Fermented Dairy Beyond Yogurt: Kefir, Viili, and Skyr Explained
Heating milk to 180°F denatures whey proteins for a thicker curd, but heating your starter above 110°F kills the live active cultures. I don’t recommend using more than 2 tablespoons…
Fermentation & Fermented Foods
13 posts
Miso and Koji: The Fermented Foundations of Umami and Gut Health
The most common mistake I see first-time miso makers attempt is low-salt fermentation under 7% total salt – it tastes aggressively yeasty and spoils fast. I don’t go below 7%…
Kvass Explained: The Traditional Fermented Beet & Rye Drink
True kvass is a low-alcohol, tangy beverage historically made from stale rye bread, not just beets. Fermented beet kvass is a medicinal offshoot, not the original recipe. First-time brewers try…
Tepache 101: The Fermented Pineapple Drink With Ancient Mexican Roots
Don’t use chlorinated tap water and expect wild yeast to behave. I learned this the hard way after ten minutes of trying not to throw up. I don’t recommend drinking…
How to Make Water Kefir at Home: A Beginner’s Fermentation Guide
Water kefir grains need minerals to thrive; using distilled water without adding minerals back will stunt their growth and flatten your fizz. The most common mistake I see first-time brewers…
Lacto-Fermented Pickles vs. Vinegar Pickles: What’s the Gut-Health Difference?
Commercial vinegar pickles contain zero probiotics. They’re made with acetic acid, not bacterial fermentation, and they’re almost always pasteurized for shelf stability. The most common mistake I see first-time fermenters…
Canning Traditions and Community: What FIOM’s Peach Canning Event Taught Us About Food Preservation
Water-bath canning is safe for high-acid foods like peaches, jams, and properly acidified pickles, but pressure canning is non-negotiable for low-acid vegetables and meats. The most common mistake I see…
Indigenous Fermentation Traditions: Tiswin, Sofkee & Atole
Indigenous fermented foods are not interchangeable traditions. The most common mistake I see first-time brewers make is treating tiswin like commercial beer and expecting a predictable alcohol content. If you…
Water Kefir, Tepache & Kombucha: A Beginner’s Guide to Fermented Drinks
Water kefir is the fastest and most forgiving daily ferment I know: 48 hours start to finish, and a single 1/4 cup of grains produces a fresh quart every single…
The Home Fermenter’s Guide to Sauerkraut, Kimchi & Lacto-Fermented Vegetables
The most common mistake I see when people first learn how to make sauerkraut at home is pouring in extra brine before the cabbage has wept its own juice. Dry-salting…