I’ll be giving my book to a lot of friends and family this Christmas. (You could too, especially if you win a copy in the Ferment Your Vegetables giveaway that ends tonight! Or maybe another copy in the Punk Domestics Giveaway, and PSST, there aren’t many entries over there, so your odds are good!)
FERMENT YOUR VEGETABLES + CASE OF JARS
This is my go-to basic. Mason jars are so versatile that they’d be a useful and pretty gift even for people who will only ferment one or two things at a time. Wide-mouth quart jars are my pick for most vegetable fermentation, but the details are up to you.
You can buy cases of jars at big box stores, depending on the season and where you live. If you’re buying online, Fillmore Container has a great selection. I especially like their Orchard Road jars for my prettier ferments. They’re made of heavier glass and the lack of ornate designs so the contents of the jar really stand out.
FERMENT YOUR VEGETABLES + PICKLE WEIGHTS
I have been using pickle weights for a couple years now, ever since I discovered Sandy Der’s handmade version. I don’t use them in every batch, but I like that they allow me to put the lid on my mason jars during fermentation.
Ideally, you could give these as a whole set-up to show a new fermenter what a fermenting jar should look like. Just make sure to tell them to loosen the jar lid!
Besides Sandy’s, which are great, Miki Palchik has recently started crafting some pickle weights that will be available IRL (Philly only, sorry guys!) this Thursday (check out her Instagram account for details).
I also like the glass Pickle Pebbles because I can toss them in the dishwasher after fermentation.
FERMENT YOUR VEGETABLES + LARGE FIDO JAR
One of my favorite parts of the book is the chapter on kvass (I strongly believe that kvass’ time has come!). I like to make kvass, and other veg ferments, in Fido or Le Parfait gasket jars. They’re large and beautiful and I get less Kahm yeast when I ferment in them over regular mason jars. Fill a 4- or 5-liter gasket-sealing jar with a gorgeous pink or red kvass and tie it up with a nice green ribbon for an impressive (and probiotic) slosh under the tree.
FERMENT YOUR VEGETABLES + FINISHED SAUERKRAUT, PICKLES, KIMCHI OR KVASS
There are quite a few recipes in the book that work quite well as food gifts. I intentionally made some pretty krauts, pickles and kvasses for exactly that purpose. Check out the Mirepoix Kraut for one eye-candy option.
Mother Nature Network did a nice write-up with some great suggestions for how to use Ferment Your Vegetables as gift inspiration (including recipes), so be sure to click over there for lots of suggestions if you’re the DIY gift type. (Protip: There’s booze over there!)
FERMENT YOUR VEGETABLES + CROCK
If you REALLY love a fermenter and have some cash on hand, a ceramic fermenting crock is a generous and exciting gift for any lover of the veg ferments. Better yet, there’s a crock section in Ferment Your Vegetables that can help you buy the right one for your giftee’s needs. (PS – Come back tomorrow for a CROCK GIVEAWAY from Stone Creek Trading!)
FERMENT YOUR VEGETABLES + SOME TYPE OF AIRLOCK DEVICE
Regular readers will know that I don’t rarely use airlocks for vegetable fermentation (no, they aren’t necessary). I do find them handy for reducing odors that occur when fermenting stinkier veg (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, etc), and some folks, especially people who live in very warm, moist climates, swear by them.
I think the Kraut Source is pretty clever, although it is only available for wide-mouth jars, so keep that in mind.
The ol’ standby of 3-piece airlock and reCAP continues to work well for me (check your local homebrew store. Mine usually stocks both.), with the added bonus that both are good for other uses when properly cleaned. You can also buy those items as a set in the form of the FarmCurious fermenting kit.
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BOOK GIVEAWAY! IT CLOSES TONIGHT.
If you buy something after you click the Amazon.com link/s in this post, I get a percentage of that purchase, and I do appreciate it! None of the other links in this post are sponsored. I just like the folks that sell the stuff, and I like the stuff they sell.