application to the FDA for this status. This move was in response to a huge protest-not from consumers-but from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of the presence of toxins and carcinogens in modern processed soy.
13-Soy has also been touted as a preventive measure against several types of cancer, but the truth is that there is little evidence that soy protects from breast or any other cancer. The greater, sadder truth is that it can even increase the risk of cancer.
14-What about heart disease? Isn't soy good for that? Well, it can lower cholesterol. (It doesn't always.) However, as yet, there isn't any evidence that lowering cholesterol via soy intake lowers the risk of heart disease.
15-And then there are the libido claims of soy. (If that won't make it sell, what will?) Let's please get this straight...SOY CONSUMPTION LOWERS TESTOSTERONE levels in men. (See #7.) Here's a fun fact for you: Buddhist monks consumed tofu in order to reduce libido. Animal studies have shown that soy foods make animals infertile.
16-Then there is the 'Let's-get-the-Greenies-on-our-side' approach...with claims that soybeans are good for the environment. Yep, good, alright. Think: Genetically Modified=large amounts of herbicides= toxic run-off.
-'Nough said.
17-And finally, let's talk about this matter from a global standpoint. Soybeans replace traditional crops in third world countries. The processing of the beans is moved from that country and its local population to multinational corporations instead...that would be the guys getting the biggest cut. Don't believe the claims that soybeans are good for developing nations. Like all these other claims about the greatness of soybeans, it's balderdash.
All information contained in today's 'Eye-Opener' came from information obtained through "Soy Alert", a division of the Weston A. Price Foundation, and Nourishing Traditions, side-bar, p. 603. If you'd like to go deeper, please check these resources.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Hooch Leaves Lucille for Dead
To illustrate my sourdough experience...
Hooch loved hanging around Lucille. She was a little sweetie who always had one of his favorites to eat...grapes. But Hooch had a tendency of being overbearing. The longer he stayed around, the more he suffocated poor Lucille. Not only aggressive in his love, he was all about rising to the top in life. Unfortunately, his desire to rise to the top kept Lucille at the bottom. There, she slowly lost her breath...and eventually Hooch's black heart was evident for all to see. Without accountability, Hooch had eaten Lucille's sustenance and seeing her lying there near life's end, went on to rise to the top without her, taking only the stink of his character with him.
That's when the aproned lady came along. She saw that Hooch had indeed risen to the top and knowing Lucille had been left somewhere below, wondered if there was any hope. Hooch's stench filled the air and the aproned lady nearly decided to do away with both of them...The one, for justice...the other, for mercy. But she knew that would have been the easy route. The aproned lady needed to do all she could to preserve Lucille's life-if there were any life left to preserve.
But in spite of Hooch's atrocities, the aproned lady knew he was acting according to his genetic tendencies- for where Hooch is involved, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Still, he would have to be eliminated or he would continue to antagonize Lucille. But they were so closely connected, could the aproned lady pull off the feat of ridding the world of Hooch while yet preserving any possible remains of Lucille?
Ah, yes. She had done so before. She had been forced to terminate Hooch's father, and a grandfather or two before him. Surely, she could manage this, as well. Only this time, the situation literally looked blacker and uglier than ever before.
The aproned lady hung her head in shame. It was a well-known fact that Lucille needed protection and the aproned lady was assigned the duty of holding Hooch up to accountability. If only she had caught him when he'd first started to climb, she'd only have had to stir things up the least bit to keep him in line. But she had become too busy and had forgotten her duty and now Lucille's life hung in the balance.
Maybe the aproned lady wouldn't have felt quite the angst had she not failed in her assignment before, more than once. Each time, she promised herself to never let it happen again. But here she was, back in the same, self-inflicted situation. She was beginning to believe she wasn't meant to be in this job...
And of course, my former readers know that 'Lucille' is my sourdough and 'Hooch' is the by-product of fermentation...actually, a water-alcohol type mixture. And I, yes, I, am the aproned lady. I always wear an apron when I'm dealing with sourdough. Or I always do now, because I've had to change clothes so often from little splatters that like to stick.
