Although this does not qualify as a fermented food, it's the waste products from previous ferments I've posted here earlier. Essentially, it's bits and pieces of asparagus, carrots, leeks, cabbage, sweet potatoes, radishes, beets, onions, shallots and garlic slow simmered for 4-6 hours to create a rich, flavorable vegetable broth. Some cracked pepper, a few ounces of sea salt brine, and fresh sage and thyme from my garden are added. I'll strain the broth twice, and refrigerate. The vegetable pulp either goes into the compost pile or I blend it into a medium paste for use in soups and sauces. I'll post follow on photos of the final products later today. And, BTW, my home smells so good right now as the soon to be broth gently simmers.

Freshly made kimchi: before and after photos

Latest holiday ferments (left to right): one quart pickled green, purple and white asparagus spears with crushed garlic, diced chipotle peppers, and red, green and black peppercorns in a sea salt brine; one half gallon shredded Brussels sprouts, carrots, celery, kale, arugula, minced garlic and onion in sea salt brine; one quart of West African sweet potato ferment with minced garlic and onions, diced habanero peppers, cracked black pepper, black and yellow mustard seeds and coriander seeds in dry sea salt; and, last, one quart of shredded carrots, red and green cabbage and broccoli stems in a sea salt brine. All should be ready for New Years Eve!!

Been busy the past twenty four hours ofn a variety of fermented pastes, fruits and vegetables. From left to right: sea salted chive paste, key limes and cranberries with raw honey, brined cranberries with chipotle peppers, sea salted minced garlic paste, pickled asparagus spears with habanero and chipotle peppers and garlic, garlic and raw honey ferment, and,last, Roma, Fuji and gala apple juice freshly pressed and chilled. Everything organic and locally sourced, except for the key limes.

Returned from a wonderful, educational workshop hosted by the FermentWorks team, Kirsten and Christopher Shockey, at their picturesque farm near Applegate, Oregon. Lots of hands-on crafting and creating ferments, pastes, and old fashioned apple cider that can be fermented into hard apple cider. 

Here's what I created:  spicy kimchee ferment; basil and cayenne pepper ferment that will be blended and strained to create a basil-pepper paste; eight different pepper ferment that will be blended and strained to create a multi-dimensional pepper paste; green and red tomatoes ferment flavored with coriander seeds and black peppercorns; celery, shallots, fresh sage leaves and rosemary ferment; and, fresh apple cider made from crabapples, Roma and Kop apples. The ferments will take anywhere from two to eight weeks to complete.

Last, my own Napa cabbage, watermelon radish, sunflower choke and grated turmeric sauerkraut after two weeks of fermentation.  Another week or so, and it should be ready.

Also, a photo of the kitchen wall in the Shockey home displaying old, new and mostly forgotten tools used in cooking, canning, preserving and fermenting food.

Recent travels have taken me to Port Angeles, Washington, and, in particular, Olympic National Forest. Here are recent photos:

Hurricane Ridge, elevation 6000 ft with views of the Olympic Mountains. So called since winter winds can reach speeds of 75 mph+ causing havoc across the valleys and forest. During winter, this location is covered in several feet of snow.

Trail to Marymere Falls
A ninety foot falls that cascades to a small pool deep in the forest. From there it gently tumbles down a meandering stream which feeds into the river which leads to the Straits of Juan de Fuca.  Salmon are migrating even now.

Lake Crescent
Formed several millions of years ago, this lake is almost 700 feet deep, and maintains an icy blue color due to the ice crystals suspended in the lake's water. On a clear day, the water can take on an aquamarine to blue malachite color. Beautiful lake for kayaking, paddle boarding or sailing When we there, it was completely empty.

Could not sleep so I made some fermented foods. Left to right: one half gallon shredded Napa cabbage, diced onion, shredded watermelon radish and sunflower choke, grated Tumeric, cracked red, green and black pepper in a sea salt brine; pickled shiitake, chanterelle and morel mushrooms, chipotle peppers, garlic, red, green and black peppercorns, coriander and mustard seeds in a sea salt brine; two containers of cherry tomatoes with garlic, basil, parsley, and a touch of red pepper flakes in a sea salt brine; and, last, habanero chilies, diced red, yellow and green tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin in a sea salt brine.

This portrays eloquently how I live my live...

