This post is sponsored by The Home Depot and, as always, all opinions are my own. Beet and Goat Cheese Flatbread makes for a show-stopping, flavorful holiday appetizer. These flatbreads are cooked on Home Depot’s Weber® Spirit E-315 (save that precious oven space!) and are topped with grilled butternut squash and beets. Beet and […]
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For many weeks, my younger daughter has been preparing, along with her homeschool co-op class, for a mock trial, which took place Saturday at our county courthouse. Many of you may be familiar with mock trials (or may have participated in them when you were in school), but for those of you who aren’t: Mock trial is a competition wherein participants are given a case (often based on a real-life court case) so that they can present both the prosecution and the defense. Students spend some time preparing for their roles as prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants, and witnesses, and the outcomes can either be determined by which side prevails (the verdict/judgment) or by overall points.
The case our students (and their competing teams) used is a well-known and widely used mock trial case. It’s a murder case; the defendant is a woman named Barbara Barrett who stands accused of killing her husband, who, it appears, was having and affair and on the verge of leaving his wife (he was found grasping a love letter to someone named “Tootsie”) but was gunned down in their living room. Or maybe it was their dining room. I can’t remember.
We homeschoolers are so protective our young, impressionable children, aren’t we?
We had four teams present at our mock trial: Two teams tried the case in one courtroom—one in the role of prosecution, one in the role of defense—while the other two teams did the same in a separate courtroom. Then, after the conclusion of the first trial, the teams swapped not only opponents, but the side of the case they represented. So before the day was done, all the teams had argued both for the prosecution and for the defense.
And that’s the rich learning experience of a mock trial. The teams have to deeply analyze the case, the evidence, and the witnesses on both sides. They have to be firmly committed to both positions and prepared to argue in favor of them. They have to anticipate all the angles the opposing side will take and prepare for those possibilities. And they fill the roles not just of prosecutor and defense attorney, but also the witnesses.
It’s an amazing hands-on plunge into what it’s like inside of a courtroom, and the preparation and strategy involved in trying a case.
I was riveted the whole time. But of course, one of the rules of mock court is that no one outside of the teams can jump up, wave their arms, and yell, “Ask him this! Ask her that! You don’t have to answer! What about the flaws in the witness statement!” So I had to just keep my amateurish opinions to myself.
There were two real-life judges presiding over each courtroom who had generously given of their time, and at the conclusion of each case (and actually, during each case) the judges gave constructive feedback not only to each team about what they did right and what they could have done better…but also to the individual participants. This was incredibly instructive, not just to the participants, but to the audience.
Again: I was riveted.
Of all the experiences my daughter (and her sister before her) have had throughout the course of our homeschooling experience, the mock trials have been toward the top of the list of favorites. The kids were remarkable in their commitment to the experience, and to watch them take this case as seriously as they might have had they actually been trying the real deal was incredibly exciting. As witnesses testified, they’d huddle, strategize, regroup, then attack. It was really fun to watch.
Have your kids participated in mock trials through their school or homeschooling group?
Have you found outside opportunities that have allowed them to participate in mock trial groups outside of school?
Would love to hear your mock trial experiences!
Bacteria!
Are you scared yet? For some reason, in modern North American culture, bacteria has become something to be feared, and most certainly destroyed. Heaven forbid you put the word bacteria in the same sentence as food, because we’ve all decided that these two things most certainly do not mix. But wait a minute…most of us actually ingest a lot of bacteria and fungus-laden food and drink, such as yogurt, sourdough bread, olives, soy sauce, and wine, without really thinking about it. So how have we gotten so freaked out by these little microorganisms that we feel the need to wage war?
