Fermenting foods is a fun and easy project that anyone can do! With the help of some spices and herbs from your spice store in Fort Collins and a bit of salt and water, you can transform foods into something new. Our favorite part about fermenting foods is that it’s so simple! It’s a lot easier than canning or other food-preservation techniques and allows you to make just one jar if you don’t want to make a huge batch. Here are some of our favorite recipes to ferment at home:
Pickles
Pickles are one of our personal favorites, and a great starting point if you want to get into fermenting! They’re simple to make and delicious on their own or with your favorite sandwich or burger. Our Pickling Spice and Farmer’s Market Pickle Spice are the perfect blends to make home-style pickles. The Pickling Spice includes mustard, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, black pepper, dill seed, cloves, allspice, chili peppers, and bay leaves. You can find yellow mustard seed, Indian coriander, celery seed, black peppercorn, caraway seed, dill seed, and bay leaf in our Farmer’s Market Pickle Spice. All you need is 1 oz pickling spice per quart of liquid. Let it sit in a jar in a dark spot for a few days and you’ll have delicious pickles!
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fun way to get into fermenting. It’s not as easy as pickling, but it’s still very easy! First, you need to get a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). You can buy these from a variety of places online, or see if a friend has one they can give you. Then you’ll need some black or green tea from Old Town Spice Shop, your spice store in Fort Collins. The final ingredients for your homebrewed kombucha are sugar and water, and then you’re good to go! Once you brew your tea and add your SCOBY to it, let it ferment for 7-10 days. After 7-10 days, your kombucha is ready for a second fermentation! This is the fun part, where you get to add flavors, fruits, and spices.
Some of our favorite things to add to kombucha are fresh lemon, crystalized ginger, raspberry emulsion, lavender, rosebuds and petals, and orange flower water.
Sauerkraut
Making sauerkraut is easier than you think! Grab a head of cabbage, salt, a jar, and any other spices you might want. Put the cabbage in a jar with a hearty pinch of salt, and massage it. You can add extra ingredients like caraway seeds, juniper berries, ginger, or dill seed. Give the sauerkraut a week and you’ve got some delicious kraut ready to add crunch to salads, hotdogs, sandwiches, or whatever else you enjoy!
Kimchi
If you love Asian food and you’ve never made kimchi at home, you definitely should! Grab some Napa cabbage, fish sauce, and rice flour for the base. There are so many recipes out there for kimchi, but some of our favorite things to add are Gochugaru Chili Flakes, ginger, garlic, Berbere, or Chili Lime Seasoning. Once it’s ready, add it to rice, noodles, or soup, or just eat it straight out of the jar!
At Old Town Spice Shop, your spice store in Fort Collins, we have the spices and herbs you need to ferment foods at home. Stop by the shop or give us a call to ask for more fermenting tips and about our other favorites spices to use! You can check out all of our other delicious spices, blends, and so much more at Old Town Spice Shop or visit us online at www.oldtownspiceshop.com. Happy fermenting! We can’t wait to see what you come up with.