My friend's grandma in Santa Fe showed me her pickle crock last fall

I was visiting my buddy in New Mexico and his grandma had this huge old stoneware crock in her kitchen, just for fermenting pickles. She told me she's used the same brine starter for over 20 years, just adding a cup to each new batch. She said, 'The little bugs in there are like family, you gotta keep them fed.' It was wild to think about this living thing being passed down and kept alive for that long. She let me try one of her half-sours and it was the best pickle I've ever had, super crisp and tangy. It made me realize my own ferments are basically brand new babies compared to hers. Has anyone else tried keeping a starter brine going for years like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_king231mo agoMost Upvoted

The little bugs are like family" is the real deal. That's how you get flavor you just can't buy in a store. My own stuff tastes weak next to an idea like that.

nancy1541mo ago

Family is a strong word for some microbes in a jar. It's just fermentation, not a relationship. The flavor comes from salt and time, not feelings. Calling it weak seems like putting too much stock in a metaphor. Good results need good technique, not a special mindset.