Elenore of Earthsprout and I got to talking recently, and as per usual, it was about all things edible. We both love fermented foods and decided to ask all our fav food bloggers to join us in spreading the word about how awesome and easy it is to make your own fermented foods at home! We have such a treat for you over the next seven days, as we celebrate fermentations with tons of recipes and ideas for all of you to get on board. Welcome to Fabulous Fermentation Week! (see all participants’ links at the end of this post…)
Most cultures around the world in fact use bacteria to make food more amazing, because something really cool happens when these two entities meet: we get fermentation. Fermentation is the process of a carbohydrate being converted into an acid or an alcohol. Under the right conditions foods will naturally ferment, which is precisely how the process was discovered over 5000 years ago.
So, um, bacteria kind of rocks. You heard me. I can rattle off a million reasons why those teeny-tiny organisms are good for you, and actually important for your health – not a threat as we’ve been conditioned to believe.
Why Bacteria is your Buddy
When we eat fermented foods, we eat the beneficial bacteria – the probiotics – that the food contains. This is important because we need a diverse population of bacteria in our digestive system for optimal health. To name just a few of their functions, probiotics are responsible for promoting regular bowel movements (helping to relieve diarrhea and constipation), improving digestion, enhancing immune function, producing antioxidants, normalizing skin conditions, reducing cholesterol, maintaining bone health, and managing blood sugar levels. The foods we eat play a huge role in the health of our precious populations. By eating fermented foods that contain natural, good bacteria, we boost the number and variety of bacteria living in our guts, almost like taking probiotic supplements, except much less expensive and much more delicious.
The bottom line is fermented foods are amazing for your overall health. The larger the variety of fermented foods you can take in the better, as this helps populate your digestive system with a variety of microorganisms. Some examples for fermented foods that are widely available are plain yogurt, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha. When purchasing these items make sure that they do not contain sugar, preservatives, food dyes, and most importantly that they have not been pasteurized. Heat destroys all the delicate bacteria, so the foods must be raw to be beneficial. This may mean a good old-fashioned DIY or that you visit a market or health food shop instead of a traditional grocery store, but I have no doubt you will discover a whole world of awesome fermented-ness that you didn’t even know existed! Party!
Lactic acid fermentation is just one process of which we are all familiar with, even if you’ve never heard the term before. Lactic acid fermentation is responsible for the sour taste of fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, and pickles. The sugar in the cabbage and cucumbers respectively, feed that bacteria and in turn that sugar is converted into lactic acid, which serves as a natural preservative.
One of my all-time favorite things to ferment is cabbage and turn it into kimchi. Through the process of lactic acid fermentation this humble cruciferous goes from ho-hum, to ka-BLAM! Kimchi is Korea’s national dish, and it is really spicy, tangy and totally addictive. If you’ve ever been to a Korean restaurant you’ve undoubtedly been served this fermented cabbage delight, most likely on the side of your meal.
I like to make kimchi because it is very simple and you don’t need to wait a long time to enjoy the results. Even if you have never made a single pickle in your life, kimchi is great first-timer’s fermentation project because it tastes great no matter what you do to it!
My version of kimchi is vegan and gluten-free. I am aware that most traditional kimchi is made with fish sauce or soy sauce, but I wanted to create a recipe that vegans and those avoiding gluten can enjoy. I’ve also chosen to go with a simplified method that doesn’t require soaking the cabbage in salt water overnight. I have experimented with both methods, and I just find the one I am presenting you with today is easier for beginners. I do not claim to be a kimchi expert, but I do know that this stuff is easy to make and darn tasty.
Ingredients:
2 Napa cabbage (2 kg total weight)
1 daikon radish
5 large carrots
1 bunch spring onions (about 7)
1 apple
70 g fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic
scant 1/3 cup crushed red chili flakes
¼ cup good-quality sea salt
Equipment:
1 large glass jar (mine has 4-liter capacity)
1 large bowl
knife + cutting board
food processor or mortar and pestle
Directions:
1. Wash all veggies. Chop cabbage into bite-sized chunks, julienne or grate carrots, daikon, and apple. Slice green onion. Place all vegetables in a very large bowl.
