For the love of Produce...
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Breakfast salad
Purple local yams, broiled with avo oil, spices, micro grated good parm.
Dressed with hummus cut with lemon and vinegar and fancied up a bit.5 -
I stopped by the produce store today, and they had two kinds of persimmons. I've always been curious to know how they taste, so I bought one of each. But how do you eat them? Just bite in, or is some other preparation needed?
I also got 2 big mangoes, 5 big avocadoes and 5 Granny Smith apples, which are my favourite kind. I love that store! I always want to buy some of everything!1 -
My first attempt at kimchi. Not bad, i left it to ferment for a couple of days only because i was worried that it's too warm. I've read that ideal temperature is 65-70 degrees, and my house won't get that cool ever, maybe few days a year. Usually it's 80 during the day, 74 at night. So i tried anyways. It's in the refrigerator already. I forgot to put scallions and only added them to the little Tupperware container that held what didn't fit into jars. And i like the taste of that much better than the jarred kimchi. So is it the scallions? Or the fact that in the plastic container it wasn't packed so tightly? Idk. Should i empty it out and add scallions now? Advice would be much appreciated. I have lots of experience with sauerkraut, none with kimchi. I know some of you, my fellow produce lovers, make it. So feel free to offer insight, please!
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Is it crunchy? Sure looks good. I wonder if the plastic container might not have fermented as much. My friend made a batch before it cooled off and it wasn't as crisp. It's also possible his Napa had some flowers on it. That can have enzymes that don't let it stay crisp. Although he made a great sauce with no-heat habaneros. I don't make a traditional sauce, just several kinds of chilies. Some fresh and some dried.
Did you ferment in the small jars? I usually use a gallon jar then transfer to the correct number of smaller jars after the ferment.
My most recent batch is not as good as normal. It didn't ferment fully, and that's because too much salt. It was a salt BOMB. I still ate some, but I also pulled the jars back out and let them ferment a little more. The carrot chunks soaked up a little more of the salt. I will probably toss them back in the fridge today, and I should start another batch. I'm reticent to start more kraut since I still have three quart jars left. The kraut is a very good batch. I add garlic to my kraut, and lately also a little carrot and caraway. Mmmm.
Actually, I just got a head of cauliflower. I might try to make cauli-kimchi!
Edit to add:
The most recent jars of kraut and kimchi. You can SEE that the kimchi wasn't fully fermented at that time.
And a sample of old and new kraut and kimchi with and without some of the leftover "sauce" from my friend. I thought that would be fun.
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Is it crunchy? Sure looks good. I wonder if the plastic container might not have fermented as much. My friend made a batch before it cooled off and it wasn't as crisp. It's also possible his Napa had some flowers on it. That can have enzymes that don't let it stay crisp. Although he made a great sauce with no-heat habaneros. I don't make a traditional sauce, just several kinds of chilies. Some fresh and some dried.
Did you ferment in the small jars? I usually use a gallon jar then transfer to the correct number of smaller jars after the ferment.
My most recent batch is not as good as normal. It didn't ferment fully, and that's because too much salt. It was a salt BOMB. I still ate some, but I also pulled the jars back out and let them ferment a little more. The carrot chunks soaked up a little more of the salt. I will probably toss them back in the fridge today, and I should start another batch. I'm reticent to start more kraut since I still have three quart jars left. The kraut is a very good batch. I add garlic to my kraut, and lately also a little carrot and caraway. Mmmm.
Actually, I just got a head of cauliflower. I might try to make cauli-kimchi!
Edit to add:
The most recent jars of kraut and kimchi. You can SEE that the kimchi wasn't fully fermented at that time.
And a sample of old and new kraut and kimchi with and without some of the leftover "sauce" from my friend. I thought that would be fun.
Yes, it's nice and crunchy. I guess i will just leave it without the scallions this time. My large jars are taken with kombucha, so i fermented in smaller, quarter gallon jars. How can you tell from looking at the jar that it wasn't fermented long enough, not too many bubbles? I'm too new for that! Thank you! Sample spread looks good!
