Anyone fermenting stuff straight from their garden? My cucumber situation got out of hand
My backyard garden in Austin went absolutely feral this summer and I ended up with way more cucumbers than any two people could reasonably eat. My husband kept saying just give them away but I had already started going down the fermented pickle rabbit hole and there was no stopping me.
First batch I used way too little salt and ended up with something genuinely concerning that I threw out immediately. Second batch I overcorrected and they came out so aggressively salty I felt like I was licking a road in winter. Third batch is actually good and I am unreasonably proud of myself.
The thing nobody really warned me about is how much the Texas heat messes with fermentation speed. My kitchen sits at around 80 degrees even with AC running and everything moves so fast. Lost a batch of fermented salsa verde too because I blinked.
I have peppers and green tomatoes coming out of my ears now and I want to try fermenting both before the season ends. The green tomatoes especially, I have no idea if that is even a thing people do or if I am about to make another cautionary tale.
Anyone fermenting directly from a home garden and adjusting for warm climates? Also genuinely curious if fermented green tomatoes are worth pursuing.