Friday, August 19, 2011

Did someone say contest? Cultured Food Life!

Update: Congrats to Sue Smith!
If you want the book but didn't win, there's a link at the bottom of this entry to purchase. Thanks everyone!

Many subscribers have gotten their copies of The Essential Herbal by now, so they perhaps have seen the wonderful review by Danette Cathcart of "Cultured Food Life" a book on making probiotic foods. It just so happens that I have a copy here that I've been trying to figure out how to give away. The best idea I've come up with is that I'd love to see people comment, letting us know their very favorite cultured food or drink. Comments left here or on the facebook page for TEH will be entered into the drawing until the 26th.In the meantime, I highly recommend that you get to know Donna on Facebook at Cultured Food Life, where she shares information and recipes on a regular basis. She has provided us with the following recipe to enjoy while we think about what our answer for the contest will be:

Rosemary Sage Lemon Pickles

These pickles are my secret weapons.
If you haven’t heard of lacto fermented pickles you are missing out.. They are super easy to make, no canning just chopping and a little time sitting on your counter to perform their magic. They are loaded with good bacteria’s that turn these pickles into super foods. You don’t know how many times I have used the pickles and the juice themselves to cure a cold, flu and stomach ache. Acidifying bacteria make these pickles sour and load them with microbes that not only protect the food but also in turn transform you. Loading your body with much needed probiotics this is a food you always need to have on hand. They are delicious and unique and they will change you from the inside out.

Rosemary Sage Lemon Pickles

½ cup chives, chopped
2 cups cucumber, sliced
2 to 3 sprigs rosemary
4 to 8 sage leaves
1/2 Veggie pck or 1/4 cup kefir whey
1 tablespoon kosher salt
zest of one lemon
cold water to fill the jar

2 to 3 clean grape leaves, oak leaves, or cherry leaves, raspberry or blackberry leaves. (There are tannins in the leaves that make the pickles crunchy. You can leave them out but it makes a big difference in how crisp the pickles are.)

1. Slice cucumber into ¼-inch rounds. Tightly pack sliced cucumber and herbs in a 16-ounce clean glass jar until about ¾ full. Add cultures and extra water. Leave an inch or two of room at the top of the jar. The pickles will ferment bubbly and expand.
Let sit on counter tightly capped for 3 days and then place in refrigerator to further culture. They are ready to eat after about a week but keep fermenting and age much like a fine wine. I like them at about 2 to 3 weeks.

Http://www.culturedfoodlife.com

Click here if you can't wait and want to order a copy

Here is the link for the kefir whey
on the recipe. http://blog.culturedfoodlife.com/2011/07/19/how-to-make-whey-to-cultured-foods.aspx
And for the 1/2 veggie packages.
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/caldwell-starter-culture-for-fresh-vegetables.html
Both of these are on the same line as an ingredient in the recipe.

44 comments:

Melodie said...

What a terrific giveaway!Please enter me!So far the only thing I have done is Kraut,which I do a lot so I could use this to learn some new things!

Donna Schwenk said...

Here are the link for the kefir whey
on the recipe. http://blog.culturedfoodlife.com/2011/07/19/how-to-make-whey-to-cultured-foods.aspx

And for the 1/2 veggie packages.
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/caldwell-starter-culture-for-fresh-vegetables.html

Both of these are on the same line as an ingredient in the recipe.

Thanks so much Tina the blog and magazine are beautiful. Made my day! Donna

abby said...

Love it! My favorite is kimchi, all that spicy garlic and cabbage certainly suits me! Recently I've been making amazake, and it's getting to be pretty popular around here - especially mixed with coconut milk and cardamom. And how can you not love rice that turns to alcohol?

Jaime said...

Those pickles sound fantastic. Do want.

Deb said...

I've only made sauerkraut and it was a success. Why am I intimidated by other fermented foods?

Nestforawren said...

My favorite cultured food is...gosh so hard to choose now that I need to...perhaps lacto fermented dill pickles...but kimchee made with garlic, scallion, ginger and grated apple with the cabbage (no fish sauce, absolutely no fish sauce!) ...hmmmm....or perhaps dilly stringbeans.

Susan A said...

So many choices -- kafir? pickles? Kraut? do I really have to choose?

kkw1149 said...

Pick me please! :) I love pickles!

Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh said...

It is the pickles and pickled veggies that do it for me!

WhatAreWeCrazy!! said...

Haven't yet made many of my own (Or at least in a long time) so would love to received this book as a jumping off place!!!! My favorite at this time is a ChowChow that a local farmer makes! Mix that with mashed beans and it's a wonderful spread

Victoria said...

I love lacto-fermented pickles! Looks like I need to try the rosemary ones!