Edit to add: your kraut is so colorful, sounds so interesting and delicious!1 -
Yes, it's nice and crunchy. I guess i will just leave it without the scallions this time. My large jars are taken with kombucha, so i fermented in smaller, quarter gallon jars. How can you tell from looking at the jar that it wasn't fermented long enough, not too many bubbles? I'm too new for that! Thank you! Sample spread looks good!
The cabbage and chilies still have too vivid of a fresh color. Maybe I'll send a picture of what it looks like after another week of ferment.
And... I have five pounds of cabbage shredded and salted. I have a few grated carrots and a lot of peeled whole garlic cloves waiting to go in after I massage it a few more times.
And... I have a 4.5 pound Napa cabbage, a lot more garlic, a bunch of ginger, a variety of chilies, some fish sauce, and some carrots that will go into a ferment; I'll start that as soon as I get the kraut in the jar. I need the big bowl. The Napa will need to soak for a few hours in salt water before I assemble. Maybe I'll play disc golf in the rain or go for a run or cook some fish or.... The daikon were all HUGE so I skipped them. Maybe I will just add some of that cauliflower into the mix instead or just make it with carrot for now and maybe go pick up a smaller daikon later this afternoon.
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OK, time to take a break.
This is the same kimchi that looked so "fresh" in the earlier picture. Extra fermentation time subdued the colors.
I got a big head of green cabbage, about five pounds. It's going to go rest for three weeks now....
The Napa cabbage is soaking in brine. I have prepped the other ingredients that I'll add in a few more hours when I rinse off the salt.
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New batch now sealed up and resting in a bucket away from light and ideally more protected from temperature swings.
Whew!
Funny how five pounds can fit in HALF of a gallon jar. That's fine. It means when done I can stuff it in a half-gallon jar in the fridge.3 -
SuzanneC1l9zz wrote: »I stopped by the produce store today, and they had two kinds of persimmons. I've always been curious to know how they taste, so I bought one of each. But how do you eat them? Just bite in, or is some other preparation needed?
I also got 2 big mangoes, 5 big avocadoes and 5 Granny Smith apples, which are my favourite kind. I love that store! I always want to buy some of everything!
I love persimmon. I just slice into wedges and eat. The important thing to remember is that underripe persimmons are disgusting. There is a weird astringency that makes your mouth pucker. Leave them out of the fridge until they are as soft as a tomato before attempting to eat. I remember reading a Chinese author who had memories of persimmons ripening on a window ledge in Bejing. I just leave mine in the fruit bowl which is in a rather dark corner of my kitchen and it works fine.4 -
SuzanneC1l9zz wrote: »I stopped by the produce store today, and they had two kinds of persimmons. I've always been curious to know how they taste, so I bought one of each. But how do you eat them? Just bite in, or is some other preparation needed?
I also got 2 big mangoes, 5 big avocadoes and 5 Granny Smith apples, which are my favourite kind. I love that store! I always want to buy some of everything!
I love persimmon. I just slice into wedges and eat. The important thing to remember is that underripe persimmons are disgusting. There is a weird astringency that makes your mouth pucker. Leave them out of the fridge until they are as soft as a tomato before attempting to eat. I remember reading a Chinese author who had memories of persimmons ripening on a window ledge in Bejing. I just leave mine in the fruit bowl which is in a rather dark corner of my kitchen and it works fine.
I think it matters what type of persimmon they are?
Here in stores in my part of the US, we most commonly see Fuyu or Hachiya types. Fuyu are kind of a squat shape, while Hachiya are more elongated. The Fuyu are pretty sweet even when firm (as long as nicely orange), but the Hachiyas are astringent until very soft-ripe.
