Pickling Fruits and Veggies

[WonderlandAlli]

Can anyone knowledgeable write a kind of Beginner's Guide to Pickling for fruits and veggies in here? Inquiring minds (ok, me) want to know...

[garymill]

Hi Allie,

Check out ilanit's blog for two great articles on making fantastic pickles, Energized Eating's Blog

[WonderlandAlli]

Cool, thanks I found her entry In a Pickle that has great info.

[Bruce Paine]

WonderlandAli,

First of all, welcome back, as I have not seen you posting here for awhile.

You surprised me with the pickling fruits in the title because I have never heard of pickled fruit in macrobiotics.

My first pickles were made using umeboshi plum pits that were cooked in well water and placed in a jar with cucumbers for a few days and made for some very tasty pickles.

I experimented with making sauerkraut, as well but years later when working at the East-West Center for Macrobiotic Studies in Los Angeles with Roy Steevensz, made and became somewhat proficient at producing takuan (rice bran pickles) and earned a reputation in that community for that skill and product produced.

There are plenty of excellent books written both by macrobiotic persons and those who are not, that teach us how to make tasty and nutritious pickled vegetables and other foods.

The first book, of course, that I would recommend is Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods by Sandor Katz.

Another good book could be Making Sauerkraut and pickled vegetables at home by Klaus Kaufmann and Annelies Schoneck

Many of the macrobiotic cookbooks have quick pickle making recipes and sometimes you will find a longer time pickle recipe as well.

I hope this helps you, in your inquiry.

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[WonderlandAlli]

If umeboshi are pickled, and they are a plum, then they are a pickled fruit. :d

I can't find umeboshi and the store doesn't ship to Canada, so I was thinking of finding a way to make a North American substitute with plums and apricots.

[Bruce Paine]

Allison,

Most of the umeboshi is produced in Japan and much comes to the United States but I'd be willing to bet you that many folks in Canada get umeboshi, and not just by bringing it back with them after visiting the States.

My guess is that you want umeboshi soon and not next year after you've grown the plums and apricots, harvesting them and curing them, before pickling them!

By the way Jon and Jan Belleme's book Japanese Foods That Heal: Using Traditional Ingredients to Promote Health, Longevity & Well-being describes in detail how umeboshi are made traditionally in Japan!

Of course if you have the fruit, now and you want to get started on making your umeboshi, here is a recipe I found typing "making umeboshi plums" in Google.

Have you contacted all the health foods outlets in Calgary about whether they have Umebosi or not and/or if they can order it?

Contact:

Arirang Oriental Food Store
1324 10 Ave Sw # 30
Calgary AB, T3C 0J2
Phone: 403-228-0980
Fax: 403-228-9977

and see if they either have umeboshi or can order it for you.

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[WonderlandAlli]

I don't intend to spend a tank of gas to go to Calgary just to shop for umeboshi. It's just not a good idea for my wallet. Plums are available in the grocery stores now, so I'll buy some and use that recipe your provided, thanks for that.

[Bruce Paine]

Allison,

I'm sorry but I forgot the town that you live in (that might be a good reason to list your Location as "Edmonton, Alberta") and found out again through searching your posts after your most recent one!

Eden Foods does ship to Canada, so all you have to do is go to Eden Foods Umeboshi Plums to buy them and have them shipped to you!

Then you can both have umeboshi and something to compare the batch you'll be making with!

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine