Aprende A Cocinar Con Lo Hacia Tu Abuela

LEARN HOW TO
COOK THE WAY

GRANDMA DID
by
Abby Eagle
www.rejoiceinlife.com
LEARN HOW TO COOK THE WAY
GRANDMA DID
Traditional recipes in the spirit of Dr Weston A Price and Sally Fallon
Abby Eagle Dip App Sc (Biol)

Cover design by Abby Eagle.
The cover photograph is of a property on the right hand side of the road just outside of Uki, looking towards Mt
Warning on the New South Wales-Queensland border.
Copyright © 2006 - 2010 Abby Eagle. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the prior written permission in writing from the publisher.
The section Introducing Dr Weston A Price is used with kind permission from The Weston A. Price Foundation.
© 1999. All Rights Reserved.
A NOTE TO THE READER

Please note that the information provided in this publication is for informational purposes only and that no health
claims are made or implied. The onus is on the reader to consult with a suitably qualified health care practitioner
or scientist before proceeding with any of the information gleaned from this book.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to my friend Viharo from Fremantle for posting me a kefir culture in 2002 that had originally
started out as Tibetan Snow Lotus in Tibet and found its way to Australia via a group of sannyasins. Thanks to
Kyle Grimshaw-Jones for introducing me to the Weston A Price Foundation and selling me a copy of Nourishing
Traditions. And a special thanks to all of the members and friends of the Weston A Price Foundation around the
world who have helped to revive the interest in traditional food preparation techniques.
In addition I am eternally grateful to the reviewers, Emily Stokes, Kyle Grimshaw-Jones, Filippa Araki and Tike
and Delene Traicos who offered their time to check the manuscript and make suggestions on spelling, grammar
and accuracy of content. Without these people this recipe book would never have been completed.
PUBLISHER
Abby Eagle T/A Abby Eagle School of Meditation.
ABN 48 595 137 583
PO 902 Palm Beach Qld 4221 Australia
nlp hypnotherapy and meditation site: www.abbyeagle.com
recipe site: www.rejoiceinlife.com
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Set in Times New Roman 12 pt
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Last revised: 29/03/2011
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DISCLAIMER
Please note that the recipes in this book are just the result of my own experimentation and as far as
I understand it the recipes are safe. I have consumed all of the recipes over a period of years and
have shared most of the finished products with my friends or those who attended my cultured foods
workshops. In addition some of the basic recipes have been posted on my web site for a number of years
and I have never received one complaint, so all seems to be well.
Having said that, there are potential health risks with fermented products. For example if the ingredients
you use to make sauerkraut are contaminated with parasites then there will be parasites in the final product
– so the onus is on you to do your own internet research. There is however considerable evidence to
indicate that Lactobacilli (LAB) inhibit the growth of a range of pathogens. In addition studies suggest
that some LAB have the ability to detoxify aflatoxins from foods, though more research needs to be done
in this area as some LAB have been shown to increase the levels.
It follows therefore that it would make sense to always choose ingredients that are fresh and free from
any signs of mould or disease. Water should be clean and preferably treated or filtered in some way
to remove chemicals and contaminates. The kitchen area should also be clean and free from mould,
chemicals, insects and animal life
You may like to note that I have a science background, not that the background is extensive in any way
except that what I bring to my recipes will be different to what someone else with a different background
will bring to them.
I have also devised my own way of preparing lacto fermented recipes that suit my kitchen, brewing
room, ingredients, containers, lifestyle and the climatic conditions of the Gold Coast of South East
Queensland Australia, which is close to being subtropical at times. This is just to say that you will need
to devise a method that works for you.
Celebrate Yourself
ABBY EAGLE
SCHOOL OF MEDITATION
Gold Coast Australia

www.abbyeagle.com
The recipe site is at:

