Sounds like a nice project:
http://www.cheesescience.org/index.html
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Yes. Iām familiar with many Americans thinking kimichi is only the napa cabbage variety while there are multiple others in traditional Korean food. I did not however, have the good fortune of growing up with Korean family, only friends.
Am I mistaken in thinking the Korean radish is very close to, if not actually diakon?
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the first rule of boing boing is never underestimate what your fellow happy mutants know. that is what i love about all you peeps!
No they are different and have different flavors. Diakon tend to be long and narrow and can grow up to the length of your forearm, wheras korean radishes are oval and can get to be football sized.
Diakon:
Korean Radish:
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Thank you. Iāll make a run down to the closest market that should carry them and see if I can get any. Iāve been itching to pickle / ferment some veggies for awhile and the idea of doing Kkakdugi is making my mouth water.
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I like the idea of extracting the cacao flavor using alcohol. Probably more predictable than trying to work it into the late boil.
Why did you use gin, and is the juniper flavor noticeable in the end product?
Canāt seem to find the article I read now, but extracting the chocolate out of the nibs requires (I think, and one of our BB friends can chime in to correct me here) an alcohol-based ingredient. Canāt recall why that is, but I believe Iāve seen both vodka and gin used for that purpose. I didnāt happen to have any vodka in the house, but I did have enough gin.
I put the cacao nibs into something like a 2 quart tupperware container and used around a cup of gin, maybe more, to just cover the nibs. With the lid on the container, I shook it every now and again for two or three days becauseā¦uhā¦well, no reason, really. Iām not sure if I shouldāve used more or less gin to extract as much chocolate out of the nibs as possibleāthis stout was my first attempt at using those ingredients (I usually brew IPAs or porters).
After that three day period, I dumped the whole lot into the carboy and let the brew sit like that for another two weeks before bottling and serving. The taste of the gin came through to the degree that every now and again Iāll realize the slightest hint of juniper, but overall itās not enough for the standard drinker to notice (at least the standard drinkers who consume my stuff).
Next time, I might try vodka, maybe notāI havenāt done enough of these particular chocolate stouts to have a good baseline idea of the taste Iām trying to achieve.
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Looks fantastic!
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Thanks! Iāll let you know in a week or so.
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3.5 pounds of green. 1.5 pounds of red.
I used the food processor to chop 'em up, because thatās a hell of a lot of cabbage to shred with a mandoline or knife.
Both have garlic and brown mustard seeds, as well as additional brine from the last 'kraut batch and brine from the radish batch. I added 3 tablespoons of brine (juice?) from the beet batch to the red cabbage jar, because I wasnāt able to coax as much liquid from that cabbage.
And with the airlock, the tall jar doesnāt fit in my cupboard. Dāoh! I guess itāll be fine on the counter.
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I do all mine on the counter. I can keep tabs on them better. The only things I do in a cupboard now are my vinegar because they seem to like the dark.
I made the switch after losing track of a non vented ferment with a closed lid, and having to clean a cupboard top to bottom from a ferment popping the lid and spraying everywhere.
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Iām thinking about making āfermentedā butter. Maybe that will give the bit nutty taste witch I like in butter for bread, but however a bit more interesting than the butter from plain fresh cream.
Put a table spoon bio-yoghurt to the cream and let it sit for 24? 12? Hours? And at what temperature? Or?
Do you have any experience?
As far as I know, putting a bit of yogurt in the cream and leaving out overnight is definitely the standard DIY method. I havenāt actually done it myself, though.
Also, FYI, Iāve always made butter in the Kitchenaid. If God wanted us to mess around shaking milk in jars, why did he give us Kitchenaids?
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Ah, thanks. Lets experiment 
About not shaking in jars, I use the Hobart, but thatās just his first try of the Kitchenaid, before Sunday
Good call! Having them on the counter is working out well. Theyāre both already bubbling like crazy, and I had to tamp them down to keep the liquid level from getting too high.
I sure could sit and watch those things bubble for awhile. Itās very meditative.
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Maybe a tip, maybe not, saw it at a blog today (Dutchā¦):
At the Ikea website, search for āVardagenā. I can imagine this silicone top is good for punching a hole in it, a siphon will fit nicely.
From the other side, maybe only good for fermented sauces or liquidisch stuffā¦
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Popped open the jar today. It produced a satisfying hiss and a familiar scent. Tastes pretty darn close to what I was expecting too! I may tweak the recipe a bit, but it came out darn good for a first effort.
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This is one of the few occasions when I wish the internet had a smell-sharing capability.
Instead, do you have some photos to share?
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It doesnāt look a lot different from the jar at the beginning of the process, except the radish cubes are a bit smaller and thereās more liquid. Iāll see if it wants to be photogenic for me later today, as Iām inevitably going to be snacking on it.
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