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“I just checked on my fermenting batch and it smells/looks awful.  What happened?”

Here at Stone Creek Trading, we don't just want to sell you something. We want to make sure you also have all the information you need to enjoy the things we sell.  That's why we take the time to answer your personal emails and share our knowledge about the products we sell.

A lot of our customers are first time ferment-ers, which means we often hear about fermenting mishaps as they figure out process.  But for every customer that reaches out to us via email (emily@stonecreektrading.com), I know there are others out there who don't.  So here's our advice if something goes wrong!

If the contents of your fermenting crock don’t look or smell good, you definitely need to throw it out.  If you think it might be rotten, trust your gut!

With fermenting there are a lot of variables so it's hard to know exactly what went wrong but here are a few suggestions -

• Wash the crock with soap and hot water and let it dry completely.  You may also want to rinse it out with boiling water. (Note - some people (Kryz’s grandfather included) believe that you should never wash a fermenting crock as the bacteria in it should be allowed to pass between fermenting recipes!)
• Make sure the water in the airlock rim does not completely evaporate, since this will allow air to enter the crock and possibly let mold in.
  
• Conversely, make sure you do not overfill the rim as this water can then get into the ferment and let bad bacteria in.
• Check your ratio of salt to water.  You may need to add more salt.  Salt is what kills the bad bacteria, so you need enough of it to get rid of the bad bacteria but not too much that it also kills the good bacteria. (Note - if you do get a good batch of sauerkraut that tastes too salty, don't throw it out.  Put it in some mason jars in the refrigerator and let it sit for 1-2 weeks.  The saltiness will decrease with some time!)
• Make sure you are using either distilled water or water that has been boiled and allowed to cool when making brine.  This makes sure there isn't anything in the water that is changing the bacteria in the ferment.
• While you don't have to, you can check the ferment every few days by removing the lid and looking at it.  If you notice any mold on the top, use a clean dry wood utensil to skim the mold off the top and remove.  If any mold happens to get in the crock, skimming it off the top will keep it from developing and overtaking everything.
• The ingredients need to always be below the brine.  This is one thing you can check for when you open the fermenting crock.  The stones should hold all the ingredients below the water.  If you are making sauerkraut, you can place a couple large cabbage leaves on top of the shredded cabbage before putting the stones on top to help keep everything beneath the water

Those are our quick suggestions, but remember every batch will be different.  Every cabbage/cucumber has a different amount of natural bacteria, and the salt water ratio, and temperature and humidity all effect the outcome!  We have had bad batches ourselves with no idea why.  You just tweak things the next time and keep a closer eye on it.

And of course, you are always welcome to send us an email (emily@stonecreektrading.com) and we can troubleshoot what went wrong together!

As a small business, we don't have a gigantic warehouse filled with products. We try to evaluate our customers needs and anticipate sales volumes, but we do run out of stock of some of our products before we can get more.  Because we import everything we offer directly from the manufacturer in Poland, it takes 2-3 months from the time we place an order until we have the product in our possession and can offer it for sale.

Over the last year our business has been scaling up to meet demand.  We've seen steady increases in sales every month, and are working hard to scale up the business accordingly.  Last month we placed our largest order to date and today it was all packed up into a shipping container in Poland!  It now starts the long journey "across the pond".

Our popular cabbage shredders and 3.6L Green Fermenting Crocks are just a few of the products that are currently out of stock.  But we are happy to say that more are now on the way with the latest shipment!  We expect to have these items and others available in mid-April, but as we know from past experience, customs clearance can take anywhere from a few days to 5 weeks! 

We'll keep you updated here on the blog and our Facebook page if there are any delays to the shipment.  But if you would like to receive a direct email first when these items are back in stock, just send me a quick email - emily@stonecreektrading.com!

We get a lot of questions about fermenting by email.  Most of our customers are first time ferment-ers, and it can be an intimidating process when you're not sure what you're doing!  We love getting emails from customers and having a chance to interact.  Being an online business, we don't get a lot of direct communication with our customers, and enjoy the opportunity to help someone out! 