The question about hooch (that's the liquid that floats to the top) comes up often among sourdough newbies. The basics are that it is usually a pale yellow-orange color, but some say it really depends on the type of flour used. I usually use a whole wheat or rye.
I also use the pioneer approach...I don't put my sourdough vessel in the fridge unless I'm going to be away a few days. This is a continuous ferment which requires more watchfulness, but leaves me much needed refrigerator space. According to Wardeh of GNOWFGLINS (link below), the sourdough should be fed twice a day. I tried to keep that up, but wasn't very good at it. My general rule is to be sure Lucille's fed once a day. But when she gets sickly from a few day's neglect, I have to step it up for a few days in order to get good bread results.
I found myself encouraged to name my sourdough after reading an account in "The Lost Art of Real Cooking", (see the carousel above), where the author named sourdough, "Durga" after a goddess. I decided to name my baby starter 'Lucille'. That way, if she ever did die, I could sing, "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Lucille," and hopefully, make myself laugh instead of cry.
Now, about Hooch. Hooch really isn't all that bad. This liquid contains living critters that help make your sourdough good for you. (And yes, it's name really is hooch!) It also imparts the 'sour' twang sourdough is known for. (Unless you get the kind that's been so overly processed that you can't taste the twang...then it's not really sourdough, is it?) The usual color of hooch as stated earlier, is a yellow-orange...as an average. The shade does vary, and I've even read some sourdough users claim that the grayish or black is the norm for them. For me, even though I do use the whole wheat, mine doesn't turn blackish unless I've neglected it. So, if you're doing the continuous ferment and it starts getting warm and you forget...Well, hooch can get out of hand.
Only from continuous experiment upon myself, I have to part ways with those who tell you to throw out your sourdough if it smells bad or has black hooch on top. Prepare yourself. I am going to show you a picture you will find offensive. If you could smell what I'm going to show you, you might even gag a little.
Looking straight down, for all that we can see here, Lucille is dead. (The reddish-purple glob at the 10:00 position is a grape...I use them to attract wild air-borne yeast to the starter.) But the truth is, she can be 'resurrected'...Watch:
What to do with these tools: Use the ladle to gently skim off the hooch. I do this right beside the sink and I open the window above the sink a little to help the air clear. As I scoop the hooch off, I pour it right down the drain and add a little cold water periodically. It doesn't take long to do this and as you do it, there is a beautiful surprise beneath all that ugly black...Lucille lives!
I use the scraper, (left), to scrape off any dried-on starter or blackened hooch from the insides of the container. The dried bits will fall on top of the sourdough, but are easily seen and fished out with the ladle. When I am done, I dampen a paper towel or clean dish cloth, and wipe any remaining residue from the lip and insides of the vessel.
Above, see the exact same container, minus Hooch, with Lucille beginning to breathe again! (Your baby's still alive if bubbles appear, and these appeared almost immediately.) The smell will now be pleasantly sour, sort of like a mild wine aroma...no more stink! But beware, Hooch can reappear quickly, only catch him early so you can use him to your benefit by merely stirring him back in before he starts showing his dark side.
Now that Lucille's alive, I administer First Aid by adding a cup of freshly ground whole wheat followed by a cup of filtered water. (You do not have to use freshly ground, or even wheat...and you don't have to use filtered water. This is how I do it for nutrition and toxic-free sake.)
Then, I just stir the flour and water in...gently. I don't show it in these photos, but once a week or so, I will throw in a handful of grapes. Grapes attract the beneficial wild yeast that are free-floating in the air. These yeast are the critters that turn sourdough into sourdough. I usually perform this flour and water procedure daily, but because Lucille needs a little extra 'doctoring', I'll feed her twice a day for a couple of days, maybe even three.
Isn't she lovely? She's all clean and fed...and just seconds after stirring, you can already see bubbles beginning to form at her surface...and she smells divine!
Still, Lucille is probably a little weak from her near-death experience, so wait several hours and feed her again. Some say to remove a cup of starter before putting in the flour and water. I break the rules here, too, and just add them without taking out any starter first. It works.
