FermUp - The Fermented Food Blog

How to Fall in Love with Koji

Fri, 05 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0500

Are you ready for a life changing experience? Are you prepared for one of the most alluring aromas of all ferments? Let your creativity flow. Koji can, and will, be your next muse. I urge everyone to invest a little time and resources into making koji; the real challenge is in the stopping. But after you try it, you won’t want to quit.

Instead, you may start by making koji using traditional ingredients such as rice and barley, only to find yourself experimenting with countless non-traditional seeds, legumes, and grains. Try it, I dare you.

To make koji is to grow mold. The mold we want is Aspergillus oryzae. This white and fuzzy mold transforms substrates such as grains or legumes into fruity aromatic deliciousness.

There are different ways to unlock sugars from starches. A common method in beer brewing is to malt grain. By sprouting the grains, the natural life-cycle of a seed unlocks the sugars so that the seedling can use those nutrients in the early stages of plant development. Tricking the seed into sprouting, and then halting that process, provides us with the sugar as opposed to the baby plant (yes, think of all those poor little newborn seedlings the next time you drink a beer).

Aspergillus oryzae uses a different method. There is no need to sprout when you are a microbe that can digest starch compounds and poop out sugars. That is not exactly what happens, but it works for a nice visual of the microbial process.

We can then use these sugars in other fermented foods such as miso or sake. But why be so old school and traditional when there is a whole new world of ingredients ripe for experimentation? This is a new age in koji love. Koji can be your new flavor weapon. Protect the world from the bland and the boring.

But first, you must make the koji. Here is a recipe excerpt from my new cookbook, The Everyday Fermentation Handbook. And here is a visual guide to building a koji incubator.

Yield: 1100 grams (8 cups) Prep: 12 hours Fermentation: 48 hours

Ingredients

900 grams (4.5 cups) white rice
2 grams (1.5 teaspoons) koji starter

Directions

Rinse rice in cold water until water is no longer cloudy. Soak rice in water for at least 12 hours.
Drain water from rice. Option A: If using a bamboo steamer, line the steamer with butter muslin or fine-mesh cheesecloth and steam rice for 50 minutes. Depending on the size of steamer, this may require multiple batches. Option B: If using a pressure cooker, place the rice in a stainless steel colander small enough to fit inside the pressure cooker. Add 375 grams (1.5 cups) water, or the minimum amount of water required for your pressure cooker, whichever is greater. Seal and heat to 15 PSI, hold for 30 seconds, and then remove from heat and allow to depressurize for about 10 minutes.
Remove rice from steamer or pressure cooker and place in a glass cake pan. Once cool enough to touch, use very clean hands to stir and work out any clumps that have formed. Continue to stir until rice has cooled to 110°F (43°C).
Add koji starter to rice and mix thoroughly for 5 minutes.
Cover with a clean and damp cloth. Incubate at 86°F (30°C) for 6 hours. If possible, control your incubator's temperature based on the internal temperature of the rice by inserting the probe into the middle of the rice bed. If this is not possible, check the internal temperature with a thermometer every few hours to make certain it remains near 86°F (30°C).
After the first 6 hours, stir rice and break up any clumps that have formed. Cover and return to incubator for another 6 hours.
Stir rice again and if rice feels drier than before, re-dampen cloth, cover, and return to incubator for another 12 hours.
Rice should smell faintly sweet. Stir rice one more time and then create 2-3 trenches or furrows in the rice bed. Only make the trenches halfway deep and do not expose the bottom of the cake pan. The goal is to create as much surface area as possible and decrease likelihood of overheating as the koji mold grows. Cover and incubate for 12 more hours, ensuring that the temperature remains near 86°F (30°C).
Check rice and dampness of cloth. If necessary, lightly re-dampen the cloth. Rice should smell sweet and fragrant and have signs of a white fuzzy mold beginning to form. Cover and ferment for another 8-12 hours.
Once a white mold has stretched across the rice bed, remove from incubator, break up the rice clumps, and bring to room temperature. Use rice koji immediately, refrigerate or freeze in a sealed container, or slowly dry for 1-2 days for longer-term storage. Refrigerated koji will keep for 2-4 weeks, dry koji for 3-6 months, and frozen koji for up to 1 year.

The amount of koji starter will be dependent on where you source your starter. There are different forms of starter, and some are more potent than others. Calculate the amount based on the recommendation of your starter supplier.