www.rejoiceinlife.com
LEARN HOW TO COOK
THE WAY GRANDMA DID
Traditional recipes in the spirit of Dr Weston A Price and Sally Fallon
By Abby Eagle
Contents
preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Why is traditional nutrition relevant for us in the 21 century?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ST
History of lacto-fermentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
An overview of lacto-fermentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
How to culture food with kefir grains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Sourdough bread and cakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
How to make a sourdough bread starter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
A simple flat bread recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Sourdough bread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
A suggested bread making timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Sourdough pizza base. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Sourdough pastry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Quiche. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Sprouted grain pasta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Fluffy rice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Sourdough pancakes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Sourdough spicy fruit loaf (hot cross buns at Easter). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Sourdough date brownies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Sourdough Christmas pudding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Sourdough Christmas cake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Tropical coconut slice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Apricot kernel coconut slice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Apricot kernel cake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Oatmeal slice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Oatmeal slice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Remember to soak your nuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
A couple of desserts and a simple cheese recipe . . . . . . 51
Raw kefir cheese cake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Goat milk dessert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Soft cheese: camembert style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Nut and seed cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Cultured vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Sauerkraut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Abby’s sauerkraut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Dakon radish sauerkraut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Beetroot sauerkraut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Papaya sauerkraut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Lacto-fermented beverages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Preface to brewing lacto-fermented beverages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Procedure for brewing a lacto-fermented beverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
A simple lacto-fermented beverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Another simple lacto-fermented beverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Wheatgrass ginger beer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Papaya ginger beer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Simple beet kvass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Beetroot ginger beer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Pineapple ginger beer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Abby Eagle real beer: Stinger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Kombucha tea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Rejuvelac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Antioxidant rich lacto-fermented recipes cultured with EM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
First recipe - for those new to brewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
A second recipe - for intermediate brewers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
A third recipe - for advanced brewers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
General guidelines for brewing EM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Goodbugs house and garden probiotic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Wash your clothes in washing soda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Appendix A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Anaerobic bacterial cultures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Aerobic cultures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Appendix B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Introducing Dr Weston A Price. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Appendix C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Recommended reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Appendix D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Permissions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
End notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Image Permissions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Appendix E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Appendix F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
A few testimonials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Appendix G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Recommended books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Appendix H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Mind body healing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Appendix I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
About the author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
About the reviewers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Appendix J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Conversion tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
INTRODUCTION 1
preface
We take for granted the domestication of sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and
so on but who even considers our microscopic friends who work tirelessly in the background
to ferment grain into beer, grapes into wine, milk into yoghurt and cheese, and in the process
produce substances such as antioxidants and vitamins that are not only beneficial but often vital
to our lives. For example we rely upon certain micro-organisms to produce vitamin B12.
We are also dependent upon micro-organisms to clean up our environment when it is polluted
with pesticides, herbicides, oil spills, prescription drugs and other toxic waste. A similar group
of friendly micro-organisms are responsible for the health of our gastrointestinal tract, some of
which also interact in a positive manner with our immune system. Yet for all their help, in return
we attack them with antibiotics and junk food. Ironically years later some of us spend our hard
earned money on probiotic cultures to try and recolonise the gut. Like-wise farmers have to
reinoculate their land and animals with probiotic cultures.
Since the time of Louis Pasteur it seems that we have embarked on a systematic campaign to
eradicate micro-organisms from the face of the Earth. The pharmaceutical companies like to
call them ‘germs’. Visit any Western supermarket or hardware store and you will find shelves
stocked with an array of chemicals that if held by a terrorist group would be labelled weapons
of mass destruction. And yet we find many of these chemicals in nearly every modern home.
Over the last couple of decades there has been a growing interest in a traditional lifestyle that
works in harmony with the environment. Corporations are finally reaching the point where they
have to acknowledge that the industrial revolution was an environmental disaster. But there is
still massive energy behind the exploit and profit business. The United States Department of
Agriculture through its National Animal Identification System and with the aid of the biotech
industry, plans to have every domestic bird and animal in the USA identified with a microchip
that can be tracked by global positioning technology, supposedly to protect the consumer from
mad cow disease and avian flu pandemics. (Source: http://www.farm-garden.com/opinion/usda_nais.)
However meeting the regulatory requirements could possibly put many small farmers out of
business and prevent mum and dad from keeping a few backyard chickens.
In contrast, a number of major American grocery retailers are now refusing to buy chicken or
eggs from chickens that have been housed in inhumane conditions and will only buy pasture-
fed chickens and eggs, even though it costs considerably more.
So on the one hand we have the biotech industry working with government in a manner that
could eradicate pasture-fed chickens and on the other hand we have the emerging consciousness
of those individuals and businesses who are also working with government in a way to create
 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

Learn how to cook the way grandma did and build good health for future generations… 2
a sustainable future. In the same vein we have a medical industry systematically prescribing
antibiotics, whilst an ever increasing number of doctors are prescribing probiotic supplements
to try and undo the damage caused by antibiotics.
Have you ever wondered why it is that children raised on a farm, where they have greater
exposure to germs, are often healthier than children raised in a sanitised environment in the
city? Why are more doctors and naturopaths recommending that we stop eating grains? Is it
because the modern method of bread production does not remove the antinutrients? Why are
they recommending that we stop consuming dairy products? Is it because the pasteurisation
process has destroyed the micro-organisms in the milk along with the enzymes and altered the
structure of the proteins to make them less digestible, and altered the minerals in some way
so that the calcium is less available? And if ‘cow’s milk is only for cows’ as its detractors say
then why is it that cow colostrum is able to boost the immune system of a human? And if cow’s
milk is bad for us then why has raw milk been prescribed as a standard effective treatment for a
wide range of illnesses including cancer for over a hundred or more years? Why is it illegal to
sell raw dairy products in many countries and yet in those same countries we have the freedom
to buy raw fruit and vegetables, meat, chicken, fish and oysters even though reports show a
higher rate of food poisoning and illness from pasteurised milk, raw vegetables, ground beef
and chicken than from raw milk from pasture fed cows? Wise Traditions Fall 2001.
For all the efforts of the pharmaceutical industry and the medical establishment to eliminate
germs, degenerative disease has continued to increase over the past 100 years. It is well known
that antibiotics kill off the healthy bacteria in the human gut enabling the less desirable organisms
to multiply. Plus sanitised foods and living conditions provide no means for a reinoculation of
the gastro intestinal tract. It seems that modern people are paying for the destruction of their gut
flora and fauna with their health, and paying for scientific ersatz replacements with their cheque
book. We are also seeing an enormous increase in digestive illnesses such as Irritable Bowel
Syndrome (IBS) and Chrohn’s Disease.
This book has been written to give the reader an overview of the process of lacto fermentation.
The recipes will give you an insight into how two groups of micro-organisms, lactobacilli
and yeasts, have been used by traditional groups for centuries to culture dairy products and
vegetables, and ferment beverages such ginger beer, short beer and wine. This book also
introduces a third group of micro-organisms known as Purple Non-Sulfur Forming Bacteria
(PNSB). PNSB’s have found their way into the kitchen to ferment ginger beer type beverages
that are rich in antioxidants such as Coenzyme Q10. Some of these beverages are now available
in health food stores.
PNSB’s combined with lacto bacilli and yeasts (also generically known as EM) can be used to
put life back into soil, lakes or rivers that have been harmed with chemical fertilizers, pesticides
and herbicides. EM has many uses: it can be used to break down pharmaceutical drugs, toxic
waste, oil spills etc into safe substances and recombine them into substances that are healthful
for the environment. EM can also be used to make compost and can be used to turn brewery
and restaurant waste into gas for heating and cooking. EM can also be sprayed onto agricultural
crops to improve their condition or in stables and farm yards to keep down the smell from
animal excrement. EM is also added to the feed of chickens, cows, pigs, horses etc.
What I hope you gain from this book is a sense of curiosity and excitement of how the health
of humans and indeed our entire ecosystem is so dependent on these tiny organisms that are
invisible to the naked eye. Whether you make sourdough bread on a regular basis is not important
but if you can at least make it a few times then hopefully you will gain an understanding of

