This past Saturday, aspiring and accomplished urban gardeners celebrated the 6th annual -- and best ever -- Rooting DC. It was the fourth time I attended the free, all-day conference, and the second time I've presented. (Me! An expert at something! I have been known to preserve a thing or two in my day....) This time, instead of demonstrating how one could make vegan kim chi, as I did in 2010, dozens of us made kim chi together. And pickles, too. It was an exercise in controlled chaos.
As soon as I finished giving a primer on the basics of pickling and fermenting, the workshop attendees pounced on the tableful of produce, spices, and equipment. (I forget sometimes that adults need instructions and parameters, too. At least they were all avid handwashers, if not so much washers of tables and dishes.) The enthusiasm was electrifying, though, and as I made a few rounds passing out additional kim chi mashers and suggesting folks pass along ingredients they weren't using to other groups who needed more greens or mustard seed, I couldn't help but smile.
There were easily double the number of people I'd expected. Luckily we had enough jars, kindly donated by my fellow Slow Food DC board members, supplemented with more jars donated by my friend Jessica at GrowingSOUL, and a random assortment of glassware I'd amassed in the weeks leading up to the hands-on workshop. Using a big, beautiful crate of beets, turnips, radishes, cabbages, kale, and onions from the lovely Farmer Mo at Moutoux Orchards, plus cucumbers from the grocery store (they're not in season yet, but I didn't want to get attacked by folks expecting traditional pickles at a pickling workshop) and a load of spices picked up at GLUT, we chopped, peeled, mashed, and stuffed jars full of savory treats. Cinnamon sticks were hammered on cutting boards, vinegar solutions concocted in mixing bowls.
People asked lots of good questions, and I left with some research to undertake. (Like what is this about pickling grapes?? I'm so on it!) Nobody lost a finger, and the only missing implement after all was said and done was a set of measuring spoons. Not bad.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI am a farmer in Prince Georges county (near DC) and want to start offering some workshops here. We have so many things to pickle all the time. Let me know if you are interested in working together!
Thanks!
Tanya
Hi Tanya, thanks for your kind note! You're in Prince George's County, you say? If you're anywhere near Suitland, MD you might want to check out (and perhaps become a part of) the soon-to-be-opened farmers' market kicking off in about a month. More details are here: http://www.suitlandonline.us/programs/the-suitland-farmers-market.html (Yes, I'm helping to manage the market. Because apparently have 5 jobs doesn't keep me busy enough.) ;)
DeleteHi, Ibti. I was in your workshop and loved it! It was indeed controlled chaos! Thanks for being so patient with us. :) I'd never pickled anything before, and you showed me how easy refrigerator pickles are. I took what I learned and pickled turnips, beets and carrots today! I told a friend about the workshop, and she suggested I try pickled lemons as Christmas gifts this year...for my friends who are into Moroccan cooking. I think I'll take her up on it! Best, Martina
ReplyDeleteHi Martina, I'm elated that you enjoyed the workshop and that you're spreading the pickling love! I recently tried making lemon pickles -- more Indian style than Moroccan -- based on an old recipe from one of my uncles. They're delish. If yours turn out well perhaps we could exchange recipes....
DeleteAnd if you want to give little jars of pickled ginger (also really easy, but seems really fancy) here's the recipe: http://abikeablefeast.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-feast-of-seven-fishes.html. (This version is meant to be kept in the fridge; it's not "canned." If you want to make the jars shelf stable, you'd need to heat the vinegar solution and sterilize the jars, then process like you would when canning tomato sauce.
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