If you want to make a lot of koji, I recommend using a large 20 quart pressure cooker. I like to make 4 pounds at a time, and steaming 1 batch of rice in a pressure cooker saves a lot of time compared to multiple batches in a steamer.

What Does Gram-Positive Mean?

Mon, 17 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0500

To keep to the What the Ferment Podcast theme we developed two weeks ago, I thought it would only be fitting to go a little more in depth about Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB).

As Branden and I said in WTF Episode 2, Lactic Acid Bacteria is a very general name for a class of bacteria that are gram-positive, non-sporing, non-respiring, round or rod in shape bacteria, which produce lactic acid as a major end product during the fermentation of carbohydrates. Phew, that’s a long definition. Maybe we should just focus on one term at a time. Let’s start with gram-positive.

Gram-Postive

The phrase ‘gram-positive’ is a term used by microbiologist to classify bacteria into two groups (gram-positive or gram-negative). This positive/negative reference is based on the bacterium’s chemical and physical cell wall properties.

To determine if a bacteria is gram-positive or gram-negative a microbiologist will perform a special type of staining technique, called a Gram Stain. The name comes from its discoverer and inventor, Han Christian Gram (Gram, 1884). This stain will either stain the cells purple (for positive) or pink (for negative).

Gram-positive bacteria have a very thick cell wall made of a protein called peptidoglycan. These bacteria retain the crystal violet dye (one of the 2 main chemicals used for gram staining). Whereas, gram-negative bacteria have a very thin peptidoglycan layer that is sandwiched between an inner cell membrane and a bacterial outer membrane.

Gram-Negative

Gram-negative bacteria do not retain the crystal violet stain because of its physical makeup and will stain pink. Thus, why they are called gram-negative. You also need a microscope to see this stain coloring. The microbes are still very tiny and are usually placed on a slide prior to staining.

This image is a very simple representation of how bacterium cell walls look. The protein I am talking about is in red.

Are they good or bad?

Usually, gram-positive bacteria are the helpful, probiotic bacteria we hear about in the news, like LAB. They are the happy ones that live in our gut and help us digests food (Behnes, et al; 2013). Gram-negative bacteria, by coincidence, are usually thought of as the nasty bugs that can make us sick and can be harmful. For example, several species of Escherichia coli (E. coli), are common causes of food-borne disease. Another example is Vibrio cholera, the bacteria responsible for cholera, is a waterborne pathogen (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2012).

However, this is just a generality and cannot be assumed that all gram-negative bacteria are harmful. Gram-positive bacteria can also be pathogenic. Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for producing neurotoxins that can kill in hours is a gram-positive bacterium.

Hopefully this clears some things up. Next time I’ll focus on another science topic. Until next time, FermUp!

REFERENCES:

Behnsen, J., Deriu, E., Sassone-Corsi, M., and Raffetellu, H. 2013. Probiotics: Properties, Examples, and Specific Applications. Perspectives In Medicine. https://perspectivesinmedicine.org/content/3/3/a010074.full

Gram. C. 1884. Ueber die isolirte Färbung der Schizomyceten in Schnitt-und Trockenpräparaten. Fortschritte der Medcin, (2):185-189. Available at: https://www.microbelibrary.org/images/stories/ML_2.0/1884p215.pdf

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Last Updated April 30, 2012 and last Reviewed April 30, 2012. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/antimicrobialresistance/examples/gramnegative/Pages/default.aspx

Good Food "Ferment" Festival

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0600

Are you going to the Good Food Festival this year? You should if you live near Chicago. Not only is it the 10th Anniversary of a festival and conference advocating delicious, healthy, and accessible food, but it is also full of fermentation this year!

There are so many fermented food workshops and sessions that the Good Food Festival is quickly becoming the Good Ferment Festival. Be sure to stop by any one of the three sessions that I’ll be teaching or try to catch me while I’m running around searching for fermenters to interview for a FermUp segment.

In the wake of last year’s Kimchi Competition and headliner Sandor Katz comes a more covert fermentation operation this year. But we fermenters will still be there, lurking amongst the fresh, ready to inoculate the minds of passersby and participants. Come support the Good Food Festival and stay for a fun filled day of ferments.

The following are listed based on time so that you may plan your entire day around fermentation. There is some overlap, so choose your ferments wisely.

