Appreciation post: My neighbor said his 3 day ferment was 'good enough' and I had to bite my tongue

He was bragging about his quick pickles at a block party, saying letting them sit for 72 hours was plenty. I tasted one and it was basically salty cucumber water, zero funk or complexity. A real lacto-ferment needs at least a full week, minimum, to develop any character. My best kimchi batch ever went for 14 days in a cool basement. Rushing it just gives you soggy, half-sour disappointment. Anyone else get annoyed when people treat fermentation like a speed run?

3 comments

3 Comments

wade4381mo ago

Oh man, that's the worst. I had a friend do the same thing with sauerkraut once. I just smiled and nodded, but later I brought over a jar of my own that had gone a full month. Let them try a side by side, you know? The look on their face said it all. Some flavors just can't be rushed.

sandrah691mo ago

That's the best way to show them, honestly. Did your friend's quick sauerkraut just taste like salty cabbage? I've had that happen. The real stuff gets that deep sour punch and the cabbage gets almost creamy. A week in a jar just doesn't do the same thing.

beth_sanchez22d ago

Seriously? It's just cabbage, @wade438.