My Tuesday Twister posts are my weekly round-up of what’s going on in my kitchen and our lives, as it pertains to GNOWFGLINS. We try as much as possible to make use of “God’s natural, organic, whole foods, grown locally and in season.” So here we go – I’ll catch you up on what’s twisting in my kitchen this week!
This week…
I finally got mini paper cups to make Avivah’s peanut butter cups. The last two batches, I used my homemade soaked almond butter instead of roasted peanut butter. I soaked the almonds to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors, then dehydrated them. Then I ground them into almond butter. Everyone declares these to be their favorite treat, excepting ice cream of course. 
What I love is that I can use less than the minimum sweetener and they’re still plenty sweet! If you haven’t tried these yet, you must. (I omit the nut meal because I don’t usually have any made up, and they still work great.)
I got a gallon of kraut going – this time mixing purple and green cabbage. The green cabbage came from a local farm. I’m happy that we’re approaching another season of local produce! Back to the kraut. When C. saw the big bowl of shredded cabbage as I was working on the kraut, his eyes got so big with excitement (he loves cabbage salad). I was sad to tell him that no, I wasn’t making a cabbage salad, it was sauerkraut. He does like sauerkraut, too, but still he couldn’t help being disappointed that cabbage salad wasn’t on the menu. I gave him some of it to eat right then, though. Be sure to check out Marillyn’s no-pound method of kraut making. I’ve been doing it this way also for some time. It sure beats pounding for 30 minutes! This sauerkraut is in a vegetable fermentation master (see my Resources page for sources).
I know I did other things, but those are the highlights of my last week.
So, that’s it for me – what’s twisting in your kitchen? To participate in the Tuesday Twister Blog Carnival, visit this post.
About Wardee Harmon
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You’re making my faaaavourites!!
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Your photos are gorgeous! Can’t wait to try the buttercups, and the purple punch of color in the kraut is beautiful.
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Wardee, where did you purchase your Picklemeister lid for your glass jar?
Thanks,
~Jami
Jami – That is the lid that came with the jar from Cultures for Health. I didn’t know it had another name! Tell me more please.
It is called Picklemeister (some type it Pickle Meister, but it’s one word) and is supposed to make the best kraut and pickles. People sell it for $19.99 + shipping, but Amazon isn’t selling it. So I wondered where you got yours
Cultures for Health – sells it for the same price, I just checked, but they call it a different name.
I’m just trying to find a good price on one
~Jami
Jami, I just did a batch of sauerkraut with the “picklemeister” jar (from Cultures for Health) and boy oh boy did it come out fantastic!!! I’m so pleased (thanks Wardee for the tip)./ Now, can anyone direct me to the conversation regarding the re-seasoning of cast iron pans, and how do I get back to there? I lost it and can’t get there from here………..
Connie, here it is:
http://gnowfglins.com/2010/03/12/how-to-season-cast-iron/
Connie – I just have to get me one
don’t I . . .
Wardee, if you are placing an order with CFH sometime in the future, and don’t mind my adding a Picklemeister onto it just let me know
Jami – Okay! But I was just reading yesterday that these airlocks are something you can purchase at beer/wine making places. Possibly at a lower price. I wonder if we can modify the plastic canning jar lids to accept an airlock so we can use 1/2 gallon and quart canning jars with inexpensive airlocks? Something to look into. I may call that place in Winston, if they’re still in business, to see if they have something CHEAP.
I’ve just been discussing this with someone on the Permies forum. I found and reported were someone tried this, bought the gaskets and everything. Their experiment was a total failure. And this is why you find these fermentors with the glass jar – the lid to jar fit must be perfect!
The wine making place would be a great place to try, great idea!
Does your PM have a plastic lid or metal, and how is it’s seal? I know older gallon jars + lids leak honorably when I tip them. I think this is the secret or trick – finding a good jar/lid combo
Jami – I would like to know more about the failed experiment. Was it a plastic jar or one of those plastic lids that I first mentioned with a glass jar?
The Fermentation Master is a glass jar with a plastic lid. It is not the same lid you or I can get in the canning section. It has more threads and tighter seal. It appears that a hole has been cut out of it, into which a rubber thing was inserted. A hole in the rubber thing also to receive the airlock.
The gallon jar does not fit any other lids I have, so the only way I have to store it in the fridge is with a piece of plastic wrap secured with a rubber band.
Very interesting . . . this explains a lot.
The experiment I read about did not mention what type of lid they used, I assumed plastic I don’t know why. The jar was glass. And they were stumped as to why their fermented veggies tasted so bad.
It was another scientific mind that pointed the problem out to be the seal between the lid and jar. Maybe this wise person has seen the PM set up, or has other inside information. When this was pointed out the person experimenting had an ah-ha! moment.
After reading this I flashed back to my hard unsuccessful search for just the lid and it all made sense, a special lid/jar that fit perfectly.
Maybe if we could find a jar-lid combo with a great seal, then adding the airlock would work just fine.
I think you’re right. First we’d have to find the right jar/lid combo to achieve a tight seal. I think then we could modify it to fit an inexpensive airlock. The question is, could we beat a $19.99 price, adding shipping and all that? I’ll call the place in Winston on Monday to see if they have any options.
You know, I wonder…..
If the airlocks were inexpensive enough, and we could put them into wide mouth canning lids easily enough, and they stay sealed (a lot of ifs I know) – then why not make our own 1/2 gallon fermentors/pickelers?
I know we would have to use several to achieve the volume, that is why I say if we could do it for a great price. Then having the freedom to use ‘other’ matching lids, and store without taking up lots of room might be a nice advantage.
What do you think? Is 1/2 gal with canning lids something to look into?
Jami – That’s what I was thinking at first, until you mentioned the tight seal issue and the other person’s failures. Those lids are not air-tight – they easily leak liquids when shaken up, anyway.
So I think we should try to find another lid for our canning jars, if there is another to be found. Or another jar/lid combo.
Good morning! I was compiling an order for Cultures for Health and wanted to ask which is more useful to you: a gallon size or 1/2 gallon size jar when you LF. When you and Jami conclude your research on the best equipment I would like to know. $19.99 didn’t sound too bad I thought. I was also going to order the mesophilic SC and rennet (have you tried the animal rennet and what do you think about it?) Love you! Mom
Hi, Mom! I have the gallon and love it. I make a big batch of sauerkraut in it – about 4 heads of cabbage. I don’t think $19.99 sounds bad either, and I like to support CFH, too. But if we could save money, I’d not turn it down, either. I don’t know if we’ll conclude this in time for your order, though. I have not tried the animal rennet. With rennet TABLETS, I have heard that the animal rennet is harder to dissolve. So I always go for the vegetable rennet. Love you!