Tempeh demystified

I have been given a privileged peek into the mysterious world of tempeh. How does that magical fermented soy matter come into the world? It begins with a soak and a massage to remove the skins of the bean.

...somebody let a FREAKIN clown in here. Let us pray that the tempeh survives.

After straining, and a bit of cooling on a towel, the beans are mixed with the "starter," made of the fungal spores of Rhizopus oligosporus, then put into a perforated bag (see above) where it can breathe while fermenting

And allowed to sit some place hot (like near the ceiling of your much-used community kitchen)

About thirty hours later, you've got tempeh

All that's left is fryin'

Seasonin' (shoyu, ginger and mushrooms in this case, & probably more that I can't remember)

And use in your fave recipe

For the record (as you may have guessed) this home made tempeh is at least 1,000,000 times more delicious than any tempeh I have ever had, a completely different universe of taste.

Fourth

Independence day parade in Kenai

Mt. Redoubt, which erupted for 6 months in the community's third year in
Alaska, covering them in a blanket of silica ash, not so nice!

Veggie dog roast

My lakes are fuller than yours

These little guys were all over, clinging to our clothes when we passed through their turf

The bugs, strangely, were not so bad down low but became a crazy nuisance as we got up towards the summit.

More for the wild and crazy scat collection

...and chocolate chips


Had to resort to snow after the water ran out. Long time melting.


The boys took a short cut down


Juicy treat for the ride home

Inari

Inari has long been not only one of my favorites types of sushi, but one of my favorite foods of any kind. So imagine my excitement to meet someone who grew up making it who was willing to show me how it's done! Saori, baker of Ellen's birthday cake (you can actually see it in the background of the picture below) is the resident inari master. We started cutting the tofu when she was out of the room and made them a little small, they should be longer rectangular envelopes rather than the squares you see. Still delicious, though!

Inari is apparently named for a Shinto god who is "believed to have a fondness for fried tofu." He or she (depiction of Inari's gender vary) is the god of fertility, industry and worldy success.

Cooked vinegared rice will be the stuffing. The preparation being poured on here is vinegar and brown rice syrup / agave nectar. Traditionally it is vinegar and cane sugar.


The deep fried tofu has to sit in a broth of shoyu, mirin, brown rice syrup, water, salt and kombu (a salty seaweed), and soak up all the goodness, with a sort of sweet / sour / savory result.

Then open it up, stuff it

And enjoy!

Garden update

"More food than we could ever eat"

Chives growing wild along the green house