Master Class: Home Butchery and Curing

presented by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn
9:00AM to Noon

This class may be a stretch to add to the fermentation list. It may or may not include much talk of fermentation. It is a three hour course, but much of that time will likely be spent walking through the butchering process. Even if there isn’t much fermentation in this course, you are sure to learn a few things about butchering and therefore be more prepared for fermenting your own meat at home. You must pre-register for this class; signup here.

Kimchi Basics & Improv

presented by me: Branden Byers
11:30 to 11:50AM

Here’s the first session I’ll be teaching at the festival. Learn the basics of kimchi vegetable fermentation, how to improvise your own flavor creations based on available ingredients, and then learn a few ideas on how to incorporate kimchi into your regular cooking/eating habits. There is a lot to cover, but I will keep it simple so you can go home and work your own kimchi magic. Stop by and say hi but you will probably have to follow me over to the DIY Heirloom Yogurt session because I’m booked back-to-back for these Good Food Commons sessions.

Using Sourdough Starters & Freshly Milled Whole Grain Flours

presented by Crumb Chicago and Sauce and Bread Kitchen
11:30 to 11:50AM

While all leavened bread is a form of fermentation, I’m biased when it comes to thinking of bread and fermentation. It’s all sourdough for me. And if you’re not already using sourdough starters, then this Good Food Commons session under the Make Your Own track is sure to give you an introduction.

DIY Heirloom Yogurts

presented by me: Branden Byers
Noon to 12:20PM

That’s right, if you haven’t heard me talk enough about heirloom yogurts on the FermUp podcast, then this session will give you another fix. This mini-session will provide an overview of the broad range of heirloom yogurts available and how to make them at home. It’s a part of the Good Food Commons Make Your Own track so general admission is all you need to attend. See you there!

The Locapour’s Cocktail Bar

presented by Kevin West
12:30 to 1:45PM

Sure, alcohol is fermented, but, more importantly, word on the street is that this workshop may include the mixing of shrubs. In which case, if you get hooked on shrubs, you’re only one step away from fermenting your own vinegar for your new favorite drink.

Fantastic Fermentation

presented by Edible Alchemy
1:00 to 1:20PM & 3:00 to 3:20PM

I’m certain these vegetable fermentation sessions will be fantastic. And there are two of them so you have no excuse to miss the content! Plus, it’s being taught by Andrea Mattson-McGaffey, whom, if I remember correctly, was one of the judges of the Kimchi Competition at last year’s festival. She’s a vegetable fermentation pro so you’d best go!

Kombucha & Kombucha Mocktails

presented by Arize Kombucha Tea
1:30 to 1:50PM

If you aren’t going to be at the full Kombucha workshop later in the day, then this one might be just what you’re looking for. Of course, you might as well attend both because this mini-session will be introducing you to kombucha cocktails.

Introduction to Cheese-making

presented by David Arfa & Elsa M Jacobson
1:30 to 1:50PM

I’m not certain what kind of cheeses will be presented in this session. So it could be all fresh acid-coagulated cheeses, in which case, it’s not actually fermented. But check it out if you’re interested in cheese.

Cheesemaking with Goat’s Milk

presented by Angelic Organics Learning Center
2:30 to 2:50PM

As with the other cheese making session, I’m not certain if this will include any fermented cheeses. But even if they are only acid-coagulated cheeses, they still are made with goat’s milk, which is delicious, so check out this session in the Good Food Commons if you have time.

Master Class: Brew Your Own Beer

presented by Chicago Brew Werks
2:00 to 5:00PM

If you’ve been procrastinating brewing your own beer at home, then now is your chance to learn everything you need to know to get started. It’s a three hour course, so it is safe to assume that all of the basics will be covered with plenty of time for questions. You must pre-register for this class; signup here.

Cider, Vinegar & Hard Ciders

presented by Ellis Family Farms and Seedling Fruits
3:30 to 3:50PM

I love making fresh cider and spontaneously fermented hard cider. Sometimes I also end up making vinegar if I forget about the cider. All three ways of enjoying a bounty of apples are delicious and a perfect example of how fermentation works as an excellent preservation method. Check out this session in the Good Food Commons if you expect to find yourself with a lot of apples this summer and fall.

DIY Kombucha and Fermented Sodas

presented by NessAlla and FermUp
3:30 to 5:00PM

Inevitably this workshop is going to be blast because it brings together three Madison, Wisconsin based fermenters! Alla and Vanessa of NessAlla Kombucha will be sharing the basics of kombucha brewing at home and I will be sharing how easy it is to make naturally fermented sodas. We will also provide an overview of the differences and similarities between non-alcoholic fermented beverages. Make sure to get a Workshop Pass for admission to this and all other workshops.

