We often hear phrases like this from a many of our customers located on the West Coast or in the Southern regions of the United States:
Today, we're going to tackle at least the first two of these questions! Two of the things that those of us in the Great Lakes Region of the United States take for grated are:
Across the world many fermented food traditions are strongest seated in areas which become very cold during the winter. Our ancestors knew that it was not only an ideal way to store food for less plentiful months, but also that it enriched the foods that were fermented into even more nutritious products.
The climate (cool temperatures) plus the produce (often cruciferous or root vegetables) and the timelines (usually after the fall harvest) all lineup perfectly to take advantage of the regions where these processes became the norm. Areas like Russia, Poland, Hungary, Germany and Scandinavia as well as Korea, China and Japan all have strong fermented food traditions that utilize cooler weather cycles.
It's worth mentioning that not all fermentation takes place at cooler temperatures though! While alcohol fermentations are one instance of a warmer temperature process there are also foods like tempeh (fermented soybeans) and poi (a fermented root porridge from Polynesia) that showcase warm temperature fermentation traditions.
In our experiences, the best vegetable fermentations follow a prescribed course similar to the following: Ferment for 3-5 days at 68°-72° to give healthy bacteria a chance to flourish then move to cooler (but not cold) temperature (between 58°-64°), a basement being ideal.
Having said that, not everyone has access to a basement. We've heard of many interesting methods to solve for this. Some folks have told us of complicated efforts to keep fermentables cool, often involving mini fridges, ice packs and coolers.
Here's the truth: you can have excellent results fermenting sauerkraut, pickles, carrots and more at room temperature (68°-72°) for the entire process. The three keys to success are:
Suface molds can occur much more rapidly at warmer temperatures. Use an airlock or crock with a water channel, as well as keeping the veggies completely submerged in brine to reduce the possibility of this. If a small amount of surface mold occurs, it can be skimmed off, as long as the rest of the ferment is not off-smelling.
Fermenting at room temperature is FAST and a little unpredictable. Sometimes things can take off quite quickly, and in just a week you can have a nearly radioactive sauerkraut bubbling as if it is a carbonated beverage. Check and SAMPLE your veggies regularly (every two days at least) until they taste just like you wanted. Longer times will yield tangier results.
Transfer the food to a jar or other food safe container as soon as you are happy with the results. Then put it in the fridge to lock in that flavor. Don't delay. Ferments can deteriorate into squishy or mushy states quite quickly at room temperature.
We hope that you'll give fermenting foods a try regardless of where you live or if you have access to a basement! On the plus side, if you're reading this article there's a few upsides to not having a basement that we thought we should mention:
So what are you waiting for? Grab a Crock! Grab a Cabbage! Most importantly, get started on making sauerkraut right on your countertop! Remember kids: 68°-72°is the new 58°-64°!