We’re lucky to be living in a time when fermentation is creeping into the mainstream. You might know someone who home-brews kombucha and another who has a beloved crock for sauerkraut (this is Brooklyn, after all). If that’s a habit you’re interested in cultivating, we have tips from Sandor Katz on Edible Manhattan. But if you’re not the type to strain your own yogurt, here are some local companies doing the work that we can recommend—for both the joy of your palate and the health of your belly.
Hawthorne Valley Farm Sauerkraut
This farm in Ghent, New York, has been doing lacto-fermented vegetables since 1999. They’re available at many Greenmarkets in the city. That jalepeño kraut sounds especially tantalizing, so definitely pay them a visit.
Barry’s Tempeh
Barry makes the only fresh, non-pasteurized tempeh (an Indonesian staple food made of fermented legumes and grains) in the city. The difference between it and the usual store-bought brands is extremely present in the flavor and texture: Fresh tempeh retains more of the delicious funkiness you’re after, while also soaking up more flavor from marinades. Barry’s Tempeh also sells great burgers and bacon that you’ll want to have in the freezer for lazy days.
Maple Hill Creamery Yogurt
The 100% grass-fed dairy by Maple Hill Creamery was recently covered by Edible Capital District because of their commitment, since 2009, to showing how different the product is from cows not fed corn and grain.
Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi
Founder Lauryn Chun has brought the brilliance of the Korean staple to grocery shelves across the city since starting the company in 2009. She even makes vegan varieties as well as spicy gochujang, and wrote a cookbook in 2012 called The Kimchi Cookbook: 60 Modern and Traditional Ways to Make and Cook Kimchi.
Crock & Jar Kraut
Ramp Kraut, Caraway Kraut, Pickle Kraut—the list goes on. The company was founded in 2011 by Michaela Hayes, who makes regular appearances on Heritage Radio and runs a fermenting meetup that has regular meetings with demos at Jimmy’s No. 43.
Rick’s Picks Okra
With Spanish smoked paprika in the mix, this pickled okra adds a lot of depth to whatever you decide to garnish with it (though you can always just eat it straight from the jar). When you’ve eaten all the okra, use the brine for a tasty marinade—maybe on some Barry’s Tempeh.
