The Ancient Art of Fermenting Food II: History, Health and more

The Ancient Art of Fermenting Foods II

After my last post, I realized there needed to be a little more added to this whole fermenting foods topic. Mainly history, health benefits, and a few more recipes. So for those of you who may be interested, read on.....

The art of fermenting foods is truly and ancient one. In my reading and research it appears that the art of food fermentation has been around longer than just about any other food preservation skill, at least 70000 years if not more. That stands to reason. The bacteria that is used to ferment vegetables is naturally in our healthy soils and on the food grown in the soils. (That is why organic produce works best for the fermentation process.) Our ancestors found that using the fermentation process not only gave flavor to their foods, but also allowed the food to be preserved for several months, especially during the colder seasons. Besides being tasty, this method of preserving foods also kept the foods safe for consumption. I suspect food poisoning was known and avoided in old times as well as now. 

It is also interesting to note that each culture had their own favorite type of fermented foods--so this method was "discovered" and used 

by different peoples independently and successfully. A few examples of fermented cuisine include yogurt, kefir, kimchi, chutney, sauerkraut, cheese, natto, kvass, pickles, wine, sourdough, and so on.  The list of foods fermented could include vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, and dairy. Depending on they type of food and method of fermentation used, diets could be tasty and varied and enjoyed by the common man.

The question does arise of how fermentation is able to preserve food? I found several sites that go into the science of fermentation, with big words and lots of chemical explanations. However, I like to keep things simple, so here is my short version:

• Bacteria, molds, and fungus are naturally in our environment
• Food will naturally break down and decay if not preserved in some way, due to these bacterias, molds, and fungi
• When we allow the good bacteria (primarily they lactobacillus kind) to grow, it penetrates the food. This changes the ph of the food so it is inhospitable to bad bacterias, molds, and fungus. These good bacteria also become so plentiful, there isn't enough room for any pathogens to grow.
• Also, often salt is used. It preserves the cell wall structure of the plant--keeping the final product crunchy and tasty. It also acts as a preserver by mixing with the natural juices of the plant, creating a brine that favors the good bacteria, and prevents undesirable bacteria, molds, or fungus from growing.

Bacteria is an interesting thing. It exists all around us. In fact, there are more bacteria residing in your body than your own cells. Interesting thought.  If you want the science of the importance of bacteria in our lives, Bonnie Bassler, a molecular biology professor at Princeton University, gives an amazing presentation at a TED talk:

 https://www.ted.com/talks/bonnie_bassler_on_how_bacteria_communicate

Another recent news article links lack of good bacteria in the gut to food allergies:

http://www.kcet.org/living/food/food-rant/reason-behind-increasing-food-allergies-discovered.html

Now, for some of the health benefits of fermented foods:

1. Fermenting foods improves our digestion. Fermenting our foods before we eat them is allowing the good bacteria to partially digest them before we consume them. In addition, the lactic acid that is created in the fermenting process helps improve stomach acid and other enzymes in our gut, all necessary in the digestive process.
2. Fermented foods restore the proper balance of bacteria in the gut. Many conditions have been linked to a lack of good bacteria in the gut, including lactose intolerance, constipation, IBS, candida, allergies, asthma, and others. It is also true that specialized cells in the intestine make many of our neurotransmitters, including 90% of our serotonin. Low serotonin is linked to depression. There are several medical studies that point to having a gut populated with good bacteria improves not only physical health, but also mental health.
3.  Raw, fermented foods are rich in enzymes. According to the Food Renegade blog, “Your body needs [enzymes] to properly digest, absorb, and make full use of your food. As you age, your body’s supply of enzymes decreases. This has caused many scientists to hypothesize that if you could guard against enzyme depletion, you could live a longer, healthier life.”
4. Fermenting food actually increases the vitamin content, and allows for easier absorption of nutrients. Some of the vitamins produced by those healthy bacteria include B, K, A and D--along with the nutrients supplied by the food itself. For example, sauerkraut is rich in Vitamin C. For that reason, sailers often took barrels of sauerkraut on their voyages to prevent scurvy.
5.  Eating fermented food helps us to absorb the nutrients we’re consuming. You can ingest huge amounts of nutrients, but unless you actually absorb them, they’re useless to you. When you improve digestion, you improve absorption. Healthy probiotics assists in creation of enzymes which helps with the digestive process. In addition, the good bacteria have already started breaking down the food making it easier to digest and assimilate. 
6. Eating lacto-fermented foods regularly may boost your immune system. A John Hopkins website claims at least 70% of the cells that make up our immune system are in our digestive system. Studies have shown that a diet which includes regular intake of fermented foods improves ones immune system, making one less susceptible to illness.  

