As the Pacific Northwest gardening season winds down, our focus shifts from the garden beds to the kitchen counter. The harvest is in, and now the quiet, magical work of preservation begins. One of our favorite methods is lacto-fermentation, and there’s no better visual for this living process than a jar of pickles, happily bubbling away. Many people who are new to fermenting get nervous when they see this activity. Is it safe? Is it […]
Some years, the garden just decides to give you a gift. This year, for us, that gift was cucumbers. And more cucumbers. Thanks to a perfect PNW summer, our Boston Pickling and White Wonder vines were incredibly productive, and every day brought a new harvest. When you’re swimming in cucumbers, there’s only one thing to do: make lots and lots of pickles! Our preferred method is lacto-fermentation. It’s a simple, ancient technique that creates a […]
As gardeners in the Pacific Northwest (specifically Zone 8b), we know that our growing conditions can be unique. Finding advice tailored to our cool summers and mild, wet winters is key to a successful harvest. That’s why I always recommend the Edible Gardens Workshop Series from the Pierce County Conservation District. If you live in the area and haven’t checked this program out, you are truly missing out on a wealth of local gardening knowledge. […]
If you’re a home canner, you know the feeling. The garden is overflowing, your countertops are piled high with beautiful produce, and you go to the store only to find the canning aisle completely wiped out. The struggle to find jars and—especially—lids is real, and it can be incredibly frustrating. During past shortages, we all had to get creative, freezing more produce and exploring alternatives. That experience taught me a lot about the importance of […]
When you have a garden that gifts you with a mountain of cucumbers, you learn to get creative! While we love our classic fermented dill pickles, this year we decided to dive into the world of sweet and tangy bread and butter pickles. We started with a fantastic base recipe from Chef John at FoodWishes.com and, after a few tweaks to get the sweetness just right for our taste, we landed on this incredible recipe. […]
A large glass jar filled with vibrant, red beet green kimchi, fermenting on a kitchen counter.
