Anxiety, depression, laziness...Can the nameless wonder change? page 327

[Finnegans Wake]

From those descriptions- I bet the ceramic liner to a crock pot would also work- assuming you had/made a cover.

That's a damned good idea. After fermentation, you could move the goods to smaller jars.

Hells, I'm stealing this!

[Finnegans Wake]

I think the basement is the only place sauerkraut could sit undisturbed for a couple of weeks, but I don't know how much the temperature varies down there. I drop the thermostat to 50 at night because we're sleeping and bundled up, but it's 62-65ºF during the day upstairs. No idea how cold it actually gets.

[edit] I don't think I could find a plate to fit in my oval crock pot liner, that's the only reason why I wouldn't want to use that. Seems like it's supposed to be a pretty tight fit.

IIRC, you should be fine with temps in the 60s - that regulates how fast lacto-ferment occurs. Our basement is in the 50s, but I've done plenty of countertop ferments, no prob. In summer, I'd opt for the cooler spots.

Yeah, our crock is round. I don't think it has to be a tight fit - you want a little air flow.

[Finnegans Wake]

I really need to get Wild Fermentation and read it. Most of my experiments were web-informed or from Nourishing Traditions. If you like V-8, try making beet kvass. Dice up some beets, throw 'em in a Ball jar with a tsp. of salt, top off with water, add whey or yogurt, put the lid on loosely, keep on counter 4-5 days and then move to fridge. Drink; use beet stuff a second time before discarding. Yum.

[namelesswonder]

I didn't like V-8 when I was younger, mostly on principle (a VEGETABLE drink, ew!). Haven't had it in a long time. Beet kvass sounds absurdly simple. I shall try that at some point! Is it necessary to measure out how much whey or yogurt is being added? If it weren't for inconsistent temps, I'd make some yogurt and suffer through my lactose intolerance just to get the whey for beet kvass.

And because I friggin' love yogurt.

[drssgchic]

That's a damned good idea. After fermentation, you could move the goods to smaller jars.

Hells, I'm stealing this!

Well, it only works if you're willing to set aside your crock pot for that long. Although now I have another reason to save the liner when my heating element finally bites the dust.

[naiadknight]

I wonder if one of those old tea containers with the busted spigot would work. Hmmm.

[drssgchic]

I wonder if one of those old tea containers with the busted spigot would work. Hmmm.

Apparently they are great for kombucha, so, yeah, possibly.

[namelesswonder]

Oh yeah, didn't think about not being able to use the slow cooker. I've been making chicken in it nearly once a week for a while now, so that wouldn't fly. Bucket or true crock it is!

Dude with the stacking washer & dryer said worst comes to worst, we can use his mini-van. Sweet.

Hulky's parents and mine are meeting at dinner on Sunday, at the local Mexican place that we all love. Super nervous. My 15 y.o. bro will be coming too. I think talking to my parents on Saturday about our plans for wedding stuff so far will help set me at ease. Hulky's mom asked me what my mom wants for me for my wedding and I really have no idea. I think it will be good to talk about their ideas and hopes and dreams for me .

[jenn26point2]

Hulky's parents and mine are meeting at dinner on Sunday, at the local Mexican place that we all love. Super nervous.

I didn't have to go through this. Our parents went to high school together. I remember the conversation after our engagement took place: "who would have thought our kids would end up married?"

It seems MIL and Mom were in 4-H together and got to know each other pretty well. FIL was a troublemaker in school - a 70's version rebel. Smoking, drinking, running laps at football practice for jacking around instead of drilling, smart-ass comments in school. Principal and superintendent knew him by name and had the parents on speed-dial kind of kid... The kind of kid my son is likely going to be. lol

Have fun at dinner. I'm sure everything will work out just fine and the 2 sets of in-laws will like each other just fine.

[namelesswonder]

Monstrous headache. KE tea is not helping. Water is not helping. Might take Ibuprofen soon even though I've read things about that not being good when you have gut problems.

Lunch is just some pork chop that I cooked and chopped up a couple days ago. I think there's some melon in the fridge still so I'll snag some of that.