INTRODUCTION 3
what real bread is. This should then influence your buying decisions, which should then in turn,
influence the baker you buy your bread from. If you make and consume sauerkraut and kim-
chi on a regular basis it will be of great benefit to your health. Kim-chi is easy to make and is
considered so important for health by the Koreans that they get a kim-chi allowance in their
pay packet. Sauerkraut, the Western version of kim-chi, was shown to reduce the mortality rate
from small pox from 90% down to 5% during the American civil war. Similar results have been
achieved with kim-chi and avian flu at Seoul University since the avian flu outbreak. If this does
not convince you that fermented vegetables should form a regular part of your staple diet then
take note of the English soccer team that have used sauerkraut juice to eradicate leg cramps.
You should also familiarise yourself with EM as it is a very useful and versatile product.
From email reports it seems that an increasing number of people in developing and third world
countries are choosing to use traditional methods to take care of their health and environment
in preference to chemicals and vaccinations. Recently I read of a group of Indian villagers who
have been successful in keeping typhoid and cholera at bay by spraying EM over the rubble of
their village which was destroyed by the 2004 Tsunami. (Source: EM-health@yahoogroups.com.)
On a closing note, the next time you think about taking medication or even a seemingly
healthy supplement just take a moment to think how the product was actually made and what
additives it contains. Some pharmaceuticals and supplements are made with the aid of micro-
organisms and some are made with genetically modified organisms, but which ones and how can
we know? We also cannot really know what else is contained in the so-called health supplements
and pharmaceuticals that we consume – what fillers, preservatives, tabletting agents etc. are we
consuming and what effect are they having on our health and immune systems?
Image (c) Vince Gallo
The author at O’Rev in West Burleigh.

Why is traditional nutrition

relevant for us in the 21ST
century?
You may have heard of the expression: To lose sight of the forest for the trees! In the process
of focusing on a single tree the observer forgets the existence of the forest. When science
focuses too closely on a single detail it loses touch with the bigger picture. Those people who
would have us believe that a single food supplement or drug provides the answer to good health
have lost sight of the forest that nurtures health.
Dr Weston A Price, an American Dentist in the late 1930’s, vacated his dentist chair in
preference of a research program designed to find the fundamental cause and answer of rampant
tooth decay. Rather than focus on tooth enamel, acids, bacteria, fluoride and so on he expanded
his horizon.
He studied isolated groups of people living on a traditional diet and compared them with
other groups of the same racial stock living on a western diet. (The term Dr Price used for
‘western diet’ was ‘foods of commerce’.) Dr Price studied both isolated and primitive groups of
Swiss, Gaelic’s, Eskimos, North American Indians, Melanesians, Polynesians, African tribes,
Australian Aborigines, Torres Strait Islanders, Maoris and Peruvian Indians.
Price’s research method was simple: Travel to a remote area to locate a group of people living
on a traditional diet. Examine the teeth of school age children for dental decay; record any
health problems; send samples of food back to a laboratory for analysis; and take photographs
of both children and adults to compare the racial features and teeth with those of the same racial
stock living on a western diet.
In those groups living on a traditional diet Dr Price found little evidence of tooth decay, less
than 1%. He also found little evidence of degenerative diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer,
diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc. In societies living on a traditional diet he found little need of
a dentist and only occasional need of a doctor. In addition child birth was not fraught with the
complications of those people who had made the transition to a western diet.
In contrast to the traditional groups, amongst those who ate a western diet he found rampant
dental decay, degenerative disease, difficulty in childbirth, and a significant change in the racial
form characterised by a narrowing of the face and nasal passages, buckled teeth, a narrowing of
the birth canal, and other physical injuries such as hair-lip and club foot.
Most significantly Dr Price found no evidence of a one hundred percent vegetarian diet that
supported good health. In fact in the late 1930’s the 100% vegetarian Madras in the south of
India had the lowest life expectancy in their country.
We might ask why a group of people would change their traditional dietary habits when it had

