A quick note about heat. Heat kills bacteria. Any process that heats your fermented foods higher than about 110 degrees risks killing the good bacteria you worked so hard to create. It is certainly fine to heat and eat fermented foods, you just lose the good bacteria. So enjoy it hot or cold, but remember to eat some that hasn’t been cooked. If you are buying fermented foods that are not refrigerated, like jarred sauerkraut or pickles, they have been pasteurized (heated) to make it shelf-stable, and the good bacteria is all gone. More and more stores are now selling “live” sauerkraut and pickles, but you will find them in refrigerated sections.

Dictionary.com defines “pickled”[pik-uh ld] adjective preserved or steeped in brine or other liquid Foods that can be pickled include meat, fruit, eggs, vegetables, and seeds. Food can be pickled in vinegar, including a “quick pickle”, like simply tossing something like cucumber slices with vinegar and seasonings and letting it sit for a few minutes to a couple of days. This is delicious! This is not fermenting, and it does not enhance the probiotic punch that fermenting provides. Food that is submerged in a salt brine will ferment. For this discussion, let’s just talk about fermenting plants. Fresh vegetables come with good bacteria. Bacteria is not bad. Some of it is, but much of it is a good thing. You WANT good…