Now for a few recipes. 

 KIMCHI

2 heads Napa Cabbage
1 head Bok Choy         1-2 cups shredded carrots
1-2 bunches green onions 2 teaspoons salt

Optional veggies:         Marinade:
match sticks of Daikon radish 1-2 jalapeño peppers (use gloves)
rounds of red radish 1/4 cup honey
turnips         1-2 inches fresh ginger sliced
brussel sprouts                 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
etc.                 1-2 teaspoons paprika
                1-2 cups of water

Coarsely chop Napa Cabbage, and Bok Choy. Cut green onions into 1 inch pieces. Put all veggies in large bowl and toss with salt. Blend marinade ingredients (may add a handful of veggies to blender as well). Pack chopped vegetables into mason jars, or a crock. Pour marinade over vegetables. If needed add additional water until covered. Cover with a cloth or paper towel. Secure with a rubber band. Swirl every day until done, about 3-7 days. Refrigerate until eaten.

 FERMENTED VEGETABLES

Brine:
1 glass quart jar with a plastic lid
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
2 cups filtered water

Any combination of Vegetables:
cauliflower, beets, green beans, bell peppers, radishes, daikon radish, cucumbers, turnips, broccoli, kale, onion, green onion, garlic, cabbage leaves.

Any Combination of Herbs and Spices:
dried chili peppers, black peppercorns, bay leaf, fresh dill, fresh basil, fresh tarragon, fresh mint, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, etc.

Dissolve your salt in water in a glass jar or 2-cup glass measure. Then place you favorite combination of vegetables into a quart jar (you can use a larger cylindrical jar or ceramic crock instead, just double or triple the salt brine keeping the same ratio of salt and water). Add a few layers of herbs and spices too. Make sure you leave about an inch from the top of the jar.

Then cover with your salt brine, leaving about an inch to a half inch from the top. Fold a small cabbage leaf and press it into the brine so the water floats above it and the vegetables are completely submerged. Cover with plastic lid. Don't screw the lid on too tight. You want some space for gasses to release. You should see a bit of bubbling and some liquid possibly dripping out after about day three, depending on the heat level in your home. Place jars into some sort of container, like a rectangular Pyrex dish, to catch any drips. Set your jars in an undisturbed place in your kitchen out of direct sunlight. After 5-8 days, taste. They are done when fermented to your liking. Remove cabbage leaf and store in refrigerator. They should last for several months.

CHOCOLATE MACAROON CAKE

CAKE INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons Instant ClearJel® or cornstarch
3/4 cup Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks, whites reserved for frosting
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups water
2/3 to 3/4 cup drained, rinsed, squeezed-dry sauerkraut
2/3 cup chocolate chips

CREAMY COCONUT ICING
2 large egg whites, reserved from the cake
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coconut flavor or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded or flaked coconut, sweetened or unsweetened

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
2) Whisk together the dry ingredients.
3) Add the eggs, yolks, oil, and vanilla, beating until smooth.
4) Gradually add the water, beating until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat again till smooth.
5) Combine the sauerkraut and chocolate chips in a food processor or blender, and process till the sauerkraut is no longer stringy. Stir the mixture into the batter.
6) Bake the cake for 35 minutes, until it's nicely domed, feels set in the middle, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
7) Remove it from the oven, and set it on a rack to cool. You can turn it out of the pan after about 10 minutes, if you like; but it's much more easier to simply serve it right from the pan.
8) When the cake is cool, make the frosting.
9) Place the 2 egg whites in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat until the egg whites are foamy and thick; they should mound in the bowl, without holding a peak. Set them aside while you prepare the sugar syrup.
10) Combine the sugar, cream of tartar, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently; the sugar should be dissolved. If the sugar hasn't dissolved, cook and stir a bit more, until it has.
11) Begin to beat the egg whites, and immediately pour the boiling sugar syrup into the egg whites in a slow stream, beating all the while. As you beat, the mixture will thicken.
12) Once all the syrup is added, stir in the coconut flavor or vanilla, and continue to beat till the frosting is thick and will hold a peak.
13) When the icing is very thick and spreadable, fold in the coconut.
14) Spoon the hot icing atop the cooled cake, swirling it decoratively. Garnish with toasted coconut, if desired.
Yield: one cake, about 18 servings.

For more delicious cultured vegetable recipes, go to: 
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/cultured-vegetable-fruit-condiment-recipes