INTRODUCTION 5
promoted good health for generations, in favour of the foods of commerce which invariably led
to degenerative disease?
One answer may be that a western lifestyle carries with it a certain prestige. Another is
that of coercion by political and economic interests. During the period of colonial expansion
traders initially encouraged natives to exchange their nutrient rich foods, such as coconut, for
skeletonised products such as: sugar, refined flour, jams, treacle, coffee and a few textiles.
Eventually however, the natives were driven from their land and forced to grow cash crops such
as sugar and coffee. Having ‘lost’ their land and their traditional source of food, the natives
had no choice but to shop for western food stuffs at the local store. (Incidentally, Globalization
which allows the USA to trade freely with any country it chooses, is continuing to separate
people from their local food supply.)
Dr Price observed that degenerative disease can be corrected by returning to a traditional diet.
At one time, due to a world downturn in the price for Coconut produce, Polynesians were able
to return to their traditional diet. In such cases Dr Price saw evidence of the remineralisation of
tooth cavities.
Dr Price reports that traditional peoples had an implicit understanding that the cause of
their physical (and moral) degeneration was caused by a change in diet. Native and western
doctors related to Dr Price how their patients were able to recover from tuberculosis and other
degenerative disease after returning to a traditional diet.
Dr Price discovered a correlation between season and peak periods of morbidity. He noted that
the period of optimum national health in the USA correlated with the period of rapid growth of
pasture, and that the period of highest morbidity correlated with the lowest growth of pasture.
Farm animals too, showed signs of degenerative disease in areas of low soil fertility and in
times of drought. Laboratory analysis showed that the highest quality butter came from cows
fed on rapidly growing pasture. Another study showed that intelligence was related to nutrition
and that areas of high soil fertility in the USA was correlated with the birthplace of scientists.
Any sensible person would agree that the fundamental basis of nutrition is to convert elements
from the air and soil into a form that a plant or animal can utilise. Unfortunately modern farming
practices have stripped minerals from the soil, transported them to the cities in the form of food
and dumped them in the ocean via the sewer. Dr Price’s calculations showed that if the minerals
in farm land were not replenished, then the soil would be exhausted after fifty to one hundred
harvesting’s.
The challenge that faces us in the 21st century is to design a diet that regenerates our body.
Two books well worth reading on this subject are: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr Weston A Price. Nourishing Traditions which
contains some 700 recipes on traditional diet, also provides multiple sources of access to high
quality information in the form of nearly 1000 excerpts from books and articles on nutrition
and health.

History of lacto-fermentation
All traditional groups studied by Dr Price prepared their food in a similar fashion. Milk was
either consumed raw or lacto fermented to produce curds, whey, yoghurt or cheese. Vegetables
and fruits were sometimes lacto fermented to produce products such as sauerkraut, kim-chi and
chutney. Grains were fermented to produce beer and bread. Grains, legumes, nuts and seeds
were often soaked for a period of time in water before being combined with other ingredients
and cooked.
CULTURED DAIRY PRODUCTS

It is only since about 1900 that milk has been consumed pasteurised and in an unfermented
state. Prior to that milk was always consumed raw straight from the cow, sheep, goat, yak,
horse or buffalo. Though due to lack of refrigeration milk was usually fermented in some way.
When left for a few days, milk with the aid of naturally occurring microorganisms in the milk,
will sour by the process of lacto fermentation to form curds and whey. As lactic acid is formed
during this process the pH drops and the product is effectively protected from spoilage. Some
products such as cheese can be preserved in this way for many years.
The process of lacto fermentation breaks down casein and it restores some of the enzymes
destroyed by pastuerisation including galactosidase which is necessary to digest lactose. Some
people who are lactose intolerant are able to consume cultured dairy products or raw milk with
no symptoms. Cultured dairy products provide healthy bacteria aka probiotics and a range of
healthful substances including lactic acid which helps to keep the gastrointestinal tract in an
acid state which then provides another level of protection against pathogens.
FERMENTED VEGETABLES
Traditional groups did not have available to them modern methods such as refrigeration,
canning, chemical preservatives or sophisticated dehydration technology to preserve fruits and
vegetables. As with cultured dairy products once again they worked in harmony with nature
and harnessed the aid of naturally occurring lactobacilli to convert starches and sugars into
lactic acid which then inhibits the growth of putrefying bacteria. Lacto fermentation makes
vegetables more digestible and produces additional vitamins and antioxidants.
If you scan traditional recipe books from around the world you will find that most groups
used lacto fermentation to ferment a range of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Some of the most
common vegetables were (and still are) cabbage, cucumber, carrot, turnip, capsicum, beetroot,
eggplant, onion and garlic. Relishes and chutneys were originally lacto fermented. The two
most common lacto fermented vegetable recipes that we hear about in the West are the German
sauerkraut and the Korean kim chi.
Lacto fermented vegetables help maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract and have been
credited with amazing healing powers. Fore example, sauerkraut was shown to reduce the

INTRODUCTION 7
mortality rate from small pox from 90% to 5% at a military hospital in the United States during
the American Civil War. More recently Kim Chi has been shown to reduce the mortality rate of
chickens suffering from Avian Flu.
SPROUTED GRAINS, NUTS AND SEEDS

The value of sprouting grain has been known by mankind for a long time. The Chinese
are reported to have used sprouted mung beans as a way to prevent vitamin C deficiency on
ocean voyages. Sprouted grains such as barley, wheat, rye, corn, oat and rice have been used
for centuries to make beer and whisky type beverages. Some European groups such as the
French recommended sprouting dried peas before cooking. Latin Americans soaked their
beans before cooking. The Aztecs soaked almonds in a brine solution overnight before drying
them in the Sun. Across Africa, the Middle East and Asia sorghum, millet and maize are still
sprouted and then ground into a porridge. The process of sprouting has been shown to reduce
aflatoxin levels and produce significant quantities of vitamin B2, B5, B6 and C.
In addition sprouting neutralises phytic acid, a substance found in the bran, and enzyme
inhibitors. Phytic acid has been shown to inhibit the absorption of minerals such as calcium,
magnesium, iron, copper and zinc. Enzyme inhibitors are substances that prevent a seed from
germinating until the conditions are favourable for growth. Enzyme inhibitors can neutralise
enzymes in the digestive tract and make grains, nuts and seeds more difficult to digest. Soy
contains dangerous levels of phytates and enzyme inhibitors which require many months of
fermentation to reduce them to an acceptable level.
Raw sprouted grains contain irritating substances that prevent animals from eating them
hence they should only be eaten raw in small quantities, however cooking does neutralise
these substances.
Nuts that have been removed from their shells such as walnuts and cashews can not sprout
but they should still be soaked overnight to neutralise phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Nuts
and seeds can also be ground into a flour and lacto fermented to make a cheese or combined
in sourdough products.
To remove the antinutrients from almonds soak

them overnight in water then dry them in a
dehydrator or in a very cool oven until crisp.

