Sourdough bread, anchovies, chocolate, cheese, Kosher dill pickles and yogurt… what do these all have in common? They are all products of lacto-fermentation.
Lacto-fermentation is a complicated word for a simple process: a way to preserve food by allowing it to ferment.
You can learn the art of lacto-fermentation on Sunday, September 24th from 1:30 to 4:30pm at the Albert County Museum in Hopewell Cape.

To preserve certain foods, such as sourdough or yogurt, a culture is added to the fresh food. The culture (i.e., a bit of yogurt or bread dough) contains microorganisms that transform the raw ingredient into a more stable and nutritious food.
Preserving vegetables is even more simple. Basically, you can preserve vegetables by adding water and salt.  No boiling water baths, no pressure cookers…. Just a few simple steps. The result is placed in a cool place and allowed to ferment.
The preserves are more digestible than the original vegetables and the food contains probiotics.
Every culture has a tradition of lacto-fermentation. For example, cabbage is preserved as sauerkraut in Germany and preserved (along with hot peppers and other vegetables) as Kimchi in Korea.
You can learn the art of lacto-fermentation on Sunday, September 24th from 1:30 to 4:30pm at the Albert County Museum in Hopewell Cape.
Ruth Merrett will show participants how to make their own ferments. At the end of the workshop, you will take home not only the skills to preserve food but also at least three jars of preserved vegetables.
Participants will bring vegetables and jars, and return home with new skills and three bottles of preserves. Cost: $15.
Advance registration is required. Contact the museum by dropping by, by calling 734-2003, or email Janet Wallace at garden@albertcountymuseum.com.
This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.


Once you learn the basics, try these recipes
 
Apple Spice Sauerkraut
 
Cabbage
Salt
3 apples, grated,  per medium sized cabbage
1 tablespoon of grated ginger per cabbage
1 teaspoon cinnamon per cabbage
¼ or less teaspoon ground clove per cabbage
 
Chop cabbage, massage and add salt.
Add all the other ingredients.
Pack tightly in a jar and cover with a filter or cloth. Taste daily. Refrigerate when you are happy with the taste.

Basic Salsa from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
 
4 medium tomatoes, diced
2 small onions, finely chopped
3⁄4 cup chile peppers, hot or mild
6-8 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
juice of 2 lemons or limes
1 tablespoon of sea salt
1⁄4 cup clean, unchlorinated drinking water (may not be necessary) 
 
Mix, press into jars. Let ferment 1 to 2 days in a warm kitchen and then put in the fridge. Use a glass weight to keep the mass under liquid or pour olive oil on top.