What's the next thing to do for someone who's endured such tragedy? Let's see, we cleaned her, fed her...so the next thing would be to tuck her in nicely and let her rest...
...Which is exactly what I do.
I'll keep up this TLC for a few days before putting Lucille back to work. She has always been so kind to forgive me in the past, I'm sure she will again...and prove it by the delicious breads, crackers, pancakes, crepes and so on that she so lovingly gives us.
As for Hooch, well, I'm sure he'll make an appearance again eventually. But the aproned lady fears not...we know what to do now, don't we?
Next Post(s): Why Sourdough and How to Get Your Own Started
Cooking Traditional Foods~Traditional Tuesdays
Hooch loved hanging around Lucille. She was a little sweetie who always had one of his favorites to eat...grapes. But Hooch had a tendency of being overbearing. The longer he stayed around, the more he suffocated poor Lucille. Not only aggressive in his love, he was all about rising to the top in life. Unfortunately, his desire to rise to the top kept Lucille at the bottom. There, she slowly lost her breath...and eventually Hooch's black heart was evident for all to see. Without accountability, Hooch had eaten Lucille's sustenance and seeing her lying there near life's end, went on to rise to the top without her, taking only the stink of his character with him.
That's when the aproned lady came along. She saw that Hooch had indeed risen to the top and knowing Lucille had been left somewhere below, wondered if there was any hope. Hooch's stench filled the air and the aproned lady nearly decided to do away with both of them...The one, for justice...the other, for mercy. But she knew that would have been the easy route. The aproned lady needed to do all she could to preserve Lucille's life-if there were any life left to preserve.
But in spite of Hooch's atrocities, the aproned lady knew he was acting according to his genetic tendencies- for where Hooch is involved, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Still, he would have to be eliminated or he would continue to antagonize Lucille. But they were so closely connected, could the aproned lady pull off the feat of ridding the world of Hooch while yet preserving any possible remains of Lucille?
Ah, yes. She had done so before. She had been forced to terminate Hooch's father, and a grandfather or two before him. Surely, she could manage this, as well. Only this time, the situation literally looked blacker and uglier than ever before.
The aproned lady hung her head in shame. It was a well-known fact that Lucille needed protection and the aproned lady was assigned the duty of holding Hooch up to accountability. If only she had caught him when he'd first started to climb, she'd only have had to stir things up the least bit to keep him in line. But she had become too busy and had forgotten her duty and now Lucille's life hung in the balance.
Maybe the aproned lady wouldn't have felt quite the angst had she not failed in her assignment before, more than once. Each time, she promised herself to never let it happen again. But here she was, back in the same, self-inflicted situation. She was beginning to believe she wasn't meant to be in this job...
And of course, my former readers know that 'Lucille' is my sourdough and 'Hooch' is the by-product of fermentation...actually, a water-alcohol type mixture. And I, yes, I, am the aproned lady. I always wear an apron when I'm dealing with sourdough. Or I always do now, because I've had to change clothes so often from little splatters that like to stick.
The question about hooch (that's the liquid that floats to the top) comes up often among sourdough newbies. The basics are that it is usually a pale yellow-orange color, but some say it really depends on the type of flour used. I usually use a whole wheat or rye.
I also use the pioneer approach...I don't put my sourdough vessel in the fridge unless I'm going to be away a few days. This is a continuous ferment which requires more watchfulness, but leaves me much needed refrigerator space. According to Wardeh of GNOWFGLINS (link below), the sourdough should be fed twice a day. I tried to keep that up, but wasn't very good at it. My general rule is to be sure Lucille's fed once a day. But when she gets sickly from a few day's neglect, I have to step it up for a few days in order to get good bread results.
I found myself encouraged to name my sourdough after reading an account in "The Lost Art of Real Cooking", (see the carousel above), where the author named sourdough, "Durga" after a goddess. I decided to name my baby starter 'Lucille'. That way, if she ever did die, I could sing, "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Lucille," and hopefully, make myself laugh instead of cry.