An overview of lacto-
fermentation
There are three main categories of microorganisms involved in the fermentation of foodstuffs:
yeasts, acetobacter and lactobacilli. Yeasts are used to ferment alcoholic beverages, lactobacilli
to ferment milk products and vegetables, and acetobacter to make vinegar and kombucha type
beverages. Sourdough bread employs both lactobacilli and yeasts in a symbiotic relationship.
Some traditional brewed beer and wine uses both lactobacilli and yeasts.
Yeast is a one-celled fungus that converts sugar and starch into carbon dioxide and alcohol.
They are ubiquitous in the environment but are most frequently sourced from the surface of
fruit and the saps of plants or cacti. Some yeasts are found in association with soil and insects.
Yeasts are used to make beer, wine and bread.
Lactobacilli are a member of the lactic acid bacteria group. They convert sugars to lactic and
other acids. They are generally benign and widely distributed in decaying plant material, animal
feeds, manure, milk and milk products, and are found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and
humans. Lactic acid bacteria are used in the production of curds, whey, yoghurt, kefir, cheese,
and play a role in the production of fermented vegetables, beer, wine, sourdough bread and some
fermented fish and sausage. Lactobacilli produce antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances,
and produce helpful enzymes such as galactosidase which metabolizes the milk sugar lactose.
The metabolic by products lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide help normalise the pH of the
gastrointestinal tract and promote a healthy micro-ecological balance. Some lactobacilli have
been show to detoxify substances such as aflatoxin.
Acetobacter is a genus of acetic acid bacteria which have the ability to convert alcohol into
acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. Acetobacter are benign organisms commonly found in
alcoholic beverages, vinegar, kombucha, kefir, cider, fruits, flowers, honey bees, water and
soil.
Sourdough bread uses a symbiotic culture of lactobacilli and yeasts growing in a mixture of
flour and water. The lactobacilli produce lactic and acetic acid which add flavour, and they break
down starches and proteins including gluten to which many people are intolerant. The yeasts
feed on the simpler sugars manufactured by the lactobacilli to produce alcohol and carbon
dioxide which gets trapped in the gluten and causes the dough to rise; but if there is too much
lactobacilli activity then the gluten formation will be compromised; the dough will sink and
the bread will crumble when cut; too much yeast activity and the bread lacks flavour and tastes
yeasty. The acids produced by the lactobacilli inhibit the growth of pathogens and of the yeasts
to a certain extent hence artisan bakers take care in controlling the growth of both lactobacilli
and yeasts to produce a full bodied yet flavoursome loaf of bread.
Those people living in Third World countries still rely upon lacto fermentation to produce
food that is healthy and protective against disease.

INTRODUCTION 9
How to culture food with

kefir grains
ORIGINS OF KEFIR GRAINS
Some people say real kefir grains look like small squishy pieces of cauliflower. If you wash a
piece under the tap you will discover something that looks like a convoluted fungi, the result of
a symbiotic relationship between approximately thirty bacteria and yeasts.
There are records of kefir being used for a few thousand years. No one seems to know where
it originally came from. It is likely that kefir originated when humans began milking animals.
Real kefir grains have traditionally been shared amongst neighbours and used to culture
different substrates, such as cow’s milk, goat’s milk and fruit juice, so there must have been
many opportunities for cross culturing. An analysis of kefir grains from different parts of the
world would probably show many similarities in types of bacteria and yeasts but with some
differences unique to the location and the substrate.
Unlike yoghurt which generally requires sterile conditions, kefir is typically used in non sterile
substrates with no ill effects (that the author has heard of), apparently kefir has a mechanism
which resists contamination from harmful organisms. The microflora of kefir in a milk substrate
produce vitamins A, B and C, lactic acid and other healthful substances. A keyword search of
the Internet should provide you with links to articles that discuss the production of antibiotic,
antiviral and anti cancer substances in cow’s milk cultured with real kefir grains.
Traditional societies have successfully used real kefir for thousands of years to culture milk
products in a primitive environment that lacked the technology of modern societies. For example
in some groups milk was cultured with kefir in a goat’s stomach hung in a doorway. Having said
that however, and armed with the knowledge that science now provides us, you would be well
advised to educate your self on all aspects of fermentation, and use sterile technique in all your
ferments. In the rare event that your kefir culture, or any other culture goes off, then you should
discard it and obtain a fresh one from a reliable source.
Fermented products contain live organisms (bacteria and yeasts), and as with any perishable
food item, there is always the potential for contamination by pathogenic organisms. In addition
the conditions under which you prepare your ferment will most likely be very different to those
of a traditional group in a different part of the world hundreds of years ago. Your politically
correct belief systems may also cause you to leave out a vital step or ingredient. You may
believe that low salt is better when in fact it may be essential to the recipe.
You are advised to read widely on the topic of both traditional and modern methods of
fermentation. Start at the beginning and master the art of grain, vegetable and dairy ferments
before experimenting with olives, meat or fish. Substrates that have a high oil content such as
nuts, peanuts, olives and coconut may provide a suitable environment for the type of fungi that
produce carcinogens such as aflatoxins.

