A Message from the Kitchen 5/25/21

It’s hard to think back to Fall when we are currently nearing the start of Summer. In October and November on the farm, days in the kitchen are a blur. It is during this time that our cabbages that make up the base ingredient in our line of Powerkrauts get harvested and processed for fermentation. Would you believe we brought in 9,000 pounds of cabbages last Fall to be chopped and packed into ferment barrels? That's equivalent to two Rhinos or one monster truck! Also, some folks might not realize we do not add vinegar to our Powerkrauts. That tang you taste is thanks to the science (or magic!) of salt interacting with the natural sugars of the cabbage. Other important factors of creating this lacto-fermentation is having the right temperature and time.

This last week, it was time for me to crack open two small batch experimental Powerkrauts to taste. I am so thrilled with the results and I'm looking forward to knowing what others think.

The first variety is a Garlic Lemon Rosemary Powerkraut. The flavor is so bright with lemon, slightly bitter with rosemary and gentle with garlic flavor. My nearly 7-year-old daughter claims to not like garlic. I believe it's when she can see it, like in a saute or home jarred pickles. When she eats farm fresh pesto or this new Garlic Lemon Rosemary Powerkraut, she can't get enough and asks for more! I envision pairing this variety with fresh asparagus off the grill. Simple as that.

The next small batch Powerkraut that I opened to taste was a Beet Powerkraut. For some people, they either love or loathe beets. I personally love beets! The color, the earthiness…this new kraut turned out just as I had hoped. I like this tossed in a green salad for a lovely burst of color. It makes a nice taco topping or just eaten by the forkful.

Both of these new varieties are small batch experimental flavors. I hope that if you have the opportunity to try either or both, that you let us know what you think. Think about the overall taste and texture. Most importantly, should we make it again? Comment below!

Your friend in fermentation,

Cindy
​

Kitchen Manager
Root 5 Farm