What started as a hobby and a charitable deed turned into a full-fledged business…
About six years ago Rick Goldberg (the now co-founder of Wildbrine) was volunteering at Ceres Kitchen in Sebastopol, CA. The Ceres Community Project is basically what I wished I had the opportunity to be a part of when I was a kid: Teenagers are mentored by local chefs in the arts of cooking – but not just any meals – they cook with nutrient-rich, healthy foods. And what do they do with the bounty of their labor? They deliver it to local cancer patients (about a week’s worth of meals per delivery).
The sauerkraut is a hot commodity because, as I learned, those going through chemo have altered taste buds, but the kraut is a tasty treat.
Two original Ceres recipes became Wildbrine staples. Arame & Ginger Organic Kraut and Dill & Garlic.Arame is a Japanese sea vegetable packed full of nutritious elements like iron and iodine. The idea of designing each kraut mixture for both taste and nutrition has become the basis of Wildbrine product development.
Wildbrine loves to develop new products but a few products that had a cult following over the years have petered out. So while some new products (like fermented Sriracha) are about to hit the shelves, other products (like fermented pickles) are, for now… shelved.
I'm the kind of gal who likes to ready my labels so I had some questions for Wildbrine....
Q: What’s the difference between home fermenting and commercial fermenting?
There’s not too much difference between at home and commercial fermenting – still made with wholesome fresh ingredients - just more cabbage and bigger vessels! While home fermenters can let their batch go for as little as three days, commercial fermenters are held to a safety standard requiring a certain PH. This longer ferment results in a stronger tasting kraut (and in my mind, the more sour the better!) Q: What’s the difference between the “Organic” product line and the standard product line? There are currently 4 certified organic products. While the other products aren’t labeled “organic” it doesn’t mean they don’t contain organic ingredients. Furthermore, cabbage is not on the dirty dozen list; it’s on the clean 15 list. Personally, as I’ve stood in the aisles of my health food grocer reading labels, I’ve wondered this. I’ve wondered if I should pay a bit more for the “organic” kraut and what the health considerations are. Now I know… I’ve personally tasted a good portion of the product line. Here’s my order of preference...
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