Now, about Hooch. Hooch really isn't all that bad. This liquid contains living critters that help make your sourdough good for you. (And yes, it's name really is hooch!) It also imparts the 'sour' twang sourdough is known for. (Unless you get the kind that's been so overly processed that you can't taste the twang...then it's not really sourdough, is it?) The usual color of hooch as stated earlier, is a yellow-orange...as an average. The shade does vary, and I've even read some sourdough users claim that the grayish or black is the norm for them. For me, even though I do use the whole wheat, mine doesn't turn blackish unless I've neglected it. So, if you're doing the continuous ferment and it starts getting warm and you forget...Well, hooch can get out of hand.
Only from continuous experiment upon myself, I have to part ways with those who tell you to throw out your sourdough if it smells bad or has black hooch on top. Prepare yourself. I am going to show you a picture you will find offensive. If you could smell what I'm going to show you, you might even gag a little.
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| Tools for 'resurrection'...Oops! I forgot to add a dish cloth or paper towel. |
I use the scraper, (left), to scrape off any dried-on starter or blackened hooch from the insides of the container. The dried bits will fall on top of the sourdough, but are easily seen and fished out with the ladle. When I am done, I dampen a paper towel or clean dish cloth, and wipe any remaining residue from the lip and insides of the vessel.
Above, see the exact same container, minus Hooch, with Lucille beginning to breathe again! (Your baby's still alive if bubbles appear, and these appeared almost immediately.) The smell will now be pleasantly sour, sort of like a mild wine aroma...no more stink! But beware, Hooch can reappear quickly, only catch him early so you can use him to your benefit by merely stirring him back in before he starts showing his dark side.
Now that Lucille's alive, I administer First Aid by adding a cup of freshly ground whole wheat followed by a cup of filtered water. (You do not have to use freshly ground, or even wheat...and you don't have to use filtered water. This is how I do it for nutrition and toxic-free sake.)
Then, I just stir the flour and water in...gently. I don't show it in these photos, but once a week or so, I will throw in a handful of grapes. Grapes attract the beneficial wild yeast that are free-floating in the air. These yeast are the critters that turn sourdough into sourdough. I usually perform this flour and water procedure daily, but because Lucille needs a little extra 'doctoring', I'll feed her twice a day for a couple of days, maybe even three.
Isn't she lovely? She's all clean and fed...and just seconds after stirring, you can already see bubbles beginning to form at her surface...and she smells divine!
Still, Lucille is probably a little weak from her near-death experience, so wait several hours and feed her again. Some say to remove a cup of starter before putting in the flour and water. I break the rules here, too, and just add them without taking out any starter first. It works.
What's the next thing to do for someone who's endured such tragedy? Let's see, we cleaned her, fed her...so the next thing would be to tuck her in nicely and let her rest...
...Which is exactly what I do. I'll keep up this TLC for a few days before putting Lucille back to work. She has always been so kind to forgive me in the past, I'm sure she will again...and prove it by the delicious breads, crackers, pancakes, crepes and so on that she so lovingly gives us.
As for Hooch, well, I'm sure he'll make an appearance again eventually. But the aproned lady fears not...we know what to do now, don't we?
Next Post(s): Why Sourdough and How to Get Your Own Started
Cooking Traditional Foods~Traditional Tuesdays
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Kombucha in my Dryer...a Miracle Baby is Born
It is a well-understood fact among kombucha brewers that a tell-tale sign of a healthy scoby is scoby growth and proliferation...
When I first began to brew our own kombucha, I was chomping at the bit to get going, and nearly went on line to buy our beginner scoby. (Someone had given us one long before, but it froze to death in the freezer due to my forgetfulness.) The cost was $40.00. For one. One.
So, I didn't buy it.
Which was a good thing, because within weeks, I heard some ladies in my milk pick-up group talking about kombucha and the next thing I knew, I was hooked up with a fresh one, courtesy, Ellen. I quickly put it to work using the directions given in Nourishing Traditions. It developed over the next 10 days just as expected, and we became immediate and long-lasting friends of this liver-loving, fizzy potion.
