Fermentation Made Easy! 🥕🧄

What is Sauerkraut? History, Benefits, How to Make {And… ENJOY!}

Hello Reader, Do you even like sauerkraut? I didn't when I first tried it as an adult twenty-plus years ago. Growing up, sauerkraut was that nasty stuff slathered on a hot dog. No, thank you! It wasn't until my 40s, when I read that healthy traditional societies all consumed some type of fermented food, that I got the courage to try it and... convince my family to eat it. And, as we slowly added it to our diets (My eldest son, that was trying to repopulate his gut after a round of antibiotics...

2 months ago • 1 min read

✍️ Signed books, shared kraut, brine overflow

Hi Reader, Last Saturday I had the joy of meeting local fans, signing books, and sharing sauerkraut and kimchi tastes at Volume One—our independently owned bookstore. Supporting a beloved local shop while swapping fermentation tips? The best kind of win-win. If you’re on Instagram, peek at this reel. Mel’s editing magic turned the day into a highlight reel—I’m in awe of how beautifully she captured it. Kimchi Tasting notes? All over the map! Some found the kimchi fiery, others said it was...

3 months ago • 3 min read

Sauerkraut secrets from the pros (including yours truly 🥬)

Hi Reader, 🌟 Spotlight on Holly I was thrilled to see my name pop up - more than once! - in this piece by Sarah Moore over at Chowhound: 10 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Homemade Sauerkraut You can effortlessly put your gut health on autopilot with one to two forkfuls of probiotic-rich sauerkraut added to one or two meals daily. 🙌 That’s me! Pretty Exciting. The article breaks down the most common missteps—like worrying you’ll need fancy equipment, fermenting at the wrong temperature, or...

3 months ago • 3 min read

Triple the sauerkraut, triple the fun 🥬✨

Hi Reader, This past weekend I whipped up a triple batch of Sweet Garlic Sauerkraut to prep for my upcoming book signings—and it reminded me of a few tricks you might love for your next sauerkraut-making session. Here’s how to make sauerkraut easier, faster, and foolproof: Go big with a triple batch.Triple the ease, triple the joy. All my recipes scale beautifully: 200 grams of carrots? Make it 600. 20 grams of garlic? Scale up to 60. Simple math, big payoff. Weigh before you prep.I pile...

3 months ago • 4 min read

My top 5 tips for crunchy, tangy fermented vegetable pickles

Hi Reader, Ever opened a jar of fermented pickles, beets or beans only to find… mush? Or worse—fuzzy growths staring back at you? 😬 Don’t worry—you’re not alone. With just a few simple tweaks, you can stack the odds in your favor and enjoy crisp, tangy, mold-free pickles every time. These are the exact tricks I rely on in my own kitchen: Use fresh-picked local produce. You can ferment just about any vegetable, not just cucumbers. So, if the farmers give you peas, ferment peas. Success is...

4 months ago • 4 min read

Revolutionize your pickle game with this 🔃 simple switch

My first batches of fermented pickles were made by pouring a salty brine over a jar of packed cucumbers, just like almost all the other online recipes. Some batches turned out perfect, some moldy. Some of the pickles stayed crispy; others turned to mush. Have you had a similar experience, Reader? I wanted to know why, so I started researching and experimenting 👩🔬 🔬 and eventually switched to calculating the amount of salt I added based on both the weight of the vegetables packed into my jar...

4 months ago • 2 min read

🥒 Get ready for pickle season with the perfect fermentation weights!

HeyReader, It’s peak season for fresh vegetables—and the perfect time to turn cucumbers, beans, carrots (and more!) into crunchy, gut-loving pickles. 🥒 But before you dive in, there’s one essential thing to get right: keeping everything safely submerged under the brine while it ferments. That’s where a fermentation weight comes in. I have not found one weight that works for all types of pickles. Thankfully, I have a stockpile of various weights to choose from. The three I most often use when...

4 months ago • 2 min read

Transform yogurt into cheese

Hey Reader, Did you know you can turn your everyday yogurt into a delectable, creamy cheese? A cheese that is great as a dip for cool, crunchy veggies on hot summer days. It's easier than you think, and the results are truly extraordinary! ✨ From Yogurt to Cheese: Simple DIY Creamy Spread {One Ingredient} With just a few simple steps, you can craft a tangy and versatile cheese spread perfect for appetizers, desserts, and everything in between. In our household, this is my go-to cheese spread...

4 months ago • 1 min read

6-8 heads of garlic + salt + time =

Hey Reader, This year’s garlic harvest? A whopping… 15 heads. 😩 Last year? 116. So yeah—Definitely not the garlic glory I was hoping for.. But here's the thing: I’m not panicking. Why? Because last year, I made extra jars of Fermented Garlic Paste—and let me tell you, it’s been my secret kitchen superhero ever since. Toss it with roasted veggies. Swirl it into soups. Spread it on sourdough. It’s mellow, rich, and full of umami without the raw garlic bite. And best of all? It takes just...

5 months ago • 2 min read

Fermented Raspberry Soda

Hey Reader, Don't miss the fermentation summit poll below (Your vote counts!). But first... You have to try this. It's... Dead Simple. Very Refreshing. Uses Only Three ingredients. It's my recipe for: Fermented Raspberry Soda I just got back from picking raspberries, though not as plentiful as usual, I still enjoyed nibbling on them as I worked to fill my baskets. One of my favorite ways to use them is to make a fermented soda. Cool and refreshing and without the mystery ingredients found in...

5 months ago • 3 min read