Filoli Flowers (Woodside CA)

It seems like everything is blooming! Another chance to make renew your commitment to nourishing yourself and your family.

Here is the current schedule. Please don’t be disappointed and wait too long to reserve your place in a workshop. Workshops have been filling up. And I am quite thankful for your attendance and love hearing about your successful endeavors with these foods/beverages in your home!

April 14, Saturday – Kombucha! (Kick The Soda Habit and Make Your Tummy Happy) (Wait List Only)
April 28, Saturday - Dosa and Chutneys! Go Gluten Free! (Wait List Only)
May 6, Sunday – The Odd Bits (Focus on Organ Meats) Don’t miss this one!
May 19, Saturday – Kimchi/Kraut (Learn the secrets to truly fermented and properly cured kraut for maximum probiotic content and taste!)
May 26, Saturday – Bone Broth and Soup – Mineral Rich – Get all your calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium!
June 3, Sunday – Kombucha! (Kick The Soda Habit and Make Your Tummy Happy)
June 23, Saturday - Krazy for Kefir- One of the most powerful probiotics out there!

Must Read Blog Post

A fellow nourishing food blogger, KerryAnn Foster, wrote a wonderful article on closed-air versus open-air (aka mason jars) fermenting. I found her article to be well researched and a easy to understand lesson on what fermentation is truly about. Be sure to give to a look.

A Great Resource for Prepared Fermented Veggies and Juices

A favorite in our home!

I also found a wonderful resource for fermented veggies and juices. I have started my quest to get these veggies and juices into our local marketplace…and I think they are a great alternative when you are unable to make your own or are traveling…The juices are the brines from the ferments so these are especially valuable for those staring out on the GAPs diet. The following paragraph is an excerpt from their website.

Wise Choice Market is the the trading name of Wise Choice Marketing Inc, sales and marketing partner of Caldwell Bio Fermentation Canada Inc, producers of the world’s best organic raw cultured vegetables and starter cultures for vegetables. Founded in December 2010 by Simon Gorman, Wise Choice Market’s mission is to preserve and promote the traditional practice of fermenting vegetables, using modern science to ensure that people everywhere can benefit from safe, delicious and nutritious raw cultured foods.

Wise Choice does proper fermentation and curing of all their products. This company does it research and tests their products for probiotic activity. They also sell a broadband full spectrum starter which is useful if you are fermenting frozen or conventional produce. Of course, this starter is not necessary in the Pickl-it system but it can boost activity under the two conditions I mentioned.

If you decide to try their products – please do mention that I referred you! (I do get a small commission) If you are interested in carrying these products at your business, contact me so we can get you started. Also, suggestions on where you would like to see these offered is appreciated.

Local Gluten Free Restaurant!

A new restaurant, Asian Box, opened that I can mostly recommend! They serve “fresh, aromatic, savory and incredibly delicious Asian street food prepared quickly in front of you—using local, sustainable and organic ingredients.” This is for the most part true. Just beware of the tofu and the sodas – otherwise a great affordable meal. Currently their beef is sourced from Prather Ranch and the pork from Niman Ranch. I’ve tried most of the menu and have found a few favorites – the pork and beef – are super tender – the shrimp is ok – you only get three – I haven’t tried the chicken yet….

They are located in the Town and Country Square in Palo Alto. Try it and let me know what you think.

It’s been busy at Lisa’s Counter Culture lately – All the January workshops sold out as well as the first three in February!

Thanks for attending! All referrals are deeply appreciated!

What’s Happening in March and April

March 24, Saturday – Krazy for Kefir- One of the most powerful probiotics out there!
April 1, Sunday - Condiments! (A great intro to fermentation workshop with plenty to offer old pros too) New Date!
April 14, Saturday – Kombucha! (Kick The Soda Habit and Make Your Tummy Happy)
April 28, Saturday - Dosa and Chutneys! Go Gluten Free!

I’ve had several requests regarding my opinion on blenders and juicers so I am going to repost the link here in case you missed it the first time. I am still in love with Blendtec – I find myself using it more and more as I get the hang of all it can do. And the Omega 800 can be used to make sausage! Who knew?

My latest find has been a very common gardening tool – a seedling mat! As many of you know, my home is rather cool in the winter – OK – it’s downright cold – so certain ferments are not as happy – like my dosa batter. But the seedling mat has solved all my temperature woes. It heats to about 15 or 20 degrees above ambient room temperature. And since my house is often in the low to upper 50s overnight – this helps keep my ferments happy while the rest of the house goes into deep freeze.
Just be sure to still cover your Pickl-it jars with a cloth so that the Lactic Acid Bacteria can happily multiply in the dark.

My first article, Fermentation 101, appears in this issue of Paleo magazine! Paleo magazine is the only print magazine dedicated to the Paleo lifestyle. Each issue is packed with the latest research, exercise, nutrition, interviews, recipes, reviews and more!I will be a regular contributor  so consider subscribing. Much of the recommendations for nutrition are closely aligned with the Weston A. Price foundation. So be sure to give it a peek.

I hope your holidays are filled with laughter, health and of course, nourishing food! I am going to add a link to my Cranberry Chutney with Ginger and Satsuma in case you want to enjoy a probiotic condiment with your holiday meal (Be sure to buy some fresh cranberries and freeze them so you can make this again later in the spring)

Lisa’s Counter Culture has lots to offer for unique nourishing gifts – grab a basket and add some Pickl-it jars, a pint of beautiful pink Himalayan salt, Red Boat Fish Sauce and brighten up someones day! Great for hostess gifts as well. I also have some thriving kombucha scobys that you could add a bag of Lisa’s Blend Kombucha Tea and a large tea ball and offer a nice alternative to those pesky sodas that show up this time of year. Email me if you want to order.

2012 is almost here!

I’m trying something new for workshops in January through March. Hopefully this will make it easier to find a date everyone can attend. There will be a link here for each proposed workshop  click and answer which date/time works best. You can pick more than one option. Once the minimum has been reached – I will email the details. If you don’t see the workshop you are interested in listed – be sure to request it! And remember to let me know what your availability is.

Here are the upcoming workshops. Each link below takes you to Doodle where the survey is hosted. Once in Doodle, click on “Calendar View” to see when each workshop is being proposed. . A description of each workshop can be found if you click on workshops on the top left corner of my webpage – the dates are not updated on my site yet – I will try to update the choices later today – but the dates and times that you see on Doodle are current.

Kombucha!

Condiments

Organ Meat Made Easy

Dosa and Chutneys

Krazy for Kefir

Bone Broth, Stocks and Easy Soup (New)

Let me know if you think what you think of this method of scheduling. Thanks for your support!