A tour of your local sourdough bakery, raw dairy, Korean restaurant kitchen or olive farm
would be highly educational. In addition nothing beats experimentation to build a skill set
so feel free to share both your failures and successes with the community at the rejoiceinlife
newsgroup (www.rejoiceinlife.com).
DEFINITIONS
1. Kefir grain is the actual microbial culture with which you culture milk. It is not a grain
like wheat but a slimy culture comprising a consortium of about 30 micro-organisms
that resembles cauliflower florets.
2. Kefir is the term for milk that has been fermented with kefir grains.
3. Kefir whey is the thin liquid you get from straining kefir through linen. The other
component is curd or cream cheese.
4. Kefir cream is cream that has been cultured using kefir.
5. Kefir butter is butter that has been cultured from cream using kefir.
6. Kefir is quite different to yoghurt and does not require a high degree of precision in
culturing it.
7. Note: There is a big difference in the amount of cream between supermarket milk and
milk from Jersey or Guernsey type cows.
USES FOR KEFIR GRAINS AND KEFIR

Kefir may be used to make sour cream, cheese, sourdough bread and cakes. Kefir whey may
be used to culture sourdough bread and cakes, and vegetables such as sauerkraut; to marinate
meat and fish, brew ginger beer type beverages, and to provide organisms for starter cultures.
You will find that kefir has a sour taste, not unlike unsweetened yoghurt, the sourness being
imparted by lactic acid produced by the Lactobacillus bacteria.
Even though fermenting extends the shelf life of most products, commercially grown
ingredients that lack the full complement of nutrients or were harvested too early, may give
disappointing results. Vegetables and fruit should be fresh, free from disease, preferably free of
chemicals and grown on good soil.
Avoid powdered, skim, low fat, homogenised and UHT milk; ultra pasteurised cream, or any
product that contains those ingredients. Where possible buy milk and cream from a dairy that
uses pasture-fed principles of farming. If a product claims to be certified organic you may find
it useful for your own piece of mind to phone the certifying organisation as well as the producer
for background information. You may be in for some surprises as not all organic certification
bodies use the same criteria. Where possible try an obtain raw milk, butter and cream. Some
health food shops now stock raw milk, butter and cream sold under a cosmetic label for external
use only. Some dairy farmers provide raw milk under a cow herd share agreement but please
be aware that obtaining raw milk is an area of individual responsibility and a contentious area
legally.
Ideally grains, seeds and nuts should be freshly ground in a grain mill just before use as some
oils may go rancid quite quickly after milling. Grains, nuts and seeds may also be sprouted, then
dehydrated or roasted before milling.
HOW TO CULTURE KEFIR

Put kefir grains into a clean glass jar. Add milk and gently stir with a soft edged spoon, so as

INTRODUCTION 11
not to break up the kefir grains. Lightly screw on a plastic lid (one which won’t rust) without the
cardboard insert, which could harbour the growth of unwanted organisms. Leave the lid loose
enough to allow the carbon dioxide produced in the fermentation process to escape from the jar,
unless you want a fizzy kefir that is. Store the culture out of direct sunlight for about 24 hours.
There is generally no need to stir the culture.
As fermentation is dependent on a number of variables: temperature, time, quantity, activity of

the culture, and the type of substrate then only experience will teach you the optimum culturing
conditions. As a general guide kefir will ferment twice as fast at 30°C (86°F) as at 20°C (68°F).
Fresh milk will thicken at first into a consistency much like a smooth yoghurt, then with longer
fermentation it will separate into a layer of thick curd floating on top of a yellowish whey.
Homogenised and pasteurised milk will give a different result to that from raw milk.
Once the kefir has cultured to your liking, (pH 4.2 to 4.6) strain it through a sieve using a
spoon to help separate the kefir grains from the kefir. Pour the curd back into its jar and put
the kefir grains into a clean jar with fresh milk and repeat the process. If you don’t have time
to sieve the kefir, just hook the grains out with a fork. Some sources claim the kefir grains
shouldn’t come into contact with metal but I don’t think it makes any difference. In fact there
was a commercial operation in Australia in 2000 that used to culture kefir with real kefir grains
in 200 litre stainless steel drums.
If you need a rest from consuming cultured milk, then the kefir grains should survive for a few
months in the refrigerator. I generally store excess kefir grains in a small amount of kefir in a jar
in the refrigerator so that I always have some on hand for a friend. I have heard that kefir grains
may also be stored with success in filtered water but it does not make sense to me to remove the
culture from its source of nourishment. I sometimes culture kefir on alternate days and store the
kefir and the grains in a refrigerator in between times.
There is no need to warm the milk when you culture it with kefir grains as you would do with
a yoghurt culture. Just pour cold milk straight from the refrigerator onto the kefir grains, or
warm milk straight from the cow. The kefir grains should double in quantity every two weeks,
sometimes the growth rate is slower. One report from a commercial manufacture indicates that
kefir grows faster below 28°C/82°F.
Kefir grains are edible and according to some sources have documented anticancer properties.
Blend them into a banana smoothie, add them to a raw cheesecake, eat them as they are or share
them with a friend.
HOW TO MAKE KEFIR CREAM

To make kefir cream just add some kefir as a starter. I generally use about 1-2 parts of kefir to
5 parts of cream, depending upon the whether the cream is single or double weight.
Once again the incubation period is dependent on temperature, quantity and quality of the
starter and substrate. Culture the cream for about the same time that you would culture milk.