Hood Canal, Port Angeles and Victoria, BC

Views from Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC on the ferry. Sea lions, dolphins and a whale. Last photo shows a dark wave moving left to right. Two minutes later, the whale briefly emerged, then dove beneath the waves. 

Acquired a new crock for fermenting vegetables, as well as experimenting with making kimchi.  Here is a photo of the new crock and a batch of Savoy cabbage, with caraway seeds, juniper berries and sea salt brine, "resting" before insertion in the crock. Also, a photo of my successful kimchi fermentation, rated a "10" as very hot.

Getting up early to capture the cool breezes, fog and utter stillness of the Oregon coast and wetlands. Started out misty, foggy and very damp, and eventually, the sun and blue sky came out to dry and warm the land.

Early morning hike yesterday near Yachats, Oregon, along the Yachats River Basin. Some eagles flew by too quickly for photos, however, this photo captures the beauty of the natural vegetation.

I've been remiss in posting for the last few days. One of my many passions focuses on fermented food, particularly the fermentation I can create from locally sourced vegetables and fruits I find here in coastal Oregon.  There exists so many small organic farms within thirty miles of where I reside. Every other dayI travel to a new venue to view what they grow, and purchase what I need. And, after doing so, I create these wonderful fermentations.  And, of course, I eat the vegetables and fruits without fermentation. Photos here of my latest fermenting efforts; explanation beneath each photo.

Left to right, classic Savoy cabbage sauerkraut with caraway and juniper berry seeds, sugar peas and pods and ancient carrots and pickled mango, donut peaches, spring onions with a touch of cinnamon sticks. These are now finished, and slowly continuing their fermentation in cold storage.

Radicchio and Granny Smith apple sauerkraut -- melts in your mouth with just the right amount of crunch, sweet and sour.These are now finished, and slowly continuing their fermentation in cold storage.

These I just finished today. Kimchi composed of brine infused Savoy Cabbage, ancient carrots, daikon radishes, sunflower artichokes, scallions, garlic, ginger and habanero chiles in a sea salt brine. Spicy scale of 5.5 - 6. Will be completed in two weeks or so; maybe longer. Next up, kimchi with chipotle chiles, spicy scale 9! The aromas that emanate from a kimchi stimulate me and push me to pull out my sole Indian curry cookbook and dabble in the intense flavors that cardamon, cumin, red pepper, etc. can provide!

More to posted in the next few days....

Early morning relaxation time after several arduous days hiking, camping and kayaking the numerous lakes that exist around Florence and Yachats. One trail crossing passed over US Highway 101. Highway 101 has been designated the the Pacific Coast Bicycle Trail. 

At the crossing we met eight bicyclists: two Canadians, three Swedes, two New Zealanders and one American. They all started in Vancouver, British Columbia, and we're headed to Crescent City, California. There a bus and large van will pick them and their bikes up and return to British Columbia. What a journey: bicycling the West coast twenty to thirty miles each day, and camping on the beach or nearby state parks. Makes my twenty plus mile hike / kayak pale in comparison. 

Photos below:  view from my bedroom window of tree covered dunes behind my THOW which harbor fox, raccoon and hundreds of birds; my herb garden of basil, sage, parsley, thyme, chives, pearl onions, arugula and spinach; and, the entry to my THOW with lots of attractive flowers that are inundated by bees and hummingbirds. 

Visited Dallas, Oregon, and Silver Falls State Park, near Silverton, Oregon, for a few days. Spent the day at a friend's forty-three acre ranch. Formerly a cattle ranch, all the internal fencing has been removed, and the fields mowed. Great views of Mt Hood (I'm told, since it was overcast),  as well valley views. Lots of work went into rebuilding this former ranch (see photos below -- they do not do the ranch justice; there's too many vistas of meadows, forests and the mountains beyond).

Also, took a seven plus mile hike at Silver Falls State Park, the hike wanders through several hundred feet of elevation, and takes you to ten different waterfalls throughout the park. We arrived early, and finished before 11 am. The parking lot was nearly empty when arrived, and it was packed as we left. Here are some photos of the different waterfalls we saw: they range in size from twenty feet to over one hundred forty feet. Well worth the trip, despite the crowds at the end.

Ellis Ranch, Dallas, Oregon

Silver Falls State Park, Silverton, Oregon