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G U I D E Fred reibin (left) co-founded the Facebook group saskatoon Ferments, which seeks to share recipes, knowledge, and starter cultures. supplied photo
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Good for ThE GuT:
feRMenTed foodS by Jennifer Jacoby-Smith
Fermented foods have been consumed by almost every culture on the planet, going back thousands of years. The art of making different kinds of fermented foods has been lost in modern life. But a group in Saskatoon has banded together to promote various kinds of fermented foods. Saskatoon Ferments is a Facebook group that aims to share recipes, knowledge and starter cultures. At the first meeting (and potluck, of course) 50 people showed up. “It was this group of people who were doing these things at home for a long time and then there was an opportunity for them to come out and share their excitement with other people,” says co-founder Fred Reibin. The group currently has over 400 members. “With pasteurization and sterilization there’s been a lot of advances in terms of how safe our food is,” says Reibin. “At the same time, a lot of the good bacteria has been taken out of our diet.”
Foods like probiotic yogurt are gaining in popularity because of the healthy probiotic bacteria they contain. Probiotics found in fermented foods – such as lactobacillus – ensure a healthy digestive system and a robust immune system. Reibin got into fermented foods first by making homemade beer. Eventually, he moved on to other non-alcoholic ferments, such as kombucha (a fermented tea). When a relative showed him how to make kimchi (a spicy Korean side dish), he was hooked. He even experimented with sauerkraut, recalling the amazing sauerkraut his Ukrainian grandmother made when he was growing up. Fermentation has become the primary way Reibin preserves the vegetables he grows in his garden. Last year, Reibin hosted workshops at the Ness Creek Music Festival. Saskatoon Ferments also set up a fermentation day at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market where interested folks can prepare their own ferments and then take them home.
MAkING your owN ‘kraut Reibin shares a simple fermented food recipe you can try at home – sauerkraut. Don’t worry, it is nothing like the canned versions found in most grocery stores. This fermented sauerkraut is full of fresh, piquant flavour, crunchy cabbage and is highly adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand. “Experiment and play around with it,” notes Reibin. “You can add whatever you want — some extra beets or carrots. If you want to make it a bit spicier, you can add garlic or ginger.”
Sauerkraut:
• 1 head of cabbage, grated to desired thickness • 3 tbsp non-iodized salt, such as Himalayan pink salt Place cabbage into bowl and sprinkle with salt. Massage it. It will begin to produce brine or liquid. Place in a crock or a Mason jar and pack down cabbage so that brine completely covers the vegetables. Keep it at room temperature. After two weeks, you’ll have a very good, healthy ferment. The sauerkraut can be fermented longer until it reaches desired tanginess.
these stories were produced BY coNteNt worKs, postMediA’s coMMerciAL coNteNt studio.
photo: getty images
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