8/5/2017, 4PM – Our first fermented Giardiniera. We loosely followed the recipe on page 155 titled Edgy Veggies in our copy of Fermented Vegetables by the Shockeys. It turned out great. Afterwards, computed salt level in the brine to be 3.4%.

Their recipe, and what we actually did, is below.

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 5 or more cloves of garlic. Mary estimates with the large and small ones she used the equivalent of 6.
• 2 lb. carrots. That looked like a lot so we used about 1.85 lb.
• 1 onion quartered – Cut up one large yellow onion into max 1-1/2″ pieces
• 1 lb. jalapenos – that sounded like too much so put in 2 red and 4 green with the seeds
  1-2 T dried oregano
• 1 gal basic brine made with unchlorinated water and 1/2 cup (128 gm) of sea salt [or 3.43% computed using published salt density.] We made the brine with 1/2 gallon of filtered water using 1/4 Cup (64 gm) sea salt and had a cup or so left once the two jars were filled.

Packed the jars pressing down on the contents as much as possible. Poured in the brine to within 1/2″ of the lip as we did not want to remove the veggies an inch or two below the lip as everyone recommends and will put up any overflow.

Their recipe was to make 1 gallon and our batch would have made that as we had some left over to roast.

8/6/2017, 7 pm – Both jars are making bubbles. They had not been when I checked them about 6 am.

8/7/2017 – Had filled them too full and they overflowed filling up the air lock. Not much mess.

8/19/2017, 2 weeks – Tasted some of each veggie and they were nicely crunchy. The red and green jalapenos were a bit spicy but not as much as typical commercial pickled ‘penos. Mary liked them as well, said it is very good and would work by itself as a salad.