HOW TO MAKE A LIGHT CREAM CHEESE

A simple cream cheese may be made by straining kefir through unbleached linen. Cut a piece
about 45cm square, boil it for about ten minutes to remove pigment and chemicals, and hang
to dry.
Line a large glass bowl with the linen and pour in the kefir. Gather the corners of the linen
and tie with a length of string, making a loop at the end. Find a clean cardboard box that is tall
enough to hang the bag of cheese with space at the bottom for a glass bowl. Make a hole in
either side of the box at the top, just large enough to fit the handle of a wooden spoon through.
Hang the bag of cheese from the wooden spoon from the looped string. Close the lid of the
box and cover with a tea-towel to prevent intrusion from insects. Hang the cheese for about 24
hours, or longer if you prefer a stronger cheese. If you need to hang a large quantity of cheese
try hanging it from a stick suspended across the backs of two chairs.
Once the cream cheese is dry enough scrape it from the linen bag with a curved scraper and
store in a plastic container in the fridge. Transfer the kefir whey to a glass jar and refrigerate.
kefir whey makes a refreshing drink and may be used in a number of recipes (e.g. Ricotta cheese
may be made from whey). Kefir whey may be used as a starter for sourdough bread, sauerkraut
and lacto fermented beverages.
In keeping with the traditional spirit wash the linen with a dilute solution of lye water (potassium
carbonate) available from Asian grocery stores or washing soda (sodium carbonate). Pot ash
lye or wood ash lye as it also known may be made by soaking wood ash in a bucket of water
overnight. The resulting caustic liquid should be decanted and filtered before use. I have read
that the ash may also be used to scrub bench tops.
HOW TO MAKE KEFIR WHEY

See the section above entitled ‘How to make a light cream cheese’.
HOW TO MAKE A RICHER CREAM CHEESE

To make a rich cheese use the same procedure as above but add cream to your initial culture.
A good starting ratio is equal parts of milk and cream, as in kefir cream. You may culture the
milk and cream together, or separately and mix them prior to hanging.
There are three basic methods for cheese making. A cultured cheese as for the above recipe;
a rennet cheese made by adding rennet to warm milk, and a third method of curdling milk by
the addition of an acid. The cheese may then have a new starter culture added, be mixed with a
variety of other ingredients, before being pressed into blocks or wrapped in wax, and then left
to mature for up to a year or more.
HOW TO MAKE A KEFIR BUTTER

Butter is produced by churning cream which causes the fat to separate from the buttermilk.
To make kefir-butter gently churn kefir-cream with the ‘paddle’ attachment in a food processor
at a slow to moderate speed. After a few minutes the cream should separate into globs of butter
and a creamy buttermilk. If one was making butter from uncultured cream then it would be
necessary to wash the butter to remove the buttermilk which would otherwise go off. In the case
of Kefired butter it is not necessary to wash the butter. Just press the butter into a jar or plastic
container with the back of a spoon. Store in a refrigerator.

INTRODUCTION 13
HOW TO MAKE GINGER BEER TYPE BEVERAGES WITH WATER KEFIR

GRAINS
When kefir grains are used to ferment ginger beer type beverages they are known as water
kefir grains. To ferment coconut juice or fruit juice just rinse the milk from one tablespoon of
kefir grains with filtered water. Add the kefir grains to one litre of fresh coconut juice in a glass
jar with a loose fitting lid to allow the gas to escape. After 1-2 days at 25°C/77°F the coconut
juice should be effervescent with a sour taste. Gently remove the kefir grains and either store
in a small quantity of the coconut juice or in water in a refrigerator. The kefir grains are now
known as water kefir grains and should not be used to culture milk as the culture may have
changed in some way that makes them different to the original real kefir grains.
Image (c) Dan Shirley
Raw milk from cow, goat, yak, buffalo and sheep

have nourished healthy robust families for
generations. There are reports of a number of people
who have lived exclusively on a raw milk diet for
decades and maintained perfect physical health.
See The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid, ND.


SOURDOUGH BREAD AND CAKES 15
Sourdough bread
and cakes
Image (c) Sean Nel Dreamstime.com
A number of reports indicate that those who are gluten intolerant suffer no
symptoms from eating sourdough bread that has been prepared with a
long proving period.

How to make a sourdough

bread starter
A sourdough bread starter is easy to make. It consists of two groups of micro-organisms:
1. Bacteria: Lactobacilli and other bacteria.

2. Yeasts: Saccharomyces and other yeasts.
The lactobacilli create lactic acid and substances that provide flavour, while the yeasts create
bubbles of carbon dioxide to make the bread rise. It is not unusual for the consortium of micro
flora in a sourdough starter to change depending upon the environment in which it is used. So
a San Francisco starter used on the Gold Coast of Australia may not produce the same type of
bread as in its native town.
To make a sourdough starter you need only four things:
1. A container.
2. Flour.
3. Microorganisms.
4. Water.
1. A Container: Glass, Ceramic or Wooden.

A 250 ml jar with a plastic lid with the insert removed is ideal.
2. Flour.
Use either wholemeal spelt, rye or wheat flour. Make sure there are no raising agents in the
flour. Rye is considered by some to be superior in making a sourdough starter.
3. A Source of Microorganisms.
You can use any or all of the following as sources of microorganisms:
− Kefir whey or kefir grains.

− Rejuvelac.
− Grapes or grape skins.
− Raisins, sultanas or currants.
− Wild organisms.
− Probiotic culture.
Kefir whey is made by straining milk that has been cultured with real kefir grains through
unbleached linen. If you don’t have kefir you may try yoghurt, though yoghurt does not
contain the variety of micro flora such as yeast that real kefir grains do.