You can purchase general admission (includes all mini-sessions) or Workshop Passes (includes all workshops except the two Master Classes) online. See you at the Saturday Food Festival on March 15, 2014!

My Fermented Valentine

Mon, 10 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0600

Celebrating Valentine’s Day? Then add a little something fermented to the menu. Try these yogurt stuffed toaster pastries as a special treat for your special someone. Though if made large, they won’t fit in a toaster, so consider these toaster oven pastries.

This pie dough and filling include yogurt and so this is a fermented food recipe by my definition. If you prefer savory, skip the yogurt filling and instead use sauerkraut or feta inside. Any way you stuff it, get ready to eat your fermented heart out.

Makes 2 large hearts

For Toaster Pastry Crust

250 grams (2 cups) + 100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
226 grams (1 cup) cold butter
5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
24 grams (2 tablespoons) sugar
130 grams (1/2 cup) cold yogurt or kefir

For Yogurt Filling

180 grams (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
100 grams (1/3 cup) yogurt or kefir
5 grams (1 tablespoon) tapioca flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
Combine 250 grams (3/4 cup) flour, butter, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until combined into small bits.
Add remaining flour and pulse until just combined. Do not over-process.
Transfer dough to a bowl. Add some of the yogurt to the bowl and begin to combine with hand or spoon. Continue to add yogurt until the dough comes together in a ball. It may not be necessary to use all of the yogurt. At this point, dough may be used immediately or refrigerated for up to one day.
Whisk together powdered sugar, yogurt, and tapioca flour in a small bowl.
Separate pastry dough into four pieces. Roll out one section to 1/8-inch on a floured surface. Cut into the shape of a large heart. Gently transfer to a baking sheet.
Spread the filling over the heart up to a 1/2-inch from the edge.
Roll out a second piece of dough to a 1/8-inch thickness and then drape over the heart on the pan. Press down with your fingers around the edge of the heart. Gently cut the top pastry crust to the size of the original heart. Ensure edge is sealed.
Make small incisions with a knife, fork, or toothpick into the heart so that they do not explode when baked.
Repeat for second heart.
Bake for thirty to thirty-five minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve as is or toast to a dark golden brown in a toaster oven.

Note: As the tapioca flour heats up, it will thicken the yogurt and sugar filling so that once baked, the filling resembles that of commercial toaster pastries. If you really want the inside of your hearts to be red, then add a few drops of food coloring to the filling before baking. Beet juice almost works as a dye, but after baking, the color turns rather dull and disappointing.

The Importance of Weighing Salt

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Not all salt is equal. Some salts are more dense than others. This is why it is important to weigh salt by the gram as opposed to using imperial measurements such as tablespoons when fermenting vegetables.

At least this is what I set out to expose when taking the photos for this post. Yes, measuring by weight will produce the most consistent results. However, if you are fermenting a relatively small amount of vegetables, the difference between salts measured using tablespoons is negligible.

If you’re only familiar with table salt and processed sea salt, then it might surprise you to know that there are many different kinds of salt available for purchase. While most of these salts are not available at local grocery stores, they are available through specialty shops.

Some of these salts are denser than others due to the way that they are cut or from the trace minerals in the salt. This density will effect how many grams of salt will fit in a tablespoon. If you’re using less than two tablespoons, which is the amount that I used for the photos in this post, then using imperial measurement versus a gram scale will not matter much. However, if you are looking for consistency and reproducibility in a fermented recipe, then a gram scale is still your best option.

I didn’t use exotic salts, but I did use a few different salts differing in density, shape and brand. When measuring the weight of two tablespoons for these salts, I realized that the difference between the salts was one gram or less. So on the small scale, weighing is not necessary. But if you were going to ferment a 55-gallon batch of sauerkraut, then that one gram of difference could drastically change the final product.

I prefer to use a gram scale when preparing fermented foods because I find it much easier to use ratios. When I make sauerkraut, I first measure the cabbage and then I measure out 2.25% of that vegetable weight in salt. Of course, it is possible to skip measurement entirely and simply salt to taste, but that is a little too unpredictable for me.

So use whichever method fits into your work style the best unless you will be making a large batch of fermented vegetables that you would like to turn out the same every year. In that case, I definitely recommend a gram scale.

