Temperate pit fermatation

I started the tropical pit fermentation on another thread. An old pit was discovered thought to be 300 years old and the lactic acid fermented breadfruit was still edible! That got me quite interested and i have been researching it on my spare time. I live in the tropics, but as i google on this i have found info on pit fermentation used in the old days in temperate climate. Will continue to post on both threads accordingly, as i discover info on this subject. ..


fermentation book by Sander Katz. I have heard of him as he has done a workshop on the subject on this island. (i did not get to attend) His book "The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World by Sandor Ellix Katz and Michael Pollan (May 14, 2012)" Its on Google books. Read pages 56-58 about pit fermentation. I cannot cut and paste from there. Google this.. The Art of Fermentation pit .. and you should land on the right page.

Here is a summery. Unsalted Cabbages are blanched and put in pits up to 4 meters deep with a process known as grubenkraut. Slow Food folks are trying to revive this. Fish was fermented in pits in the Artic. Radishes were pit fermented in the Himalayas and will provide a separate link for this.

Aloha, Kay

Here is a book; Handbook of Plant-Based Fermented Food and Beverage Technology, Second Edition

Published:May 17, 2012 by CRC Press - 821 Pages

Cannot cut and paste from there. Try to google.. pit fermentation radishes .. click on the title of above book, it shoes up about 4th from the top. Click and you should on the right page.

Here is a summary; Radish roots in the Himalayas are put in pits 2 or 3 feet deep and 2 or 3 feet wide. After about a month of lactic acid fermentation, the radishes are sun dried a few days. Then stored in airtight containers and will last several years this way. It is called Sinki.
My note (Sounds like this would be successful in an arid climate)

Here is another book, Himalayan Fermented Foods: Microbiology, Nutrition, and Ethnic Values . It shows up on the above search and says about the about the same thing but has pictures. Aloha, Kay

where do you get lactic acid from?

I assume the pit part of this is not necessary, basically it is just creating a constant temperature for the fermentation. Could it be done in containers in a root cellar or something?

Yes its deep underground to keep from freezing, I have not read anywhere of onnoculating with bacteria yet, but i did read it is a similar bacteria as in yogurt that makes it a lactic acid fermentation.

I did a lot of reading on lactic acid fermentation yesterday, after posting here.

Apparently, you can add enough salt to the mix to kill everything else, and then the lactic acid starts forming. OR you can add raw whey to the mix, and jump-start the whole thing.

Lots of people do this kind of thing in mason jars, not specifically the exact thing (I haven't seen many people pickling bananas), but I think the general principles apply.

A bit of salt and some whey, or a lot of salt and no whey. The salt should be sea salt, not iodized stuff.

Most starchy roots and veggies and even fruits can be preserved like this. I want to start trying it out!

Abe Connally wrote:I did a lot of reading on lactic acid fermentation yesterday, after posting here.

Apparently, you can add enough salt to the mix to kill everything else, and then the lactic acid starts forming. OR you can add raw whey to the mix, and jump-start the whole thing.

Lots of people do this kind of thing in mason jars, not specifically the exact thing (I haven't seen many people pickling bananas), but I think the general principles apply.

A bit of salt and some whey, or a lot of salt and no whey. The salt should be sea salt, not iodized stuff.

Most starchy roots and veggies and even fruits can be preserved like this. I want to start trying it out!

I follow recipes from "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon to lacto ferment cucumbers, green tomatoes, red tomato relish and salsa in wide mouth quarts using one TBS sea salt and four TBS fresh whey and one cup filtered water with a tight fitting lid. In the summer at room temperature it takes just two days...works great and keeps well in the refrigerator. Our winters have too many warm spells for a root cellar. It is definitely more nutricious food but canning or drying is more long term storable for me without depending on electricity.
I never considered drying the fermented food, as Shawn mentions, but that might solve the refrigeration issue right there.