Learning Wild Fermentation at an Oakland Market

It was cool enough that the Phat Beets farmers market in North Oakland had a free Fermented Ginger Beer making class, using Sandor Katz’s Wild Fermentation book. But this weekend they’re at it again with a Pickled Root Vegetables class, free! The market is tucked in a parking lot, easy to get to if you’re coming off highway 24 or off of Stanford (the Powell Street exist on 80).

The interactive ginger beer teacher invited us to take part in the making. She gave us bottles and my beer is sitting in the fridge after two weeks fermenting. (We had to swear that we’d store the bottle in a sock to avoid any catastrophic explosions. Unfortunately–or fortunately–my beer behaved.)

If you want to get off the beaten farmers market path come check it out. Bring your appetite and try the Tamales Oaxquenas, pastries, coffee and more at this little neighborhood spot. More info on the Phat Beets market

Scoop on December 3rd workshop:

Start Time: 11:00 am

Ends: 1:00 pm

Come explore the world of pickles with Phat Beets Produce collective member max cadji. The workshop will cover the magic and science behind brining vegetables, that is pickling with just the use of salt, water, and spices. This workshop will focus on pickling of winter root vegetables such as turnips, beets, and carrots. Fermented foods help keep us healthy because of the occupation of our intestines by Lactobacillus acidophilus (which aides in digestion and absorption of nutrients
) The workshop is hands on, please bring a jar and a knife/cutting board. Participants are encouraged to buy veggies from the market to pickle, everything from garlic to broccoli stalks can be pickled! Please rsvp with max@phatbeetsproduce.org

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