Fermenting Fun: Kefir, Salted Butternut Ferment & Feijoa Fizz!

Last night, disaster struck—the hot water cylinder blew! So instead of showering, let’s embrace the funk another way—with some ferments! Who needs warm water when you have bubbling jars of probiotic goodness to keep things exciting?

The stars of today’s fermenting session come straight from Troppo’s tropical urban food forest in Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. Fresh, local, and full of life—just like these ferment recipes!

Kefir Second Ferment with Fruit

Take your kefir to the next level! A second ferment infuses it with fruity flavors and creates a naturally carbonated, probiotic-rich drink.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups freshly made kefir (strained from kefir grains)
• ½ cup fresh or frozen fruit (berries, mango, feijoa, or any favorite)
• 1 tsp honey or sugar (optional, for extra fizz)

Instructions:

1. Pour the strained kefir into a clean glass jar or bottle.
2. Add your chosen fruit and honey/sugar if using.
3. Seal the bottle with a tight-fitting lid.
4. Let it sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours to develop fizz.
5. Open carefully (it might be quite bubbly!), strain if needed, and refrigerate before enjoying a delicious, naturally flavored probiotic drink!

Salted Butternut Pumpkin Ferment

A salty, savory, gut-loving take on butternut pumpkin. Perfect as a side dish or a snack straight from the jar.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut pumpkin, cubed
• 1 tbsp salt (non-iodized)
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
• 1 ½ cups filtered water (no chlorine!)

Instructions:

1. Pack the pumpkin cubes into a clean jar.
2. Add the garlic and mustard seeds.
3. Mix the salt with the filtered water and pour over the pumpkin, ensuring everything is submerged.
4. Weigh it down with a clean glass weight or a cabbage leaf.
5. Cover with a lid (loosely if using a standard jar or with an airlock if you have one).
6. Let it ferment at room temperature for 5-7 days. Taste test and refrigerate once you love it!

Feijoa Fizz

Who needs soda when you can have naturally bubbly, feijoa-infused goodness?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups feijoas, scooped out
• 2 tbsp sugar (honey or raw sugar work well)
• 1-2 tbsp whey (from yogurt or kefir) OR ¼ tsp probiotic powder
• 4 cups water

Instructions:

1. Blend or mash the feijoas with sugar until well mixed.
2. Pour into a clean jar or bottle.
3. Add whey/probiotic powder and water, leaving at least an inch of headspace.
4. Close the lid and let ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days until fizzy.
5. Open carefully (it might be lively!), strain if needed, and refrigerate before enjoying!

So, while my hot water cylinder crisis rages on, at least I have an army of healthy microbes bubbling away in my kitchen. Who needs a hot shower when you can glow from the inside out with gut-loving ferments?

Give these recipes a go, embrace the funk, and happy fermenting!

 

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