tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34520981156063352222024-02-17T10:48:18.696-05:00Feed Me Like You Mean Itcultivating health through food and action • lowering the barriers to fermentationAlex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.comBlogger273125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-21849389046844776862024-02-17T10:34:00.005-05:002024-02-17T10:48:18.596-05:00Microbeasts From now on, I shall refer to microbes as “microbeasts”. You read it here first. Image by macrovector on Freepik Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-2062186008998716192024-01-04T23:38:00.001-05:002024-01-04T23:40:35.227-05:00SaltWilfredor, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>via Wikimedia Commons A recent article in the New York Times talks about the production and culinary use of different kinds of salt. It's a reasonable article, as far as it goes: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/02/dining/salt.htmlThe article doesn't discuss the potential health benefits of trace minerals. Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-2324776862644630912023-05-07T14:37:00.003-04:002023-05-08T12:05:21.960-04:00Fermentation Workshop at Sanborn Mills, Aug 5 2023 All Day On August 5th I will be leading an all-day, hands-on workshop at Sanborn Mills in Loudon, New Hampshire, less than an hour and a half north of Boston.Advance registration is required. More information and signup here: https://www.sanbornmills.org/product/fermentation/Sanborn Mills is an amazing place. I don't say that lightly—I am not prone to hyperbole. But when I first visited in the course ofAlex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-42105867696033322722023-01-16T13:36:00.006-05:002023-01-16T23:03:06.424-05:00Fermentation Webinar with Marion Institute! Tuesday 1/17 noon ET Please join me Tuesday 1/17 at noon ET / 9am PT for an hour-long fermentation webinar hosted by The Marion Institute as part of their free 21-Day Reset program. I will do a brief demo of the easiest fermented food EVER, followed by a talk and Q&A.Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88928306445?pwd=MzBXQmkvRWwva3dJbWhrR0xISTJOUT09(What do you think I will choose to be the easiest fermented Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-35384767448164852472022-01-23T13:35:00.003-05:002022-01-24T22:32:33.558-05:00Announcement: New Edition of Real Food FermentationI'm excited to announce that the revised and expanded second edition of Real Food Fermentation is officially coming out THIS TUESDAY 25 January 2022!
Click here to buy it on Amazon. (Amazon is not my favorite, but it is crucial for driving early sales.)Or share this link: https://amzn.to/3fRQ2hG .The first edition came out almost ten years ago. Many things have changed in the fermentation Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-33094952617871150442021-10-29T15:17:00.005-04:002021-10-29T15:17:34.605-04:00Sour Cream and Onion DipDo you ever find yourself craving sour cream and onion dip?I do.But store-bought sour cream and onion dip is exactly the sort of processed food that gives processed food a bad name. And rightly so.What do?Well, what is the essence of sour cream onion dip?UMAMI.No, I'm not talking about a family member. I'm talking about the Fifth Taste: yumminess. Or glutamate, if you want to be boring about it. Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-23762296309330873192020-08-23T19:06:00.008-04:002022-12-13T13:20:09.312-05:00Why Natto?(obligatory natto "money shot")My latest Instagram project is #19DaysOfNatto.What is nattō? Why natto? And why 19 days?UPDATE (2021-09-17): Natto extract, a Japanese fermented soybean food, directly inhibits viral infections including SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8276596/(Note that this study came out A YEAR AFTER I made this blog post. Just sayin'.)<!-Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-18782417045386272332020-06-30T20:06:00.000-04:002020-06-30T21:31:05.599-04:00Sourdough Herb Crackers Update A while ago I wrote this:
http://feedmelikeyoumeanit.blogspot.com/2020/05/sourdough-discard-math-and-crackers.html
I've been refining my recipe since then.
Top points
I make these crackers in small batches, both because that suits my sourdough discard rhythm and because smaller batches cook more evenly in my oven. Use bigger batches if you like.
