Making Fermented Foods Is Self-sustaining
WHEN I was little, my family lived in a small town of north China. Winters were cold and there were not many choices for winter vegetables. Napa cabbages, radishes and potatoes were the main staples. In fall or the beginning of winter, each family stored about 50kg to 100kg of napa cabbages in a root cellar for winter. Some of these cabbages were used to make suan cai, a kind of fermented vegetable similar to kimchi. My family had a 30-liter fermenting crock holding 8 to 10 big napa cabbages with all the liquid, which was considered medium-size at that time. It took my mom a few hours to complete the whole process, washing and packing cabbages, preparing the brine, and placing a fermenting rock on the top of the cabbages. When this project was complete, it meant the family was prepared for the winter. This crock of suan cai lasted the whole winter and through to early spring for a small family with 2 or 3 members at that time.
Now the words “self-sustaining” and “sustainable” have become popular. What do these words mean? They mean “maintaining or be able to maintain oneself or itself by independent effort” (from www.Merriam-Websterdictionary.com ). More and more people are inspired to be self-sustaining. Fermentation is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. It keeps foods for a long period without using refrigeration and canning. People use this technique to preserve their harvest and consume during times of food shortage or harsh conditions.
Being self-sustaining has several advantages. The first one is, as mentioned above, being prepared for difficult times with confidence. The second is economic advantages. Making your own ferments is far more inexpensive than buying them. Let's take a simple example, a 2-lb organic green cabbage costs about $2.50–$4.00 in a grocery store. I can make about a half-gallon mason jar, 8 cups, of sauerkraut from it. Store-bought organic sauerkraut is on average $3.49–$6.49 for 16 oz, about only 2 cups. The price is a big difference. The whole work takes me about 30 minutes to finish including shredding, pounding, and packing.
However, it is the feeling of achievement. So this is the third advantage: personal satisfaction. I created my own sauerkraut, and also developed a positive and healthy attitude. Additionally, I do not worry about the quality of sauerkraut because it is the best I can have.
The fourth advantage is diversity and creativity. Each batch of sauerkraut varies in nutrition, acidity, flavor and texture due to temperature, humidity, fermentation time, quality and quantity of ingredients, strains of bacteria, and some others. It is a creation of a community of microorganisms in a certain ecosystem. It is also a creation of your own because you develop a friendly environment for them.
The fifth advantage is making fermented foods is a skill. Actually, it goes beyond skill to knowledge and attitude, also art and science, you can share with and teach others how to preserve food, how to make medicine in your kitchen, how to have a self-sufficient lifestyle, and how to be independent and practical. It is a treasure you can pass to your children too.