Wild Fermentation and Sandor Katz

Sandor Katz is the master of fermentation and with his making of sauerkraut, he has adopted “Sandorkraut” as his name. Katz inspires his followers to try anything fermented and he does it with ease and a sense of adventure. A few years ago, we invited Katz to Martha’s Vineyard and he taught us the simplicity of this process. I continue to experiment with some of Katz’s recipes and adapt as I go and I tend to call everything kimchi.

Most folks are familiar with kimchi as a Korean condiment - it is a spicy fermented cabbage. It’s a staple in Korea, and I have found at least a 100 varieties. In “Wild Fermentation,” Katz explains kimchi as similar to his regular sauerkraut recipe, which is basic and easy. You start with shredding cabbage, tossing it with some salt, and submerging it under its own juices in a container. To call it kimchi, you only need to add some chilies and garlic, but I have been corrected many times at the farmer’s market. While my kimchi is delicious, my version is not an authentic Korean-style kimchi. I am not a fan of “super hot”, and so I call mine “Island Kimchi”. It’s easy to make. Have a few quart jars handy and before you know it, you will be looking to purchase one gallon jars - it is so easy, delicious and SO damn healthy for you! Many Koreans I meet claim it prevents everything from colds to cancer.

I use kimchi on nearly everything — sandwiches, salads, and recently I have been putting on warm smashed squash, which is so very satisfying.

Sandor Katz is the author of Wild Fermentation and the newly released The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World.

Kitchen Porch RECIPES:

Traditional KimchiFruit KimchiKimchi Reuben Sandwich

Image Credit: isaaclicious