August 4th, 2023

Hi friends,

Whether or not you can believe it I’ve never pickled 10 lbs of cucumber before, until this weekend. A journey in vinegar, I found joy in sanitizing and re-sanitizing my perfect pickling vessels and blitzing 8 cloves of garlic to really make it kick. An unavoidable aroma that has since seeped into every corner of my home. Living for it though. 

I’m embracing projects. In-depth, multi-step, trial and error behemoths that push me out of my comfort zone and level up my kitchen prowess. From umami rich tomato jam to sour watermelon rind candy I am embodying yes, and energy in this full moon era. Not only am I elevating my dining experience, I'm noodling on stop-motion animation and finessing my storytelling skills. That is all to say, in this age of experimentation I am not afraid to be seen trying. I am well aware the depths of what I don’t know and accepting that learning, at any age, is never shameful.

So, taking on the intimidating, the seemingly complicated, and the briny to see where it pushes me and encouraging y’all to try it with me.

Stay hungry,Hawnuh Lee | Founder, Closed Loop Cooking

Let's get fizzy with it. // @hawnuhlee

The dish >>

• Very excited to read Climate Resilience, focused on climate justice and strategies for saving the planet. Featuring an essay from fav CLC contributor, Moji Igun.

• Gifting herb bundles for every upcoming occasion. Take note.

• Heirloom tomato-spo.

• Berry cuts are very much in season.

• Will you find your other half on this meatless matchmaker?

• Exploring the collaborative map of global Falling Fruit.

• Take me and your bounty on a broccoli holiday.

 Extending the summer sun 

 A round up of favorite preservation methods to inspire your shelf 

by Hawnuh LeeWhether you’re a beginner looking for your first foray into produce preserving or more advanced in your canning confidence, I’ve pulled together a few sure-fire methods you can implement in the coming weeks to make the most of your seasonal abundance. My favorite low impact practices extend the life of your fruits and vegetables in the most flavor-forward ways. With an excess of farmer’s market finds you’ll be excited for a variety of techniques and tastes to capture that summer sun ripened goodness.

Preservation-curious

Quick pickles

I love a quickle. An easy, low effort preservation method using minimal ingredients that maintains your produce for at least an additional 2 - 3 weeks. There is no complicated canning, fermenting, or anything to get in the way of an extra acid kick. I always keep a few varieties of quick pickles on hand to drop into salads, pastas, etc. Easily customizable, you can add in favorite herbs or spices to your liking.

You can try a quickle method with just about any crunchy veg. My go-to’s include radishes, onion, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and now rinds. Experiment with whatever you have on hand to create your signature pickle!

Red onion quick pickles

Quick pickled watermelon rinds

Baby’s first vinegar

Making my first apple cider vinegar I was definitely intimidated. But when I tell you ACV is the gateway ferment, I mean it was encouragingly easy. Making use of your leftover apple scraps, pear, quince, or other pome fruits is an awesome way to upcycle leftover produce pieces and imbibe a bit of that special seasonality into every vinegar kiss.

Apple scrap vinegar

Dehydrating

A whole newsletter in itself, dehydrating is a reliable way to shrink what you thought was a mountain of excess produce into just a few jars. Many fruits and veg do well in a quick toss of seasoning, say ‘nooch for zucchini chips or cinnamon for apple slices and dry out while you sleep. As it cools down, oven dehydrating is more tolerable but if you’re able to invest in a dehydrator (or borrow from a friend!) your space will be much cooler.

Kitchen tool libraries are a great place to look for community resources. You can borrow appliances like dehydrators, canning tools, or other to get started on your next kitchen project.

Preservation-ready

Jam, jellies, and other preserves

There is nothing quite like popping the lid to a summer-made jam, off season, for a nostalgic taste of sun soaked fruit. When that excess of berries, tomato, or other jam worthy produce hits, simmering down your sauce and preserving for future you is an act of self care. A worthwhile experimentation, you can dive into unique flavor combinations and trial + error your stabilizing agent and added sugars to find what works best for your preferences.

A wonderful reference is the (free to view) Jams, jellies and other preserves compiled by the Canadian agriculture and food advisory division. Published in 1983 this is still a great starting point for anyone looking to jump into jams and other viscous mediums.

Kraut

Sauerkraut can be divisive, but trust me on this one, once you’ve nailed your go-to kraut recipe you will be adding this into your regular, probiotic rotation. A more in-depth fermentation project, kraut is a versatile dish and easily customizable. You can build flavor with favorite aromatics and spices and put your seasonal offerings to good use. 

This tangy take on kraut is a great place to start for adventurous fermentors, and one of my favorite dishes to make with friends. Nothing quite like vigorously massaging cabbage with those closest to you. And make sure you give our quick overview to lacto-fermentation a read to set the stage.

Let’s get fizzy with it: A beginner’s guide to lacto-fermentation

Tangy ginger turmeric sauerkraut

Reducing food waste through preservation is a chance to explore your culinary creativity and challenge yourself to learn new kitchen techniques. If you’ve tried any of these methods recently, reply back with your favorites (and failures!)And as always, enjoy the process.

Meditative moss on loop.

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