Cultured Living

05/11/2026

A stoneware sauerkraut or kombucha crock would make a great Christmas gift 🎁

These are handmade in Australia and supply is limited so please avoid disappointment and don’t leave it to the last minute to order. I am a small business and can’t hold much stock. The potter is a one man band lovingly producing these items one at a time on a wheel - not a huge factory churning out mass produced items made in moulds.

Having tried my hand at pottery I know how difficult it is to make something like this and the whole process to make one takes a few weeks as the clay has to dry before going into the kiln for bisque firing and then it needs to be fired again once glazed.

Of course we all do our very best to get orders to our customers for Christmas but it is much less stressful if one plans ahead.

28/10/2026

Another two batches of sauerkraut on the go. These are three litre Fido Picklers which hold approximately 2.4kgs of vegetable i.e. perfect for one large cabbage with some other veggies added.

The combination of cabbage, garlic, dill and cucumbers is a winner. Cucumbers are one of the trickier vegetables to ferment and results can sometimes be a little inconsistent but added into a sauerkraut like this is easy and the “pickled” cucumber/dill flavour of the sauerkraut is delicious.

I saw someone complain recently that they would never make red cabbage sauerkraut again as her batch had not turned out well and had oxidised on top (the top 3cms was a brownish colour and looked dry). Red cabbage does not produce as much brine when making sauerkraut so it is a good idea to either add some juicy fruit or vegetables to the mix or even a little salt brine if it is just straight red cabbage. I often add apple or pear and/or beetroot to my red cabbage as well as juniper berries and carraway. For this particular batch the beetroot was roasted first and grated so it will be interesting to taste this batch in due course.

22/10/2026

Whilst buying pickling cucumbers at my local greengrocer I got chatting to an Iranian lady who told me how she preserves/ferments her cucumbers. I love talking to people of different nationalities and learning about how they preserve foods and learning from them.

Persian pickles are completely savory so no sugar is ever added, unlike Western vinegar based pickles. Persian traditions split pickles into two distinct styles.

Shoor (Salty): Made with a salt-brine and relies on natural bacterial fermentation rather than heavy vinegar, resulting in a rounder, complex tang and high crunch (such as Khiar Shoor brined cucumbers).

Torshi (Sour): Vinegar-forward pickles heavily layered with sharp acidity, fresh or dried herbs (like dill, tarragon, or mint), and regional spice blends like advieh or golpar (Persian hogweed).

This lady told me that she puts her cucumbers, salt and spices into her jar and then pours hot water over them. “What! you can’t do that” I hear you say. I know you will probably think that this method will not work as the hot water kills all the naturally occurring bacteria but that is not necessarily the case. I always steam my green beans before fermenting them so I knew that this method would work (although I will admit that I do sometimes add some fresh veg or some starter liquid just to ensure success). Anyway, I came home with some pickling cucumbers and set about making Persian style fermented “Pickles”. I used the hot salt water brine method but also added some vinegar - just a little to add some extra tartness and it worked a treat. Do be careful that the water is not boiling hot though as it could cause your jar to crack due to thermal shock.

What is important if wanting to pickle or ferment cucumbers is using the right type of cucumbers. Pickling cucumbers are normally available at Asian grocers….the smaller ones give better results. Even better grow your own - now is the time to plant seeds.

15/10/2026

At this time of the year I often get busy fermenting to take advantage of vegetables when they are in season, cheap and at peak quality. Stocking up with crisp, nutrient-dense ferments now allows us to avoid fermenting during the hot summer months. High temperatures accelerate fermentation, often compromising the texture and quality of the final product. Vegetables can quickly turn mushy or develop off-flavours, although there are ways to avoid this if you are fermenting in summer.

At the risk of sounding like a prepper I think it is more important than ever to stock up this year due to high petrol prices and the El Niño forecasts which will no doubt affect supplies and prices of vegetables going forward.

I always recommend to ferment in quality airtight vessels - no one wants to spend their time and money making ferments that end up in the compost bin. My #1 rule for success? Keep oxygen out. This means packing jars/crocks to the right headspace, sealing and not opening during the process. Mould and kahm yeast can’t form in an anaerobic environment.

Because fermentation has surged in popularity, the market is flooded with gimmicky fermenting lids. Use water-sealed airlocks or crocks for a true one-way system. Air is a two-way street; if gases can escape through an open hole, oxygen can just as easily find its way back in.

What are you fermenting this week?

06/10/2026

If you grow any type of radish in your garden you may have discovered that their seed pods are delicious. Radish seed pods taste like a crisp, juicy cross between a sugar snap pea and a peppery radish. They can be eaten raw, cooked (stir fry or sauté or fried in batter), pickled or fermented. Younger, bright green pods are sweet and mild, while older pods left on the plant longer become more pungent, spicy, and fibrous.

