So it's Sunday during Holiday Week and the dilly beans which I started this past summer, left out on my countertop with a thin cotton towel over them catch my eye and I start to imagine that, weeks upon weeks later, they MUST be ready. I've been watching what I would call a vinegar mother form on top of them. It's really pretty (for ferment freaks like me I mean) and I decide to sample them today. They are great. GREAT I tell you. I want to document them on my garden blog so I look to see what exactly other people call a vinegar mother so I can prove to you it is safe for consumption since I really don't expect anyone to take my word for it. I either really suck at finding stuff on the internet or there isn't much about it. Then I consult my go-to fermentation book Wild Fermentation because I *know* the author has written about dilly beans his father makes and I'm *sure* he must have something about that mother in there but NOPE! So I'm showing off what I have whilst having no idea if I should. The beans are great, we have all eaten them and they aren't making us sick or anything?! haha! The mother is in a word: Gorgeous. I took a bunch of photos but I'll only trouble you with a few.
This first photo is the top of the mother once set back over her beans.
And these two following photos are of the mother, removed from her jar, and placed upside down on a plate. See how the rim which sealed the jar sticks out from the bulk of her to form a lid? Really beautiful. Ethereal even.
I think I'll do this same thing next year, but add some spicy peppers to the mix. I'll definitely also do some lacto-fermentation and then preserve what we don't eat quickly enough in vinegar.
I should note that I did buy an organic white vinegar to start these beans, perhaps the higher quality vinegar makes a difference?
I'd love input. What do you think?
This first photo is the top of the mother once set back over her beans.
And these two following photos are of the mother, removed from her jar, and placed upside down on a plate. See how the rim which sealed the jar sticks out from the bulk of her to form a lid? Really beautiful. Ethereal even.
I think I'll do this same thing next year, but add some spicy peppers to the mix. I'll definitely also do some lacto-fermentation and then preserve what we don't eat quickly enough in vinegar.
I should note that I did buy an organic white vinegar to start these beans, perhaps the higher quality vinegar makes a difference?
I'd love input. What do you think?
3 comments:
I think that is a wonderful glob of vinegar mother and yes it is much easier to have a mother form on a higher quality, especially organic vinegar. We make our own raspberry vinegar during the summer and are always surprised at how quickly the mother forms.
I have never seen a mother form over green beans, how very interesting. Thanks for sharing, you are right in that there is very limited information out there regarding mother of vinegar.
Raspberry vinegar sounds fabulous. Perhaps I'll try boysenberry vinegar this year with our abundance. What a fun idea, thank you!
Hi, came here from Mr. H's blog - this is very interesting about the mother, what vinegar did you use. This is my type of putting food by, did saurkraut this year. Your blog is so full of interesting articles I would like to follow you if that is ok. Peace
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