Prepared Snacks and Condiments

Live Condiments

Have you wondered why ketchup never ever goes bad in the fridge? Could it be because it is highly processed, full of sugar and preservatives? Could it be because it is a dead food?

Live Condiments will provide beneficial bacteria and enzymes for the digestion of foods. Enjoy them within two months of preparation. If little spots of white foam appear at the top, lift off with a spoon. If the occasional batch goes bad, it will smell bad!

Papaya Chutney - $5.00

Papayas are rich in carotenoids and vitamin C as well as potassium and phosphorus. They contain a unique enzyme (papain) that helps in the digestion of proteins (meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs).

Mayonnaise - $4.00

Lacto-fermented mayonnaise is made with the highest quality raw organic eggs. The fermentation process with lactobacilli protects it from spoiling.

Caesar Dressing:
1/2 cup lacto-fermented mayonnaise
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
Mash anchovies to paste & mix all ingredients well.

Creme Fraiche - $4.00

Add to creamed soups and sauces or scoop on top of your porridge.

Curried Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Tbs raw vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs. Curry powder
Blend with a whisk. Add to cooked cold chicken and diced red peppers and celery.

Peel Power - $5.00

Delicious with plain yogurt, on top of cereals or pancakes. Citrus peel is rich in bioflavonoids and limonene, a cancer fighter.

Lacto-fermented foods

Lacto-fermentation is a process whereby special bacteria transform sugars and starches into beneficial acids. These foods are valued for medicinal qualities including the ability to relieve intestinal problems and constipation. They encourage lactation, strengthen the sick, enhance digestion and promote overall wellbeing and stamina.

Fermentation of milk results in numerous beneficial changes. Fermentation breaks down casein, or milk protein (difficult to digest), as well as lactose (milk sugar). Culturing restores many of the enzymes destroyed during pasteurization including lactase, which helps digest lactose, and numerous enzymes, which help the body absorb calcium and other minerals. Lactase produced during the culturing process allows many people who are sensitive to fresh milk to tolerate fermented milk products.

Regular consumption of cultured dairy products lowers cholesterol and protects against bone loss. In addition, cultured dairy products provide beneficial bacteria and lactic acid to the digestive tract.

The proliferation of lactobacilli in lacto-fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anti-carcinogenic substances. Lactic acid, the main by-product of the lactobacilli proliferation, promotes the growth of a healthy flora throughout the intestine and is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying bacteria.

Lacto-fermented condiments will keep for about two months in the fridge. The chutneys are not meant to be eaten in large quantities but rather as condiments. They go beautifully with meats and fish of all sorts, as well as with pulses and grains.

Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, chutneys, marmalade, ginger ale, etc. were traditionally lacto-fermented foods full of active enzymes and beneficial health properties. Today's condiments are pasteurized for the food industry's benefit, not ours. We should bring back these foods for our families to enjoy and benefit from.