The one thing I did not like about the kombucha was that our gallon didn't last very long and then I'd have to start over with the brewing cycle. This meant a 10-day wait between batches. I started making two batches, staggering starting dates, but that was a bit of a hassle, too. But you know it must be some good stuff, because I didn't quit. Not only was it something my husband relished, it was something we both knew was doing us good to drink. (More about that in the next post.)
So, I kept on until the day I mentioned it to Ellen and she looked at me with surprise and said, "You don't do the continuous brew?"
"Uh...NO. What's that?" I replied, hope rising in both my heart and voice...Could it possibly be true that I could have this fabulous elixir on tap at all times?!?
And the answer to that was, "Yes."
She gave me a quick verbal tutorial and again, I went right home and set to work. It was so simple. Keep it out instead of in the fridge. Have a quart or more of tea brewed and chilling until needed in the fridge. When you drink from the kombucha, replace the same amount using the chilled tea from the fridge.
We have had kombucha at our beck and call ever since.
To do this, we did purchase a 2 gallon ceramic crock with the spigot at the bottom. (Ceramic because it's not clear, so timid non-kombucha drinkers won't be swayed away by the looks of the scoby or the 'mother' that floats toward the bottom.)
The spigot is what got me into trouble...It's also the reason for today's post when I usually don't post the day after just posting.
About a week ago, I poured myself a cup of kombucha and walked away unaware that the lever on the spigot hadn't returned to the off position. My kitchen moans for counter space, so I had given the kombucha pot a home on the top of the clothes dryer. Needless to say, five minutes or so later, I was cleaning up a mess on top of the dryer, on the floor...you get the idea.
The kombucha crock was only a few inches away from empty, so I used what I had in the fridge and started brewing another pot of hot water to make more. It would end up taking about 3 pots, all of which had to be cooled before adding. I also knew, with saddened heart, that it would take several days for the scoby to 'do its thing' and eat up the sugar in the tea, giving it that genuine kombucha flavor while turning it into a liver-lifting acid. <Heavy Sigh.>
Now, I've known for quite a while that we have a nice, healthy scoby because it shoots off little 'mothers' all over the place and every couple of weeks, I have to disassemble the crock's spigot because a mother gets in-between the nooks and crannies inside, makes itself cozy, and begins to proliferate. Which means, the stream from the spigot gets weaker and weaker until cleaned. When I get it out, it's tiny and circular and reminds me very much of the time I ate rubbery squid in Nags Head. I also have given away several large scobies produced by our first scoby, yet still have a half-gallon mason jar filled to the brim with more in my fridge. This jar is my personal and somewhat secret kombucha stash. I'll tell you more about that in the next post, too.
But today, I received even greater affirmation attesting to the solidity of our hefty 'shroom'. I made the switch from washer to dryer and went to clean the dryer filter. Nothing new in that...nearly robotic...Until I felt the wet thing at my finger-tips. I was holding the filter by it's handle, but the wetness was from within the finger hold. Whatever it was, stuck slightly to my finger and as I uttered, "What in the...???", a rubbery 'thing' fell to the top of the dryer.
Then my brain hiccuped and I understood.
When the kombucha overflowed, some made it's way into the handle of the filter. Eager to proliferate even in the midst of chaos, a mother or two, or more, found their way to a cozy spot and hunkered down to do business in their new, (temporary), home. A better spot for a kombucha could never be...It was warm, humid and dark. Perfect.
Still, I'm thinking it's a really good thing that I found this baby scoby without an audience. (Scroll down for pics.)
*THIS EXCERPT, written by Tom Valentine, is the BEST overall information I have found about kombucha. I am adding it to all my kombucha posts.
Here are the pics...
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| This is our kombucha pot ON the dryer... |
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| And this is the filter from INside the dryer. I laid the scoby on a paper towel in front of the finger-hold where it grew. |
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| And this is a close up of our precious little miracle baby. For more about fermentation and traditional cooking in general, check out this link!: http://www.cookingtf.com/2011/05/06/fermentation-friday-3/ |
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