Good Turnout for the Madison Food Camp 2013

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

No matter how much someone knows about food or fermentation, there is always something to learn. More importantly, it is always inspiring to meet other people excited about food fermentation.

My experience teaching two workshops at Madison Food Camp this past Saturday was awesome. All of the attendees showed interest and excitement for heirloom yogurts and homemade cheese. The rooms were packed full for all of the fermentation classes that I attended. It really is inspiring to see so many people interested in food fermentation.

I don’t have any photos from either of my workshops.

I liked the Eastern Sourdough class with a discussion on dosas. I haven’t made any forms of sourdough for a few years, so I not only got a refresher, but learned new things in the process.

I handed out viili yogurt starters at the heirloom yogurt class in hopes that people would be inspired to not only make their own viili at home, but also share it with their friends and family. I believe the more people that are making viili in a specific area, the less likely friends and family are to loose their cultures. If a person screws something up, they can just go ask their neighbor for more. We must work to keep these heirloom yogurts alive and easily accessible.

If you were in attendance at the heirloom yogurt workshop, be sure to check out these instructions for a refresher on how to make your viili at home.

Thanks to everyone that attended. I had a great time!

Spicy Dehydrated Dilly Beans

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Here is my second attempt at dehydrating fermented vegetables. This time I tried a plain and spicy version of dehydrated garlic dill grean beans (a.k.a. dilly beans).

This isn’t about creating survival food. For me, this is about flavor exploration. In this second attempt at fermented vegetables, the flavor of the garlic dill green beans tasted surprislingly similar to sauerkraut once dehydrated. If you haven’t tried the sour cabbage crisps, then I recommend starting there if you want to follow along on my journey.

Don’t squeeze out the garlic dill grean beans before dehydrating. Removing as much liquid as possible does make for faster dehydration, however, the texture and crunch of the final dehydrated bean is affected. If you do decide to squeeze, then the dehydration will be closer to 6 hours as opposed to 9 hours. Since these expirements are about taste and mouthfeel, I opted for not squeezing my second batch.

In the second batch, I also decided to add additional seasoning. Below you will find my directions for a spicy dilly bean crisp.

Ingredients

1/2 lb fermented green beans (approximate)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons parmesan
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Remove previously fermented green beans from brine.
Place the grean beans in a bowl and mix with oil, parmesan, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Place the flavored green beans onto dehydrator trays.
Dehydrate for 9 hours at 120°F (48°C).

The final spicy crisp tastes good but I will probably continue testing out different seasoning combinations. Any kind of seasoning that goes well with garlic, dill and lactic acid tartness will work great.

I’m thinking dehydrated kimchi is in order for an upcoming round…

Bulging Lid: What Not To Do With Kefir

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Kefir is simple to make but it is also easy enough to mess up through curiosity. My latest experiment was to brew kefir like it was made long ago but I took way too many liberties to make this a worthy test.

The first kefir grains are believed to have formed inside of animal skin pouches. Originally, these pouches were used to carry fresh milk. At ambient temperatures, raw milk ferments on its own due to naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria. The animal skins were also presumably contributing bacteria to the milk. Eventually, polysaccharide matrices began to form on the inside of those pouches and the first kefir grains were born. This theory has been tested in a laboratory with positive results documented in this PDF journal article.

So with that idea in mind I extrapolated too far. I assumed that if kefir grains were forming on the inside of the animal skin pouches, then they must not have been washing those containers. Hence, the reason I decided to stop washing my kefir brewing vessel in-between straining and adding new milk.

I generally don’t wash my quart-sized kefir grain mason jar every day. I will usually wash it every few days or at least once a week. My kefir grains have been happy with this set-up for a few years.

For the last month or two I decided to stop washing the mason jar altogether. There was some buildup that began to form on the inside edges, but I believe this was milk fat solids and not polysaccharide matrices. What I should have been paying closer attention to was the lid.

Unlike yogurt, kefir likes to be jostled.

There is some disagreement on the best way to ferment kefir. Some ferment with a lid and others use a cloth or coffee filter for cover. Either way works but I prefer to use a lid so that I can give the jar a good shake any time that I pass by. This is similar to the way that kefir was traditionally hung by the entryways of homes in the Caucasus mountains and all visitors were required to kick the kefir bag when entering or leaving. Unlike yogurt, kefir likes to be jostled.