We will be taking time over the next few weeks here on the blog to share some of the most common questions we get via email.  We figure there are a lot more people out there with questions like these!

Does the Crock need to be full?

If you're fermenting for the first time, you might not want to invest in the prep time and ingredients to fill a full 5 or 10 liter fermenting crock.  And the great news is, you don't have to! 

You can absolutely do a smaller amount of ingredients as a sample run.  This is also a great way to try out a new recipe if you're more experienced.  Just make sure you have enough to cover the bottom of the crock at least 3" to make sure your ferment is fully submerged below the brine. 

Getting the ratio of salt right is the key, so be careful when adjusting the quantities to keep the ratio the same.  Temperature and salt have the most control over how long the fermentation process takes.  If you have too little salt, it won't kill the bad bacteria and the cabbage will rot instead of fermenting.  However, if you have too much salt it will kill the good bacteria too and it won't sour or ferment.  

Just remember that it's an experimentation process and each batch will be a little different.  And of course, have fun with it!

Remember, if you try something and it doesn't work out, you can always email me - emily@stonecreektrading.com - and we can troubleshoot together!

Our mission is to provide traditional kitchenware products like those that our ancestors used.  When we think back to the way our grandparents cooked, it was often a much simpler process.  They often cooked without recipes, instead creating delicious, healthy foods with an intuition that has unfortunately not been passed down to our generation.

They used simple, whole ingredients grown in their own garden or nearby.  They cooked with simple tools that worked well, many of those tools lasting their lifetimes, and beyond.  Modernization is a great thing, but in the process we have regrettably turned our back on many of the important lessons and tools that worked well.  We want to provide a place for you to find those lost traditional housewares that lasted generations.

And it seems like we aren't the only ones who think traditional food is a great thing!  Check out an excerpt from a recent article on Hungry for Change, 5 Traditional Foods That Everyone Should Be Eating -

"It seems our ancestors might have held more wisdom than they knew, especially when it comes to natural health. Discover 5 traditional food staples that have begun a modern revival for their remarkable health benefits."

And if you are interested in trying out #2 on the list - Sauerkraut - we have some great tools for you!  Both our fermenting crocks and cabbage shredders make the process quicker, easier and more straightforward!

We mostly use our fermenting crocks for making traditional Polish sauerkraut & pickles.  That's why we include recipes for both with every crock we sell.  However, we've been wanting to try kimchi for awhile now. 

We recently came across this recipe for "kraut-chi" from one of our customers!  She uses our 10L fermenting crock to make it, so the recipe quantities are made to fit.  If you have a 5L, you should be able to half the recipe to get the right amount. 

http://www.greendreamsdetroit.com/ferments-diy-kraut-chi/

We get a lot of questions about recipes sized to fit in our crocks, so this is a great one to try.  Let us know if you try the recipe and how it comes out!

Do you have a favorite recipe you make in your Stone Creek Trading Fermenting Crock?  We'd love to share it with our other customers here on the blog.  Just email emily@stonecreektrading.com for more information!

We hope that you are enjoying time with your family or loved ones during this special time of year.  Stone Creek Trading will be "closed" to spend time with our family on December 25, 26, & 27.  You will still be able to place orders during this time, however they will not ship until Monday, December 30. 

We will still be answering emails during this time.  However, our response time may be slower than usual. 

We look forward to continued growth & prosperity in the New Year!

Happy Holidays from Stone Creek Trading!

Emily, Kryz & Maggie

In order to receive your purchase by December 24, you must place your order before 8pm on Tuesday, December 17th, 2013. 

We want to make sure you get your order in plenty of time for the holidays.  We pack and ship orders within 1-2 business days, but depending on your location it can take up to 1 week for your order to arrive.  Please be aware that this is a very busy time of year and plan accordingly.  Make your purchases early to allow time for delivery.  We also stock a limited supply of each item and may run out of certain products before the shipping deadline.

So be sure to place your order before 8pm on Tuesday, December 17th, 2013!