Cold Noodles with Kimchi

This simple dish is quick to prepare, refreshing, and a great way to enjoy our Kimchi! The possibilities for delicious, fresh toppings are endless and a great way to use up scraps in the fridge. The sauce can be made ahead, and mixed with the noodles right before serving. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound egg noodles

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash

• 3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1-2 teaspoons Hosta Hill Lacto-Fermented Hot Sauce (optional)

• Hosta Hill Kimchi

• Lime wedges

• Sesame seeds

• Julienne veggies for garnish (carrot, cucumber, cabbage and scallion)

• Hard-boiled Eggs (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes; they should retain a hint of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, and hot sauce (optional).

3. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the dressing and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

4. If serving immediately, portion the noodles out into bowls and top with Kimchi and other desired garnishes.

5. Enjoy!

Farm to bottle: celebrating our local, fermented Hot Sauce

Our local, fermented jalapeño and garlic hot sauce!

As we settle into this fall transition, we reflect with gratitude on another successful growing season in the Berkshires. This summer and fall, we've grown two varieties of cabbage, carrots, garlic, jalapeño and sweet red peppers, and various other storage crops for our own personal consumption. We've also continued to partner with local, sustainable farms in the region, which include: Atlas Farm in South Deerfield, MA; MX Morningstar Farm in Copake, NY; Winter Moon Roots in Hadley, MA; Red Fire Farm in Montague, MA; and Abode Farm in New Lebanon, NY. Thank you to all of our farmers! Your work is essential to building a thriving and sustainable local food economy, and we are so happy to be a part of what you do.  

And while many of our ferments combine ingredients from multiple farms (including our own), our hot sauce is the exception, prepared with jalapeños and garlic exclusively grown by us on farmland right near our kitchen in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts. This season we were blessed with an abundant pepper crop, and amazed at the flavor and spice of our jalapeños and sweet red peppers. And the jalapenos, of course, are the primary ingredient in our fermented hot sauce.

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Our co-founder Maddie Elling processing peppers in the kitchen. 

After harvesting, the jalapeños are processed in our kitchen and fermented with sea salt in the same way that we prepare our sauerkraut and kimchi: using the traditional lacto-fermentation method of combining vegetables, sea salt, and time. Part magic, part microbiology, the fermentation process enhances the flavor and probiotic content of our hot sauce, creating a flavourful, sour tang without the addition of vinegar.

This year, we are also experimenting with new hot sauce recipes. Many of you have seen our jalapeño hot sauce appear in both red and green varieties. This is the result of producing the same recipe with red, ripe jalapeños and green, fresh jalapeños. Moving forward, we are now experimenting with a distinct, additional recipe to differentiate the two colors in both appearance and taste, and to provide a milder variety for those who prefer a hot sauce with less fire. Stay tuned!

And so keep an eye out for our hot sauce at select retail locations and various farmer's markets in the region, including Berkshire Grown in Great Barrington and Williamstown, MA; Basilica Farm and Flea in Hudson, NY; the Shindy at Shire City Sanctuary in Pittsfield, MA; and GBAM, the GB Arts Market in Great Barrington, MA. Locally grown and naturally fermented, we see our hot sauce as a celebration of local agriculture and the community of farmers, retailers, and customers that makes what we do possible. 

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At work in the garlic patch this summer: this garlic also produces the garlic scapes used in our Scape Kraut!

Summertime Eatin'

Summer is the best time to hang outside and eat. One place we love is The Bistro Box in Sheffield, MA. They are known for their tasty sandwiches and delectable seasonal sides like spring fries with wild ramp pesto, balsamic mushrooms and monterey chèvre. Pictured below is their Roadside Rueben, featuring our Crimson Kraut. Something I might have to replicate for lunch one of these days..

• ROADSIDE RUEBEN:
• Turkey
• Swiss
• Crimson Kraut (as much as you'd like!)
• Russian Dressing
• Thick Cut Rye

Dinner With Friends

 It's that time of year, the days are shorter, you have to force yourself out of the house to socialize, but it's important, and rewarding!

Below I share a recipe for a Choucroute Garni, an Alsatian recipe a friend prepared for us a few weeks ago. Choucroute Garni is composed of various meats and potatoes simmered together on a bed of Sauerkraut. It's absolutely delicious, especially with Riesling and friends around a big table.

Choucroute Garni
Ingredients

• 3 pounds of sauerkraut, washed
• 3 cups chicken stock
• Big chunk of salt pork, soaked in water to remove excess salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3-pound piece smoked pork loin (not ready-to-eat)
• 12 frankfurters, 6 knockwurst, or other hearty sausages
• 1 pre-cooked Polish kielbasa
• 12 potatoes
• Mustard

Method

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Put washed sauerkraut in a stockpot with chicken stock. If you like, use beer or white wine for part of the liquid. Add a big chunk of soaked salt pork, garlic cloves, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Put frankfurters or knockwurst and kielbasa in with the sauerkraut for the last 20 minutes to heat through.

Roast smoked pork loin the oven about 25 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 170ºF. Boil potatoes in their jackets separately, then peel.

When it comes time to assemble the dish, drain the sauerkraut and mound it in the center of a big platter. Slice the pork loin and arrange around the sauerkraut. Garnish with sliced kielbasa and salt pork, whole frankfurters or knockwurst, and peeled potatoes. Serve with hot mustard, such as a Düsseldorf or German-type mustard, or French Dijon.

Yield
6 servings
Recipe credit James Beard Foundation

April showers bring...lots of events!

Market season is upon us! That means farmers market, craft fairs, all sorts of events! We’ll be at a handful of farmers markets this summer and also some one-off events. Read on to see what's happening this month...

The past week we started the Tuesday Market in Northampton which we’ll be attending every-other week (April 26th-on)

This weekend we will be Sampling and selling at the New England Veg Fest. That's Sunday, May 1st from 11-5pm. The event is at the DCU center in Worcester and it will be featuring 100% vegan food. There will be all sorts of food samplings, demos, speakers, as well as full-menu offerings from restaurants and bakeries.

Mothers day weekend The Great Barrington Farmers Market opens! Located in downtown Great Barrington and featuring 25+ vendors selling spring vegetables and fruits, seedlings, maple syrup, honey, breads, grains, and of course facto-fermented vegetables and tempeh! That same weekend we will also be in Hudson, May 7th and 8th, at the inaugural spring iteration of Basilica Farm & Flea full of independent makers, collectors and farmers! Thats a full weekend of good food and craft!

Saturday, May 21st we will be in NY state again at the Hudson Valley Hullabaloo The event is 10-6pm and will host a range of artisans from crafts, to collectors to food producers. Also, the Hullabaloo will be teaming up with Radio Woodstock 10.01 Craft Brew Boogaloo featuring 75 craft breweries pouring 150 kinds of brew, local farm-to-table food, live music, games and more! The craft Brew Boogaloo runs 1pm-6pm, and both events are separate, however, Boogaloo admission allows for entry into the Hullabaloo. Got it? Hope to see you there!