Ongoing explorations in fermentation, precision cooking, and flavor development. Some are tested, some are works in progress, and some are delightfully chaotic.
A collection of umami-rich fermented condiments for everyday cooking. Exploring salt percentages, fermentation times, and flavor development in wild fermentation.
Notes: Started August 2024. Tested various vegetables (cabbage, carrots, radishes) with different salt ratios. Current favorite: 2% salt by weight, 10-14 days fermentation.
Exploring precise temperature control for perfect vegetable texture. Can we achieve restaurant-quality doneness with precision temperature control?
Notes: Testing 165°F to 185°F for various roots. Currently: parsnips at 175°F for 45 min achieve perfect tenderness. Still experimenting with beets and carrots.
Attempting to capture ambient yeasts for natural fermentation. A chaotic but fascinating exploration of what lives in our kitchen.
Notes: Started a rye flour starter in November. Current: unstable but with occasional good sour notes. Keeping a lab notebook to track developments.
Making miso from scratch with different legumes and salt ratios. Understanding umami through traditional fermentation.
Notes: Chickpea miso ready in 6 weeks. Excellent depth. Black bean miso still aging at 8 weeks—promising early taste at 4 weeks showed good potential.
What happens when we age egg yolks at precise temperatures? Exploring texture, concentration, and flavor development.
Notes: At 140°F for 2 hours: silky, slightly thickened. At 160°F for 1 hour: firmer. Still seeking the perfect balance between creaminess and concentration.
Attempting to cure vegetables and proteins using temperature-controlled water baths instead of traditional salt curing.
Notes: Early stage. Experimenting with timing and salt ratios to achieve traditional cure results. Results are... unpredictable. But educational.
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