I use soaked flax seeds because they're Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-11758751169254632592020-06-06T18:54:00.000-04:002020-06-06T18:54:11.178-04:00Cauliflower Purée SoupCauliflower is not my favorite vegetable. In fact, cauliflower and broccoli are near the bottom of my list. So why would I post a cauliflower recipe on my blog?The immediate answer is: I served some to a friend, and he asked me for the recipe. I figured I might as well share it here.The more general answer is:It's delicious!It's paleo, gluten-free, soy-free, and nightshade-freeIt can be made AIP Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-32825344754674099582020-06-05T18:52:00.001-04:002020-06-05T18:53:28.437-04:00Ferments for Justice: Workshop to Benefit Atlanta Solidarity Fund and Black Visions Collective
Be the change you want to ferment!
This Saturday (tomorrow!) at 9am PDT / noon EDT, 90 minutes total.
Proceeds benefit Atlanta Solidarity Fund and Black Visions Collective.
More details here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-qRS2pthn/ <-- multiple="" p="" pictures="" right="" scroll=""> </-->
<-- multiple="" p="" pictures="" right="" scroll="">Ask if questions!</-->Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-19764617660627995602020-05-25T20:33:00.001-04:002020-05-25T20:33:46.251-04:00Sourdough OpportunityDon't call it "sourdough discard". Call it "sourdough opportunity".Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-83410338012621224532020-05-19T20:45:00.000-04:002020-05-25T20:35:23.812-04:00Sourdough Starter PorridgeIn the spirit of keeping it simple, here's another thing you can do with your extra sourdough starter.
Eat it!
(Well, more or less. Read on for the details.)
Recipe: Sourdough Starter Porridge
For one serving, mix 1/4 cup sourdough starter with 3/4 cup water in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Stir constantly over medium low heat until it thickens. Continue to stir and cook for a few more minutes.Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-42176850337287453152020-05-17T16:47:00.002-04:002020-05-25T20:35:14.065-04:00Echoes of the Bread-Beer SpectrumWhy did humans start growing wheat?
The "obvious" answer is "so that they could make bread". But that might not be the right answer--and it's certainly not the whole story.
Bread is not the only fermented grain food. Beer is another. Which came first?
You can make a case for either.
But I'm not looking for a definitive answer, even if there is one, which there might not be.
What's Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-21410387973809040932020-05-01T08:00:00.000-04:002020-05-25T20:35:23.703-04:00Sourdough Discard, Math, and CrackersSourdough is trending in a big way:
Here are some thoughts that helped me get my head around the life cycle of sourdough starters.
Typical sourdough instructions tell you to discard half your starter before feeding it.
A lot of people have a hard time with this. I myself hate the idea of wasting food.
But what happens if you don't discard any starter?
The amount you need to feed it is Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-39119347287065547722020-04-20T23:36:00.002-04:002020-04-20T23:36:49.172-04:00Covid Cabbage…also known as sauerkraut.
One of the simplest and most universal ferments.
All of a sudden, buying vegetables is not a sure thing. So gather ye cabbages while ye may…and ferment them!
To topic of sauerkraut has been beaten to death, but I can add some advice on jar selection.
Here goes:
Cabbage.Green round cabbage is great. Red cabbage is great too…it may be a little sweeter and ferment a Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-33969964987768906202020-04-12T20:54:00.002-04:002020-04-12T20:54:33.467-04:00The Iconic PickleWhen you say "pickle" in the United States, people assume you mean "pickled cucumber".
It is the iconic pickled food.
Across the world, people enjoy pickled cucumbers in a variety of styles, from crisp and slightly tart to mouth-puckeringly sour; from the microcucumbers of South America and the diminutive cornichons of France to the fat deli cucumbers of New York City.
They can be eaten as a Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-36985561853315234932020-04-07T20:47:00.000-04:002020-04-12T21:01:43.199-04:00Backyard Foraging: NasturtiumsSpecial guest blogger Carol Emert talks about nasturtiums!
April 2020
Nasturtiums have been growing in wild abundance in my backyard for years, but I’ve never taken full advantage of them until Covid-19 started gobsmacking my usual notions about our food supply.
