Antique Crocks: Fermenting Small Dishes
I always look at the price of old pickle crocks when I'm in antique stores and yard sales. A large antique pickle crock in good condition sells for about $75 in Central California. They are probably over $100 in other parts of the state.
One problem with a 5 gallon crock is that it is a 5 gallon crock. They are beautiful, but they are heavy and take a lot of storage space. They could certainly keep me in pickles all winter and one crock may have just that opportunity some day.
But I found something even better and more useful all year round -- these small crocks. I paid $20 for the two crocks and can use them on small projects.
If I have a few pieces of fruit I want to turn into a fermented fruit compote, I put them in the small crock, cover with water keifer, and weight them with a saucer. Some people will use a bit of whey to start the fermentation instead.
For a small batch of vegetables, I add a few sprinkles of salt, mix and stir around, cover with water, and weight with a plate.
In both cases, I cover the whole business with a dish towel and check it every day or so. I let fruit go for at least two days and vegetables go for longer (more like a week). But I'm not a slave to the calendar. If the batch turns, my nose tells me. Yours will too -- if it smells like it's rotting, it is.