Other edible brassica and cruciferous seed pods—such as rocket, mustard greens, broccoli, kale, turnip and cabbage are similar to radish seed pods and can be used the same way.
Daikon radish are a fantastic vegetable to grow if you enjoy fermenting as they are a great addition to kimchi or even a daikon kimchi (Kkakdugi). If you let them go to seed you’ll have lots of seed pods to plant, eat, ferment or pickle. I plan to add some radish seed pods to my next batch of kimchi.

I pickled some radish seed pods in a vinegar mix last year which are delicious added into salads - and currently have some fermenting in brine which I am sure will be equally delicious.

25/09/2026

Some ferments are worth making again and again. They add crunch, a tangy flavour and probiotics to your meals as well as aiding digestion.

The ferments that I tend to make on repeat are plain carraway/juniper sauerkraut, dill/garlic/cucumber sauerkraut, red cabbage (often with beets added), Curtido (photographed), kimchi, garlic (to be blended into a paste), and less frequently cucumbers or green beans.

Ferments can be added to meals i.e. in sandwiches, salads, snack plates, wraps, or as an accompaniment to a main meal. My kimchi is normally eaten with eggs for breakfast.

Photographed is a 5L jar with Curtido i.e. Salvadorian sauerkaut - ingredients are cabbage, carrot, jalapeño, onion, dried red pepper flakes, Mexican oregano and salt. The recipe can be found on the Cultured Living website. Having said that I do intend to make changes to that recipe as it does not give weights of ingredients. I actually hate recipes which call for one cabbage as cabbages can vary so much in size. If you are wanting to make some sauerkraut or this Curtido please work on approx 800g vegetable per litre. For 5L jar I normally shred up 4-4.5kgs of vegetable. 5L may sound like a lot but I only used two fairly large cabbages for this batch.

The four piece ceramic weights work brilliantly in the 5L jars to weigh the veggies down. I don’t worry about a few floaters as I don’t open the jar whilst the sauerkraut is fermenting and it is therefore not exposed to oxygen. No risk of mould if the jar is not opened and is filled to the correct height.

It is pointless having a large fermenting jar and only half filling it so if you are wanting to purchase fermenting equipment please bear this in mind. A variety of different sized jars for different ferments is a great way to go and airlock lids can be swopped between jars of the same brand/type. I tend to use my larger jars for sauerkraut as it keeps so well and even improves with age.

Please share what your favourite ferments are that you make regularly.

20/09/2026

Spring has arrived. Fortunately for me I no longer suffer from hayfever. The only thing that I can attribute this to is that this happened sometime after I started consuming fermented foods on a regular basis. This is not medical advice just my experience.

Upon researching I discovered that the UK allergy clinic website lists the following probiotic strains that may support hayfever management:

Lactobacillus Plantarum
Lactobacillus Casei
Bifidobacterium Longum
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG

Interestingly these probiotic strains can be found in many fermented foods and can also be increased by eating specific prebiotic, fibre rich foods and polyphenols.

Lactobacillus plantarum becomes the predominant organism in the final fermentation stage of fermented vegetables. It drives the pH down to around 3.5 to 3.7 fully preserving the cabbage, halting unwanted microbial growth and sealing out mould.

Lactobacillus casei is found in a variety of dairy and plant-based fermented foods ie yoghurt, kefir and other fermented foods.

Bifidobacterium Longum is one of the most important probiotic bacteria in your gut supporting immunity, reducing inflammation and helps degrade histamine.

The exact mechanisms by which allergic diseases and asthma might be reduced or prevented by consuming fermented foods are uncertain. However, as roughly 70% to 80% of the human immune system is housed directly within the gut microbiome, the health of your digestive tract dictates how your body reacts to environmental triggers. The potent probiotics in unpasteurized sauerkraut diversify gut flora and strengthen the gastrointestinal lining. This gut optimization helps systemically modulate the body's immune response, retraining it to recognize seasonal pollen as a harmless substance rather than an adversary that warrants an aggressive, symptom-inducing inflammatory attack.

However, incorporating sauerkraut into a seasonal allergy routine requires a bit of caution due to a unique biological paradox: fermented foods inherently contain histamines. For most individuals, regular consumption well ahead of allergy season builds up anti-inflammatory gut microbes that lower overall systemic sensitivity. But for individuals suffering from histamine intolerance or deficient in the DAO enzyme needed to break down dietary histamines, eating sauerkraut during peak pollen season can overload the system and potentially worsen hayfever symptoms.

My spring sauerkraut contains ingredients that may help relieve hayfever symptoms. Ingredients are cabbage, nettle, apple, garlic and nigella sativa.