As the Bay Area’s incidence curve climbs, my family’s Trader Joe’s habit has come to a screeching halt. Instead, we’re sequestered atAlex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-23137228900844725582020-04-04T19:48:00.003-04:002020-04-12T21:01:23.396-04:00Brew Yer Own Part 2Here are some photos as a follow-up to my Brew Yer Own post from a few days ago!
1.
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Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-38602814451068711252020-04-01T22:05:00.001-04:002020-04-12T21:01:23.404-04:00Brew Yer OwnUPDATE: I added some step-by-step photos here.
Today is April 1, "April Fool's Day".
My Facebook feed is full of jokes about governments banning sales of alcohol.
It must be a joke, because it could never happen, right?
Wrong.
It can happen, and it is happening in some places. And in other places, alcohol production and distribution are being deemed "non-essential". (Beer production and Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-16298667651603106242020-03-22T15:45:00.000-04:002020-04-12T21:02:03.650-04:00Thoughts & DandelionsMany of us will be hit hard by the fallout from the virus:
Particularly people whose roles involve "being there" and/or physical touch. This includes all of the communities I've become part of over the last 15 years.
Wellness practitioners and trainers of all sorts. Food producers and musicians and other performers. People in hospitality and travel and activity.
It is vital that the emerging Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-54007237140930771932020-03-20T02:14:00.002-04:002020-04-12T21:02:39.137-04:00Fermenting in the Time of CoronavirusWhen I speak on the subject of fermentation and why it is important, I often talk about the Zombie Apocalypse. I don't necessarily mean literal zombies eating your literal brains. The Zombie Apocalypse is an archetype of infrastructure collapse, representing unthinkable, unimaginable forces capable of interrupting our cozy routine, revealing the fault lines in our fragile post-industrial Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-45625742080342095792018-12-02T18:01:00.000-05:002018-12-06T02:30:49.621-05:00Great Books: The Revolution Will Not Be MicrowavedThe Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved (2006), by Sandor Ellix Katz, is a book from a time before "food sustainability" was a mainstream conversation in the United States.
This book fundamentally changed my outlook, not just on food, but on life.
First, about the title. It is a riff on The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, a 1970 musical spoken-word piece by Gil Scott-Heron. This was a time Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-92141373989736730232018-11-23T21:02:00.003-05:002018-11-23T21:02:59.207-05:00Great Books: IshmaelThere are many lists of "Great Books" out there, but this one is mine.
The criteria for my list are simple:
These are books that have changed my thinking the most; have opened me to new ways of thinking; have framed important problems better than I've heard them framed before; or they're simply books that I want to share widely.
Many Great Book lists attempt to be comprehensive and balanced, Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-8740129930399814002018-06-23T21:39:00.000-04:002018-06-23T21:39:10.387-04:00Carolina Slaw, Fermented Foods, and Fermented DrinksTwo new podcasts:
https://player.fm/series/the-urban-farm-podcast-with-greg-peterson/ep-357-alex-lewin-on-fermentation
https://player.fm/series/the-urban-farm-podcast-with-greg-peterson/ep-362-alex-lewin-on-kombucha-and-fermented-drinks
And a nice photo essay/recipe!
https://www.mountainfeed.com/blogs/learn/alex-lewins-fermented-carolina-slaw
If you have questions about any of this, Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452098115606335222.post-53419032886353371232018-04-02T12:13:00.000-04:002018-04-02T12:13:40.855-04:00Take Back Your Health Conference: May 19-20 in PasadenaI'll be speaking at the Take Back Your Health Conference in Pasadena on May 19-20.
About...fermented drinks!
(Unfortunately, the website doesn't always work right in Chrome--if you are having problems, try copying and pasting this link into a different browser: https://tinyurl.com/takeback2018 .)
There are too many interesting things happening for me to list here. Do check out the page if Alex Lewinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429248166523887174noreply@blogger.com1