I know other varieties exist, and the astringent vs. non-astringent categorization seems to apply more broadly to other varieties, but I don't have experience with others specifically.5 -
Wikipedia has a list of astringent and non-astringent persimmon cultivars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persimmon4 -
Thank you all. It sounds like they need to hang out in the fruit bowl for a bit, but I'm excited to try them!1
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I was looking up the effect of ethylene gas for ripening persimmons and stumbled on some things I never knew. So the fruits that produce a lot of ethylene are the ones that can be ripened off the tree such as apples, pears, bananas. Fruits that only ripen on the tree such as cherries and grapes produce little ethylene.
Place things you want to ripen such as a hard avocado or persimmon near fruits that produce ethylene as they ripen. Ethylene also promotes rotting so move ripe fruit and veg away from ethylene producing fruits.
I normally put ripe pears and avocados in the fridge to stop them from ripening further but should probably keep them out of the vegetable drawer so that they don't contribute to spoilage to things like soft herbs.5 -
I think it matters what type of persimmon they are?
Here in stores in my part of the US, we most commonly see Fuyu or Hachiya types. Fuyu are kind of a squat shape, while Hachiya are more elongated. The Fuyu are pretty sweet even when firm (as long as nicely orange), but the Hachiyas are astringent until very soft-ripe.
I know other varieties exist, and the astringent vs. non-astringent categorization seems to apply more broadly to other varieties, but I don't have experience with others specifically.
That’s exactly what I read the other day. Fuyu are good to eat even when a little crisp, but Hachiyas are a better choice for things like cooking or baking as they need to be mushy-ripe to be their best (I read they should be genuinely squishy, like a bag of goo). I was trying to help my mom find a recipe for persimmon cookies 4 -
Hmm... they've been in the fruit bowl with some apples and other things for a few days, and it sounds like they're almost ready to eat. The Hachiya is definitely squishy. As silly as it might sound, I'm kind of excited. I love trying new foods!5
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SuzanneC1l9zz wrote: »Hmm... they've been in the fruit bowl with some apples and other things for a few days, and it sounds like they're almost ready to eat. The Hachiya is definitely squishy. As silly as it might sound, I'm kind of excited. I love trying new foods!
Report back what you think, maybe, eh? 🙂2 -
Definitely! 🙂1
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SuzanneC1l9zz wrote: »As silly as it might sound, I'm kind of excited. I love trying new foods!
I do too! Over the last 2 weeks I have tried both kiwi berries and rambutan. Kiwi berries were good. I liked them and would have them again, but not going to go hunting for them. The rambutan was amazing though! I would love to find more but have had no luck in the stores around here (I got both at Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati OH).
I do have a persimmon that is ready to eat in the fridge. Nice and soft. That will be a new food as well for me.
I am always nervous trying new things though because I have a medical condition that is food sensitive. So I worry if something will flare me.
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I love rambutan too, but don't see it often in the shops. But several other asian fruits taste similar so if you haven't had mangosteen, lychee or longan, give those a try. When I was on holiday in Paris a few weeks ago I had a scoop of the most divine lychee sorbet at a gelateria. I am going to try to re-create that this weekend with tinned lychee.5
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SuzanneC1l9zz wrote: »As silly as it might sound, I'm kind of excited. I love trying new foods!
I do too! Over the last 2 weeks I have tried both kiwi berries and rambutan. Kiwi berries were good. I liked them and would have them again, but not going to go hunting for them. The rambutan was amazing though! I would love to find more but have had no luck in the stores around here (I got both at Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati OH).
I do have a persimmon that is ready to eat in the fridge. Nice and soft. That will be a new food as well for me.
I am always nervous trying new things though because I have a medical condition that is food sensitive. So I worry if something will flare me.
I imagine a city the size of Cincinatti would have some asian supermarkets with good produce sections. The last time I saw fresh rambutan it was in a Vietnamese supermarket. I remember eating fresh rambutan and mangosteen for the first time on vacation in Thailand, so that means they must be in season in the winter because that was best time to visit SE Asia in terms of local weather. Longan is like a smaller version of lychee but I remember my mother telling me it has a different season.5 -
SuzanneC1l9zz wrote: »Hmm... they've been in the fruit bowl with some apples and other things for a few days, and it sounds like they're almost ready to eat. The Hachiya is definitely squishy. As silly as it might sound, I'm kind of excited. I love trying new foods!
