On fermenting and preserving

October 8, 2026

Most of what I know about braised beans came from getting it wrong first. A kitchen scale shifted my baking more than any recipe did. For a long time I treated pastry as an afterthought. Use what is in season and the recipe mostly writes itself.

Looking ahead

The trick, if there is one, is to leave sufficient room for mistakes. Between preserving and fermenting, the second one taught me more. Good sourdough is mostly a series of modest, unglamorous decisions. I like soups that shows the marks of how it was made. I make a double batch and freeze half for busy weeks.

In September the light changes, and so does the work. This keeps for a week in the fridge and improves by day three. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, not sticky.

Notes along the way

I am still not sure I have it right, but it is closer. If something here is unclear, that is on me, not you. Salt early, taste frequently, and do not rush the onions. Good stock is mostly a series of modest, unglamorous decisions. There is a version of this that is much more complicated. This is not that version.

Modest, repeatable steps beat big plans nearly every time. Serve it with good bread and whatever greens look best. Below are a few jottings, roughly in the order I learned them.

soupspickles