I believe the only reason the lid became an issue was because it was not remaining submerged in fresh milk, or kefir, and so the bacteria population of the lid was different than that in the kefir. By not washing the lid, eventually the lid bacteria made an attack on the fresh milk and kefir grains below. This may have been on ongoing battle and the kefir grains finally lost out.

...the kefir didn't taste horrible but it wasn't something I could confidently drink either.

On the day that my kefir grains died a sad death, the kefir didn’t taste horrible but it wasn’t something I could confidently drink either. Given that it tasted off and that the kefir had curdled but had not yet thickened gave me the impression that I had done something wrong.

I attempted another day of grain fermentation using fresh milk, but after 24 hours it had not thickened. I left the jar for one more night in the warmest place I could find and by morning the lid was dented outward from the build up of gas pressure inside.

This wasn’t the first time I had seen a dented lid. It had happened on two other occasions when I forgot to release gas buildup within mason jars when fermenting vegetables. This was, however, the first time that I had experienced this with a dairy ferment. Maybe my kefir grains weren’t completely dead, but the lactic acid bacteria were weak. The yeasts, however, seemed to be going strong and so the pressure that had been building up for over 36 hours needed some where to escape.

...most things seem to take the path of least resistance.

With the little I understand of physics, most things seem to take the path of least resistance. If the mason jar would have had a hairline fracture or other weak spot, the glass jar may have exploded instead of the lid. Luckily, my mason jars have held up well and I have not experienced broken glass. I have never known anyone directly that has had a mason jar explode either. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen, so please be more careful then I am with pressure and glass.

I would not have tried this lazy experiment if I were not certain I had backup kefir grains. I store extra grains in the refrigerator in milk. I have successfully awoken kefir grains that were sitting in the back of my refrigerator for over one year. I’m not certain that this is normal or if my current kefir grains are just extra tough. Ideally, I should have at least been switching out the milk they were sitting in while not using refrigerated grains.

The grains I revived from the refrigerator after this mishap were much fresher. I had refrigerated them previous to starting this experiment and so I am once again happily brewing my daily batch of dairy kefir.

Just take this lesson from me: don’t be lazy when fermenting kefir, and if you are, please at least wash the lid.

Stretch That Yogurt: How to Make Viili at Home

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

I never would have imagined being captivated by a slimy and viscous dairy product, but I am. Of all the heirloom yogurts that I keep, viili and piimä are my favorites. Today I will show you how easy it is to to make your own viili once you obtain the “seed” culture.

Viili is a traditional heirloom yogurt from Finland. As with other heirloom yogurts, viili is prepared by backslopping a small portion from a previous batch into fresh milk and then leaving it to ferment at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.

The consistency will vary depending on the culture of bacteria in the original viili. The two forms of viili are known as short and long. The short version has a consistency similar to commercial yogurt with a mild taste. The long version has a ropy, or stringy, consistency that stretches like honey or Nickelodeon Gak.

My first experience was with short viili and it was okay, but nothing drastically different from other heirloom yogurts that I make. But once I experienced long viili, I was hooked. I love everything about viili. The way it stretches and slides across a spoon is intriguing. And the slight challenge of getting the thick goo from bowl to mouth is a welcome retreat from the average yogurt that can easily be shoveled into the mouth.

Yes, you could describe the mouthfeel as slimy. Some people are turned off by the consistency and texture of viili. My wife is one of those people (more viili for me!). But if you are the adventurous type and haven’t tried viili before, please do find a viili culture from a friend or an online store. When you search for viili cultures, make sure to get the long or ropy kind. Otherwise you will miss out on the joy of viili slipping across your tongue and coating it with a pleasantly mild taste. I’ve had good results using the viili culture from GEM Cultures.

The texture comes from the polysaccharide bonds formed by lactic acid bacteria. The primary bacteria responsible for the slime is Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris. This bacteria is also prevalent in kefir, but in that case the polysaccharide matrix forms into grains instead of slimy yogurt.

Once you have found a source for an heirloom viili culture, you can begin your new daily or weekly ritual of making and enjoying viili. I have outlined the process below.

Viili Directions

Scoop 2 teaspoons of viili into a small bowl.
With a clean spoon, rub and coat the viili culture up and around the sides of the bowl.
Pour 1 cup whole milk into the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a small plate or towel.
After 12-24 hours the viili will be set like gelatin and easily stretch when lifted with a spoon.
Save enough of the new viili in a glass container and place in the refrigerator for future batches.
Enjoy remaining viili at room temperature or refrigerate for later consumption.
Repeat at least once a week to maintain a healthy viili culture.

