Lacto-fermentation, preserves food, and taste great. There are more benefits to lacto-fermentation than just preserving. Lacto-fermentation produces more enzymes in the food as well as good bacteria and lactic acid. True Probiotic home-made foods are essential to good gut health.  Indigenous cuisines, have always made them, usually serving some with every meal.  Mass marketing has for the moist part, taken this valuable food away, and replaced it with vinegar based “pickled” foods, with none of the good bacteria “probiotic” value, and comprised nutrition. These foods are relatively easy to make, and have the added benefits, of improved nutrient value, and improved digestion.

Probiotic Lacto-fermented Pickles

• Fresh cucumbers enough to fit into a quart jar. Grow your own or buy local,  like Farmers Market.
• 2 Cups filtered water, (Chlorinated city tap water kills the process).
• 4 Tablespoons fresh whey
• 1 Tablespoon unrefined sea salt
• 1 Teaspoon black pepper corns
• 1 Teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
• 1/4 Cup oak leaves, cleaned & dry (keep pickles crisp)
• 2-3 Cloves garlic, sliced
• Fresh dill
• Be creative, add spices you like  or hot peppers, onions, okra.

Clean cucumbers and chill. Mix water, whey and salt. Measure and set aside spices. Jam cucumbers and oak leaves tight in to the jar. The idea is you want them to stay submerged in the brine, sometimes I cut to fit. The other point is that your need about 1 inch of air space above the top of the brine. Push in spices.  Add the water/salt/whey mixture, and more filtered water if needed to cover.  Sometimes I’ve seen people weight the cucumbers down to make sure they stay under the brine, if you do that just make sure not to use metal, and make sure what ever you use is clean. Cover and place somewhere that’s a reasonable room temperature.  In a few days you’ll see bubbling on the top, after 3 days, start tasting to check.  When you like how they taste, store them in your refrigerator, they should be good for at least 6 mouths, but they never last that long at our house.

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