(fermentation)

[elainegrey]

Oh, i forgot to mention the vinegar.  Vinegar making si a bit ... unaesthetic. It's sort of letting nature have its way with ripe fruit bits.

Between the end of August and the end of October, I collected two quart jars of overripe figs. In early November i combined the jars into a very tall jar and rubber banded on muslin. The jar has a hinged glass lid, so i couldn't use my fermentation lid. It has about the same footprint, but  definitely more than 2 quarts of volume. I added an almost a whole packet of Cote des Blancs Wine Yeast and infrequently stirred down the solid matter that would separate and float above the red liquid. The sharp alcohol smell was noticeable.

Apparently that floating vegetative matter is the "cap", and wine makers have to manage it. "The cap can present a number of risks, a combination of acetic bacteria, the warmth of fermentation and oxygen could easily convert a vat to vinegar." -- https://wordonthegrapevine.co.uk/cap-management-winemaking/ (Also, i appear to be doing a "cold soak" in advance when i collect my fruit and just let them go to mush in a jar in the fridge.)

In the past week, i noticed how a thick vinegar mother seemed to appear by magic on top of the cap.  Today i coarsely separated the large solids from the the juice (sediment is already separating down). The smell of vinegar was intense. I'm really pleased with the ease of this production this year. I wonder about the volume to surface area ratio that using the large tall jar provided. I'll try to use the same jar next time.

Right now i'm collecting orange peels in the fridge: i'll make fig marmalade again. I've just read about mostadas -- a fruit preserve with mustard -- and fruit mustards. That's a rabbit hole for the afternoon: pondering reconstituting dried figs in fig vinegar, adding mustard (and cloves)....

Meanwhile, i also made yet another loaf of the fermented buckwheat bread. It is amazing in its simplicity and tastes good, and i keep having successful ferments and bakes. Part of me wants to try rye again, the other part of me is asking why on earth i would try something different. I do have some roasted malted whole rye still in the back of the pantry. Maybe i will add that to the next batch?

 

Comments

[amaebi]

Wow, that production sounds marvelous.

[tamena]

for someone in an undefined funk you get a lot done!
Proud of you for the doing the little stuffs that keep you going =)
I love reading about your kitchen experiments

[egret]

Your food always sounds good.