Beuna Tomalino said...

I love kimchi! Haven't made it yet but I would like to. I also like kraut and pickles.

Linda said...

We love sauerkraut and dh's jalapenos are cultured. I'm going to try Donna's cultured salsa soon. Would love to win this book! :) Thanks! cokelush at gmail

N. G. L'Hommedieu said...

I'm battling advanced cancer and I would love to know how to make some of these, I know it would help. I used to eat raw cultured saurkraut but they discontinued it in our city:( It really helped.

Missouri Mommy said...

I love lacto-fermented pickles. They are delis!!!!! Can't get enough!

Katrina said...

All I can say is I can't get enough of pickles!!!

Katrina said...

All I can say is PICKLES!!!

Thistledown Farm said...

Kimchee! Kefir, banana, molasses smoothies!

Helen said...

Yogurt is my favorite -- want to make my own pickles ...

Kerrie Tandle said...

Pickle revolution! (pstt ... thanks for the links, too!) ; )

Rita said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rita said...

Kefir is my only so far, I am sure with this book I'll go from being a newbie very quickly.

julesborealis said...

I love my lacto fermented pickles and ginger ale! I've been giving my sick dog lacto-fermented garlic, too!

Cheryl O said...

Lemon water Keifer would have to be my favorite

Samantha said...

I love Kombucha and am gearing up to try making my own. I made my own pickles last week...not bad. Next I think I'll try fermented carrots and see if I can get my 4 year old to start eating them. :)

Zen Garden Retreat said...

I <3 Kefir and Kombucha!!! I would love to win this book so I can learn how to make cultured foods!! Pick me! Pick me!!! ;)

Zen Garden Retreat said...

I <3 Kefir and Kombucha! I really want to win this book so I can learn how to make cultured food! Pick me! Pick me!!! ;)

Youthful One said...

We love our water kefir.
But I am very anxious to ferment veggies. We need some serious gut-healing around here.

Yart said...

I made cortido for the first time and absolutely love it. It is the best thing to add to any Mexican dish. It gives it just a bite but no heat.. LOVE that!

daphneb. said...

fermented veggies are foods that heal

Creations and Inspirations said...

I would LOVE to win your book! Your website and blog are SO informative I'm sure the book ROCKS! :) :) :) I'm a newbie as well.

ajc1696 said...

Would love to win this! Cultured veggies are the best and this pickle recipe sounds great! My favorite, though, is kefir...gotta have it for breakfast every day!

Natalie said...

I've just started with kefir grains - only a couple of weeks ago...I'm loving coconut kefir! so refreshing. About to try kefir cheese too...very new at this - but loving the journey...

Soccy said...

I was not aware of your blog. I found you through Kombucha Mama. I think your blog is great. Please enter my into the book contest. I haven't had much experience with culturing yet. so far only Kombucha and Kefir. But I hope to make salsa, mayo and ketchup very soon.Thanks.

Gilion at Rose City Reader said...

Ooooh . . . . I am excited!

I am torn between my favorites. Sheridan Produce (an old, indie grocery store) here in Portland makes the best real sauerkraut that I have ever eaten -- and I come from a long line of German krautheads.

But I've also got a big bottle of red wine vinegar in my own pantry that I created and have kept going since 1988. I may have to give the nod to that kitchen workhorse.

Theresa Burdine said...

I love Kombucha and am starting to make my own! I want to try kefir next and probably sourdough too!

Family Speak skhds said...

This is so interesting... not familiar with it but have always liked pickes, pickle juice, and used to make homemade sauerkraut, it was the best... Looking forward to exploring this more...

nirmala living said...

I love sauerkraut!!! I eat it straight out the jar. And I love making (and drinking) kombucha! However they are the only things I know how to ferment, so I could really use that book to give me more ideas!!!

KarenV said...

I love sauerkraut and free books.

Maureen said...

Would absolutely LOVE to win this book! We've been drinking home-made Kombucha for a year now and I so want to try some new things but am a bit intimidated by the process. Thanks for having the contest:)

Anonymous said...

i have been wanting this book! :) we are kefir-aholics lol and it get's pricey buying it for a family of 6! pickles, sourdough, kraut and kombucha would be on my short list of learn asap! thanks for the giveaway!
d~

Anonymous said...

I love to make kefir and kefir cheese. I drink kefire every morning. I would love to win your book!

Sarah said...

I love fermented beets with red cabbage!

WalkinDidactic said...

Count me in! I am making water kefir, and I would like to be making yogurt. I am buying yummy sauerkraut... So, I want to make other fermented foods, such as cucumber pickles and beets, and Indian-style lemon pickle. I would like to win your book!