Corn as “Bio-Artifact.” Corn through which to understand the relationship between humans and a biological seed, through the dynamics of history. Corn as a lens to view the tension between Food as a Commons and Food as Commodity. Corn as a brilliant idea for an art exhibition. Beam me to Oaxaca, Scotty!
WATER KEFIR EXTRAVAGANZA
Melon Seed Horchata! Pea Shoot, Mint Tea, and Yuzu! Yuzu, Beetroot and Mango Stone!
My message to you is: Have fun!
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Water Kefir grains are a magical substance (“a culture of bacteria and yeasts held in a polysaccharide biofilm matrix created by the bacteria”) that through fermentation transform liquids into beautiful, healthful “sodas” or carbonated bubblies, non (and sometimes just-barely) alcoholic drinks. There is loads written about Water Kefir on the web, many a how-to guide, including this Nourished Kitchen one that has great information even if a little complicated.
And here’s a piece on A Gardener’s Table, a really really beautiful blog. There’s even the tip in the comments to add (sterilised) eggshell (to be removed) to remineralise your grains.
The basic instruction requires two phases:
A beautiful song and homage to corn tortillas and women who make them. I hadn’t heard of Lila Downs and now I’m a fan. I love that she sings in lots of the languages of Mexico, not just Spanish. And I love that all the women in this video are beautiful, not just the lead singer herself! I’m intrigued at the balance between pop music and something more serious and interesting. And I like the sampling of different musical styles. Here I am, dancing in my chair. I hope you will enjoy this too.
I saw this on Root Simple, a wonderful blog “about back to basics, DIY living, encompassing homegrown vegetables, chickens, herbs, hooch, bicycles, cultural alchemy, and common sense”– I reckon many of my readers would like it too.
Here is a little armchair travel for someone who has committed herself to reduce her involvement with the very Greenhouse-Gas intensive aviation industry. This means, though I LOVE going places and seeing things and meeting people and having adventures and eating delicious food, I don’t really venture far away it as much as I would in a different world-historical scenario.
But: I can stumble upon wishes on the internet, and this, quite strongly, is one.
Read about this amazing Pre-Hispanic soup and the people who make it.
If you are on Facebook, read about an exciting documentary The Path of Stone Soup that examines the history and ritual of this very beautiful and delicious sounding soup.
In the world of enthusiastic fermenters, there are lots of people whose children are gung-ho eaters of various healthy ferments– carrots with dill, sauerkraut, water kefir beverages, beetroot kvass, etc. Mine have never been these kind of children. One child panics — not kidding — if he thinks he’s going to have to smell sauerkraut; the other just looks in disgust at the Ruby-Kraut on her daddy’s plate.
But today, without their knowing, but not seeking to deceive them through any ruse, I had a breakthrough.
Lazy and busy, I decided to serve corn tortillas with melted cheese, and made a salsa. Not my finest hour as a Mother/ Cook, but I am trying to be easy on myself and was terribly hurried.
The incredibly easy salsa was, whizzed up:
One tin of tomatoes
One onion
a large handful of fresh spinach
maybe two tablespoons of fermented green chillis of can’t-remember variety
I LOVE that my kids are beginning to revel in spicy foods, I love that they no longer reject things with leafy green bits, but mostly I’m happy that i managed to get them to enjoy food with that wonderful sour back-taste that I find so satisfying and know to be so health-giving.
And, it was the best Mexican style salsa I’ve ever made. Recently I made something similar with the cascabellas but this was better– the spicy heat was really radiant and smooth and the sour, really compelling.
The green chilis I’d fermented— something someone brought home. With a few cloves of garlic, I put them in salt water under the surface of which I kept it all for a few months, forgetting its existence, until yesterday I saw the jar and thought to use the slightly odd looking contents therein.
How salty a salt brine? I like to use this guideline: somewhere between tears of joy and sea-water. Taste first– you can add but can’t remove…
I increasingly enjoy using vegetables I’ve fermented as an ingredient– in sauces, dressings, spreads, dips and soups. On their own, these chilis were nothing special– as part of something else, they came alive.
Kitchen Counter Culture 