2. In a food processor blend ginger, garlic, and chili until well combined. Add this mixture to the bowl of vegetables along with the salt.
3. Mix and vigorously massage all ingredients together until the cabbage begins to soften and release fluid. Continue until you have a fair amount of liquid in the bottom of the bowl, about 4-5 minutes. The vegetables at this point should have lost much of their volume. Let the bowl sit out at room temperature for a few hours, massaging once or twice more. Season to taste.
4. In a large, sterilized jar (or several small ones), pack in the vegetables trying to avoid any air pockets, making sure to leave a few inches of space at the top of the jar for carbon dioxide. Cover the jar with a loosely with a lid, or make sure to open it periodically to release any pressure that may build up. Leave the jar on the counter for 2-4 days. You may see bubbles forming in the jar – this is carbon dioxide and totally normal. Taste the kimchi now and again. Once the flavour is to your liking, seal the jar and place in the fridge. Keeps for several months.
*Tip: After removing kimchi from the container to eat, push the remaining back down to keep most of the cabbage submerged in the brine (the liquid). This will help keep it fresh for longer.
Troubleshooting
I will now attempt to predict your questions and answer them…
Q: My kimchi has been on my counter for a few days. How do I know when its ready?
A: Smell and taste the kimchi. The scent will be very strong, but pleasantly sour. The taste is the same; pungent and spicy, but not foul. The kimchi is ready whenever you feel it tastes as strong as you want it to. Remember that the longer you leave it at room temperature, the stronger it will become. The kimchi will continue to ferment in the fridge but at a much slower rate, so give it as long as you like in a warm environment before moving it to a cool one.
Q: I think my kimchi has gone bad. How do I know?
A: Trust me, you’ll know. Bad kimchi is really gross. And it’s really hard to get it to the point of spoiling, so don’t worry too much. You won’t be able to eat enough spoiled kimchi to get sick from it anyway – your taste buds will tell you to stop.
Q: My kimchi is moldy, what should I do?
A: If you see mold beginning to form at the top of your kimchi, your jar was probably not sterile enough. Throw out this batch and start again. Make sure to use clean equipment. And remember that when you take kimchi from the jar, use only clean utensils (i.e. don’t fork out a bunch, clean the fork with your mouth and go back for more).
Q: My kimchi is too strong for my taste. Any tips?
A: Yes! Mix the kimchi with other vegetables or grain to mellow out the flavour. Alternatively, lightly cooking kimchi greatly reduces the sour taste and spiciness. Remember – don’t heat it too long or you’ll lose most of the nutrition and probiotics.
I’ve done all kinds of fermenting in my young life, because I am a huge food geek. The more I experiment, the bigger my edible world gets! Pretty exciting stuff to learn that you can turn ordinary foods in super foods in just a few simple steps. I realize that leaving things sitting out on the counter is waaaaay counter-intuitive – it may even seem like a mental hurdle to get over, but please trust me, it will all be okay. Your universe is about to expand, your gut is about to get healthier, and your taste buds are about to go on the craziest joy ride, ever.
For more information and recipes, I highly recommend the best books on the subject, Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation, both written by my fermentation hero, Sandor Ellix Katz. Check out his website for forums, recipes and general geekiness too.
Love and bacteria,
Sarah B.
Fabulous Fermenation Week Friends!
Earthsprout
Green Kitchen Stories
Golubka
Whole Promise
Two Blue Lemons
Coconut & Quinoa
The Wooden Spoon
Eat it.
Kyra’s Kitchen
Ola Domowa
Mince & Type
The First Mess
The Holy Kale
Healthy & Hopeful
My Wholefood Romance
Kale and Cardamom
The Conscious Kitchen
Cucine Ceri
Nourish
Le Passe Vite
Ola Domowa I & II
Super Foodie Adventure
Choosing Raw
Figgy & Sprout
Phickle - an entire blog about Fermentation!