Let us know what you think! My grandma always made persimmon bread and cookies out of Hachiyas. I was laying in bed watching a live video of my farmer's market and they showed fuyu persimmons so I got dressed and picked some up. I love them in salad with feta and poppyseed dressing. They're super hard, I usually get them firm with a little give but the farmer assured me they're really sweet.2 -
SuzanneC1l9zz wrote: »Hmm... they've been in the fruit bowl with some apples and other things for a few days, and it sounds like they're almost ready to eat. The Hachiya is definitely squishy. As silly as it might sound, I'm kind of excited. I love trying new foods!
Let us know what you think! My grandma always made persimmon bread and cookies out of Hachiyas. I was laying in bed watching a live video of my farmer's market and they showed fuyu persimmons so I got dressed and picked some up. I love them in salad with feta and poppyseed dressing. They're super hard, I usually get them firm with a little give but the farmer assured me they're really sweet.
That sounds intriguing. My wonderful local produce market has had fuyus recently, and I'm kind of oversupplied with my favorite local goat feta currently, so I think I need to try this. Thanks for the inspiration!3 -
I am always nervous trying new things though because I have a medical condition that is food sensitive. So I worry if something will flare me.
Me too, actually. It sucks! I'm thinking about scooping the Hachiya into my smoothie this morning. I have no berries and the mangoes aren't quite ripe yet. I've never tried longan, rambutan or mangosteen but I love lychee, so it sounds like I should keep an eye out for those, too. I love this thread!1 -
I imagine a city the size of Cincinatti would have some asian supermarkets with good produce sections. The last time I saw fresh rambutan it was in a Vietnamese supermarket. I remember eating fresh rambutan and mangosteen for the first time on vacation in Thailand, so that means they must be in season in the winter because that was best time to visit SE Asia in terms of local weather. Longan is like a smaller version of lychee but I remember my mother telling me it has a different season.
I am actually in the Indianapolis area. We have a bunch of asian markets, but I had never seen rambutan before. I had heard of it thanks to YouTube and TV, but never had been able to get my hands on some. Now I wish I had bought more! I have to make a trip out this weekend to at least 1 asian market (need a specific type of curry paste) so maybe I will hit the major ones near me to see if I can find anything.2 -
A quick google says rambutan season is fall and winter. Mangosteen traditionally August to October, but there has been a technical breakthrough in the Phillipines that will make it an all season fruit. I saw on Wikipedia that Mangosteen has been introduced as a crop to Puerto Rico. You might be too late for lychee (late spring to early fall) and longan (July to September).2
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I see rambutan has been introduced to Mexico, so that is good news for wider availability for North Americans.2
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I saw rambutan at our market here in Michigan last week - that may be a good sign for availability in Indy, for you, I hope!2
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I put the Hachiya in my smoothie. Awesome decision!3
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I just put my lychee sorbet in the freezer using tinned fruit. I more or less used this recipe but skipped the coconut and replaced vanilla extract with rosewater because I wanted to emphasize the floral scent of lychees. I also added 2 tablespoons of vodka. I will probably still need to blitz with an egg white in the food processor tomorrow. Hoping this gives a lychee fix when they are out of season. That said, tinned lychee is fairly close to fresh fruit in the same way that tinned pear or pineapple are reasonably similar to fresh counterparts. Not the case with peaches for example.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZNEIij5W6s 4 -
The kimchi was probably ready yesterday, but I didn't pull it out of the fermentation vessel. I did today. It's pretty good, and I decided to mix in the last of the other batch that was way too salty. This one is pretty spicy!
When I put it away to ferment on Monday:
One of the half gallon jars that is now in the fridge:
What a pleasant stink!4
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