the living kitchen

Our kitchen counter is a buffet of aliveness, with bottles and jars of bubbling, frothing, fermenting, multiplying living things. Our recent delight is water kefir. The picture above shows the grains and the one below is the new jar filled with sugar water and grains ready to work their magic and turn it into a sourish, bubbly, pro-biotic loaded yummy drink. Read more here

Since the grains grow prolifically (though I do believe they will do even better when I replace that metal strainer), we are sharing and trading with friends. I remember that inspiring bit in Radical Homemakers which was a significant paradigm shift for me: changing our homes from places of consumption to places of production. 

The water kefir is living beside kombucha and yogurt and then at other times becomes roommates with cultured sour cream and sourdough and other nourishing goodness. I'm glad to be part of a community where I can access real food and learn from wise foody sisters and brothers.

 

Comments

[Joanna]

Well, since you asked, maybe it would be easiest to let you know the days i will be at the shop, and then if you are in the neighborhood during any of those times, great! If not, I can swing by and pick 'em up. I'll be at BB tomorrow (Saturday) and then Monday and Wednesday of next week.
xoxo,
J

[kris laroche]

Hi Anne...I dont know how the non-metal strainer will show up. But Im sure it will! You know how those things work. It is so fun playing around with all this when the inspiration leads me to. xxoo

[kris laroche]

Paulina: Yes...When they say that, you know you are onto something sweet! Fun fun. xxxooo

[Paulina]

I LOVE the idea of the living kitchen and think I've been incorporating this without calling it that (need to read that book too). My proudest moments so far are when my daughter says, "maybe we can make one, mama" as opposed to 'buy' one. Thanks again for your inspirational posts, Kris!

[anne]

Oh, I want to try this! Just curious, though-where do you find a non-metal strainer? I just found a local source for raw milk and I'm feeling ready to incorporate more nourishing and traditional foods into our diet once again. Kombucha is high on my list of things to make as well. Still haven't tackled sourdough, but I can't wait to try your krissy-buns recipe once I have!

[kris laroche]

Joanna...you can have them for nuttin, friend! Want us to bring some by or do you want to pick them up???
xxxooo

[Rachel]

Thanks for these words & pics. This totally inspires me- my whole worldview was challenged thanks to Radical Homemakers & I have yogurt culturing on my counter, bread baking in my oven and black beans bubbling away right now! I've been meaning to start experimenting with kombucha as a naive beginner, but I'm afraid that my homemade variety won't come close to the deliciousness of store-bought flavored (aka sweetened) varieties that I like. "Living" foods are pretty intimidating to me- their bacterias, temperatures, waiting periods, fragile growing states. They seem a little risky and adventurous and exciting compared to the food-from-a-box-or-can I grew up on! Definitely fun stuff.

My current home-chef project is locating glass countertop containers for our dry goods- popcorn, quinoa, whole wheat flour, lentils, brown rice, steel-cut oats, etc. The plan is to buy dry-erase sticker labels for them so I have a neat, organized way of seeing what we have & what we're running out of while still being able to edit!

And the shift from consumption to production- yum. That is what I am wanting so! Being reminded of that made me proud to be a mama-homemaker today! The messy kitchen is so worth it.

[Joanna]

You inspire me. Can I trade something for a few of your lovely cultures? I made some cute dresses, or skirts. Let me know. You are lovely.