It is important to use clean utensils, but sanitization by boiling or other means is not necessary. Viili bacteria are robust and have survived hundreds of years. If you want to make sure your viili culture survives long enough to pass down to your great-great-grandchildren, then I recommend making at least two small bowls of viili at a time. This way, if for some reason one bowl does not ferment correctly (which is unlikely but possible), then you still have a second bowl that hopefully does.

I also recommend keeping a backup supply of previous batches in case something goes wrong. In other words, I keep at least two small mason jars (one from the most recent batch and one from the previous) with a quarter cup viili each in the refrigerator. This is not necessary, but I love viili so much that I don’t want to accidentally lose it.

Giving away viili to all of your friends and family is another way to ensure that if you mess up your viili, then you at least have someone to beg for more from before having to repurchase more.

Give viili a chance. If you think it sounds gross, then you might be right, but you won’t know until you try it. And if by chance you don’t like to eat the slime, you can’t deny that it is fun to play with!

DIY Cheese Failure: When Cutting the Cheese Leads to Letdown

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

My fermented foods do not always turn out as planned. Sometimes they are a little funky but still edible. Other times they are beyond salvage. In the process of making my first semi-hard cheese, I experienced the latter.

While disappointing and wasteful, fermented mistakes are a good thing. They offer an opportunity to reflect on how fine the line is between fermented and rotten; between the good kind of smelly and gross stinking garbage. This line is blurry. Many fermented foods are acquired tastes or are culturally distinct from one region to the next. Sometimes the smell is horrible but the taste is enlightening. What one person finds disgusting may be another’s delicacy.

And then there was my cheese. There was no questioning the outcome. That cheese was bad.

There was no need for guesswork. I didn’t need a second opinion. It wasn’t even close to being confused for a funky smelling cheese that would taste amazing. Technically, it wasn’t inedible, just entirely unenjoyable.

Which is okay. It was my first semi-hard cheese and my first attempt at using a cheese press. Mistakes happen. It was only three gallons of milk and the wait time was only 5 to 6 weeks as opposed to months.

There was no questioning the outcome. That cheese was bad.

The initial cheese making process went smoothly. I think it was the few weeks of aging that turned this cheese wrong. My walkout basement has been extra cold this Wisconsin winter so I believe the temperature was too low for proper aging. It wasn’t too cold for mold to form, but it was too cold for the lactic acid bacteria. The finished product tasted like a young feta, not the expected Monterey Jack, mixed with mold.

Yes, mistakes do happen but they are disappointing after any length of patience is required. For shorter ferments, I’m not so picky. Sometimes I forget to strain kefir on time, then the curds and whey separate and no amount of mixing with rid of the resulting graininess. This is not a big concern because it takes less than 24 hours to ferment and a messed-up kefir is still usable for a smoothie or baking.

And then there are the one or two week ferments. Kimchi and garlic-dill green beans often fall under this category. I think it would be very difficult to mess up either of these but I imagine if I did, the disappointment would still not be so great considering that the turnaround on these vegetables is still relatively short. Kimchi takes a bit more preparation, so if anything, that would be a little discouraging.

...mistakes do happen but they are disappointing after any length of patience is required.

But then there are the fermented foods that require patience of one month or longer. Something like a large batch of slow fermented sauerkraut can be so rewarding to finally remove the lid to find delicious and crunchy sour cabbage. But if something went wrong, and the sauerkraut was mushy or pink, then that buildup of anticipation would be a total letdown.

I can only imagine that the disappointment is exponentially worse for cheese or miso aged for years. I hope to one day build my cheese making skills to this point. I use to imagine starting a wheel of cheddar cheese when my son was born, only to wait until he turned 15 or 18 to crack it open. I’m a few months behind so maybe I’ll finally have this worked out by his two year birthday.

All fermented foods take patience. With patience comes excitement and anticipation. I’m always looking forward to what the next day, week or month will bring in my fermented food collection. Sometimes, this excitement turns a little sour (not the lactic acid kind) but this is a part of life. I’d rather try and then experience a few fermented failures, than never get the chance to explore the wonderful textures and flavors of DIY food fermentation.

What was your worst fermentation fumble or failure?