Peripatetic philomaths…focusing on what's really important, eating ethically and cleanly, fermenting, foraging/wildcrafting, practicing herbalism, and being responsible stewards of our land. Sharing our photos, musings, and learnings. Still seeking our tribe.
It’s still hot and sticky here – perfect shrub weather. Shrubs have a uniquely palate-pleasing combination of sweetness and sour, and adding sparkling water creates a fizzy thirst-quencher!
Continue reading “Live Beverages: Shrubs v2.0”
Hot, sticky days seem to go hand in hand with cold, refreshing beverages. Though we keep delicious probiotic drinks like water kefir and kombucha on hand, we recently decided to expand our repertoire to include shrubs – AKA “drinking vinegar”. A combination of fresh fruit, raw vinegar, and sweetener, rounded out with the effervescence of sparkling water…it’s summer in a glass!
Continue reading “Live Beverages: Stimulating Summer Shrubs”
I remember, one summer after we bought the farm (ha!), looking quizzically at a tall, leafy tree laden with fruit and wondering what in the world it was. A berry tree? And one where the berries seemingly grow right out of the branches? Will wonders never cease? I discovered that it was a mulberry, and that those berries are very much edible!
Continue reading “Kefir Madness: Mighty Mulberry”
The watermelon rind pickles are happily fermenting away, and we’ve been enjoying the refreshing coolness of the watermelon flesh right out of the refrigerator. But when fresh fruit is around, it almost always works its way into water kefir, and watermelon is no exception!
Continue reading “Kefir Madness: Waste-Free Watermelon”
Seeing a shelf full of ferments-in-progress never fails to brighten my day: the colors, the sense of accomplishment, and the anticipation of enjoying the fruits of my labor all play a part. Today, I gaze at the lovely jars of watermelon rind pickles just beginning their transformation and smile.
Continue reading “Farm Ferments: No Waste Watermelon Rind “Pickles””
I’ve been saving the bones from the grass fed and grass finished beef soup bones and oxtail that we purchased from a local farm. These were the core of a variety of soups, including Korean-Style Oxtail Soup, and we’d already enjoyed the meat and marrow attached to the bones. Would there be anything left in these pressure-cooked bones to make bone broth? Definitely!
Continue reading “Under Pressure: Second-Time-Around Beef Bone Broth”
As the fragrance of elderberry syrup wafts from my adorable 3-quart Instant Pot, I think of hot summer days, picking clusters of purple berries and, later, picking berries from the stems with fingers stained a dark bordeaux. In the depths of winter, those days are a mere memory, but the fruits of those labors are very real.
Continue reading “Wildcrafted: Easy Instant Pot Elderberry Syrup *v2.0*”
One of my favorite parts of the delicious Vietnamese sandwiches called bánh mì is the pickled veggies: they’re lightly salty, tangy, and sweet, a wonderful combination that complements the other sandwich ingredients perfectly. Also great in other dishes, like bún (vermicelli noodle bowls), this is a versatile condiment to keep on hand.
Continue reading “Ferment This: Đồ Chua (Daikon & Carrot Pickles)”
Just because temperatures are below freezing and snow’s in the forecast doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a taste of the tropics – and with the goodness of water kefir, also give your immune system a boost with beneficial probiotics. Today, I bottled a flavor I call “Tropical” and have Banana Cream and Lime-Coconut doing a second ferment.
Continue reading “Kefir Madness: Escape To The Tropics”
With winter’s approach, my thoughts go to ferments, and how particularly satisfying – and beneficial – they are at this time of year. Cool-weather vegetables, such as brassica, lend themselves to making easy and delicious living foods like sauerkraut and kimchi. Why not make some today?
Continue reading “Farm Ferments: Brassica’s Biotic Bounty”