Stinging nettle acts as a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory agent.

Quercetin found in apple skin is an antioxidant and acts as a natural antihistamine that may help ease general inflammation.

Garlic is a natural anti-inflammatory, decongestant, and source of quercetin which functions as a natural antihistamine

Nigella sativa (black cumin or black seed oil) may help reduce hayfever and allergic rhinitis symptoms athough evidence is limited.

05/09/2026

Toum is a bold, creamy garlic sauce and a staple of Lebanese cuisine, similar to Greek “skordalia” or Spainish “Aioli”. It requires only four ingredients - garlic, salt, oil and lemon juice - and a food processor or stick blender.

My toum is made with fermented garlic paste and liquid coconut oil (to avoid seed oils). My initial trial batches were made with olive oil and later avocado oil which were nice but gave a slightly bitter flavour. The liquid coconut oil gives the best result and has some great health benefits. It contains medium-chain triglycerides which provide rapid energy, supports weight management, helps produce brain-boosting ketones. MCTs also feature antimicrobial and antifungal properties that can support a healthy gut microbiome.

Locally grown garlic will soon be available so make sure you get hold of some and make yourself a big batch of fermented garlic cloves so you can regularly make some of this deliciousness. Those who struggle with eating garlic may find that fermented garlic is easier to digest.

I separate my garlic cloves and ferment them in brine with the skin on as it would take too long to remove the garlic skins if making a large batch. The garlic is fermented around three months by which time it will have turned a light brown colour and will be easy to blend into a paste. The skins can easily be removed before blending if wished but I often leave the skins on (more fibre).

This garlic sauce is great for stirring into soups and pasta, marinating chicken, tossing with roasted vegetables, with shawarma, baked potatoes, grilled meats, sandwiches, dip with crackers or vegetables, in salad dressing or used in wraps or in pita bread. It adds an energetic punch of garlic to anything without requiring the hassle of peeling and mincing and is a pungent vegan alternative to mayo.

15/08/2026

This is probably one of the best kimchis I have ever made….a bit more gochugaru spice than what I normally add but the main difference was the addition of pineapple instead of my usual nashi pear. The spice mixed with the sweetness of the pineapple was a great combination, one that will definitely be made again. Unfortunately I only made a one litre jar so it did not last long at all.

I would recommend that you use coarsely ground Korean red pepper (gochugaru) for kimchi making rather than standard chilli flakes which can burn and taste bitter. Gochugaru provides a mild, sweet and smoky heat, a vibrant red colour and creates an ideal antimicrobial environment that helps beneficial lactic acid bacteria thrive.

In my early days of fermenting I tended to ferment my kimchi at room temperature for around 4 weeks before refrigerating but nowadays I definitely prefer a shorter ferment of around a week and then to cure the kimchi in the fridge for some time.

Recent research by scientists in South Korea say a probiotic bacterium found in kimchi ((Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain CBA3656) may help the body get rid of nanoplastics by binding to the particles inside the intestine and helping remove them through waste before they build up in organs.

Cultured Living sells organic Gochugaru as well as premium Korean solar sea salt which is what is used in Korea for kimchi making.

08/08/2026

Despite my passion for fermenting and the Covid lockdowns when everyone was baking bread I’ve never really got into sourdough baking. However, I recently met Denise and had the opportunity to taste her delicious homemade sourdough. Denise and I have decided to join together to run a Sourdough and Sauerkraut workshop on Sunday 6th September in Shenton Park, Perth.

Denise is a German sourdough baker who moved to Perth in April. She didn't come alone, her 100+ year old sourdough starter Hermann made the trip too, after five years of baking together back home. With a PhD in molecular biology, Denise brings a scientist's curiosity to baking, understanding exactly what happens inside the dough, why fermentation works the way it does, and how to get consistent results every time. But don't worry, this isn't a chemistry lecture. It's hands-on, practical, and full of the tips and tricks she's picked up over years of baking, plus a piece of Hermann to take home with you.

Carol will demonstrate how easy it is to make your own gut friendly sauerkraut at home including the secrets behind successful fermentation. Once you understand the basics it is simple to customise flavours and ingredients to suit every taste. Taste some of Carol’s favourite sauerkraut combinations to inspire you.

There will be a break between the two sessions where refreshments will be served, a chance to ask questions and taste the sourdough breads together with various homemade and fermented toppings.

We are both excited to share our skills with you. Written instructions will be provided to take home.

This is a small group workshop. Please book via our website https://bit.ly/45MoWlN

A three hour workshop, two hours of which will concentrate on sourdough bread making with Denise followed by a sauerkraut demonstration with Carol. Denise is a German sourdough baker who moved to Perth in April. She didn't come alone, her 100+ year old sourdough starter Hermann made the trip too, af...