Rejuvelac is 2-5 day fermented wheat grains. To make Rejuvelac add ½ cup of wheat
grains purchased from a health food store to 2 litres of water in a glass jar. Cover the jar with
muslin cloth to keep insects out. After 12 hours pour off the water and rinse. Lay the jar on
its side and sprout the grains until the rootlets are between 1-2 mm long. The grains will
need rinsing every 6-12 hours, depending on the weather. In hot weather they may dry out
and in humid weather they may go off, but your sense of smell should alert you to this.
Once the rootlets are 1-2 mm long fill the jar with water and leave to ferment for 1-4 days,
depending upon the temperature. The Rejuvelac is ready when it has become milky with a
light froth. It should taste slightly acidic with a not unpleasant yeasty flavour. Hippocrates
Health Centre on the Gold Coast of Australia serve Rejuvelac as a tonic.
Grape skins have been used for centuries as a source of microorganisms to make wine.
Take 100 gm of good quality grapes. Rinse off debris and squeeze out the juice through a
hand juicer. Mix the skins and pips with flour and water to make a starter. Alternatively just
crush a handful of grapes with a potato masher and mix the juice and pulp with some flour
and water.
Raisins, currants and sultanas will all provide a source of micro-organisms. Just add a
tablespoon of raisins to half a cup of flour and enough water to make a paste. Both raisins
and grape skins will produce a distinctive and highly active starter.
Wild organisms occur naturally in the air and in flour. Mix 1 cup of flour with enough
water in a glass bowl to form a thin paste. Cover the bowl with a piece of thin muslin and
leave outside to trap organisms from the air. Feed it ½ cup of flour every day for 7 days. By
the second or third day it should form bubbles and give off a distinctive alcoholic yeasty
smell.
Commercial probiotic cultures may also be an option for those who wish to experiment,
though you will not have a authentic sourdough culture. AGM Foods in Australia make
a B.E. Grainfields liquid which is suitable for making a sourdough starter. But be aware
that it contains the same yeast that is used to make commercial bread and brew beer,
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but unlike this yeast when used by itself to make commercial
bread the Grainfields liquid will also provide 13 lactobacilli bacteria plus another yeast.
Beware of pesticides in your sourdough starter ingredients and any bug sprays in the
kitchen as they may kill the sourdough starter.
4. Water
Use the best quality water you can find, otherwise tap water will probably work okay, though
the chlorine may slow the growth of the microorganisms. (Imagine what chlorine can do the
microorganisms inside your gut?)
PROCEDURE FOR MAKING A SOURDOUGH STARTER

Add ¼ cup of flour to a jar and mix in a source of microorganisms from one or more of
the following: 1 tablespoon kefir whey, 1 tablespoon rejuvelac, 1 tablespoon grape skins or 6
grapes, 10 raisins, or 1 tablespoon probiotic culture. Then add enough water to make a thick
paste. Gently screw on a plastic lid or cover the jar with a cloth and leave in a warm place out
of direct sunlight at about 28°C/82°F.

Once a day for a week feed the culture with 2 tablespoons of flour and enough water to
maintain a smooth paste. The culture should begin its fermentation process within 1- 2 days,
recognisable by the yeasty aroma, bubbles and alcoholic smell. If you have used grape skins
then after about four days strain out the grape skins and pips through a piece of muslin.
Each culture will have its own characteristics. The grape starter may become quite high in
organic alcohols, while the rejuvelac may provide a source of highly active yeasts. You may
wish to experiment by mixing different types of starter cultures together.
The type of flour used will also support a distinctive consortium of microflora. Experiment
with rye, spelt, wheat and so on.
Store the culture in the refrigerator when not in use. Two days before use, remove the culture
from the fridge, discard most of it, then feed it a with a quarter of cup of flour and enough water
to maintain the consistency and incubate at 28°C/82°F. After 24 hours it should be ready to
use.
PROBLEMS WITH A SOURDOUGH STARTER

The starter loses its activity and does not make the bread rise as much as it used to. So
how do you regenerate the starter?
If you do not use the sourdough starter for a few days then the level of alcohols will rise until
they eventually kill off most off the micro-organisms including the yeasts. Without yeasts your
bread will not rise.
The solution is to mix 1 teaspoon of starter with ½ of cup of flour and enough water to make
a smooth paste. Leave it for 4-5 hours or until the culture has doubled in size then refrigerate
the starter to slow down the fermentation process. The next time you take the starter from the
refrigerator it will be more active. Leave it for 6 - 8 hours to ferment then take one teaspoon of
starter and add it to ½ cup of flour plus some water, leave to ferment for 4-5 hours then feed it
another 1 cup of flour and so on. By feeding the starter increasingly larger quantities of flour
at regular intervals you increase the activity of the yeasts, which should then make your bread
rise better.
Image (c) Steve Woods
Because every locality has its own unique

microflora then it follows that the bread for that
region will have its own unique characteristics.

A simple flat bread recipe

Before the advent of ovens a hot rock by a fire could be used to make flatbreads. Nowadays
we can use a griddle or fry pan on an electric stove. - An oven is only worth using when you
make a number of loves at once, as they use a lot of fuel. - Flatbreads however, can be made on
demand with very little energy consumption on a stove top, and a cast iron fry pan will retain
heat for a fair while after the heat source is removed.
The following recipe for sourdough flat-bread gives you the choice of using high or low gluten
flour. Any gluten present in the flour should have been digested after 24-48 hours of sourdough
fermentation. The time of fermentation may be extended up to 5 days. Ideally the flour should
be ground from organic grain immediately prior to use.
The recipe for the ‘oven bake method’ uses a pastry type dough, the recipe for the ‘pan fried
method’ uses a pancake type batter. With either method you can ferment the dough in a stainless
steel or glass container on the kitchen bench top so that you always have some dough on hand.
Every couple of days you can add more flour to the dough mix for use the next time. Once a
week you should transfer the dough to a clean container as undesirable organisms may grow on
the sides of the container.
If you use the oven-bake method then you can cook a reasonable quantity of flat bread at
one time. With the pan-fried method your are restricted to the size of the pan, unless you use
something like a barbecue hot plate.
If you wish to increase the omega-3 oils in your recipe then add freshly ground flaxseed to the
dough just before you cook the flat-breads.
Types of flour that can be used for flat breads.

− Wheat (contains gluten).
− Spelt (contains gluten).
− Rye (lower in gluten than wheat or spelt).
− Barley (low in gluten).
− Buckwheat (gluten free).
− Rice (gluten free).
− Millet (gluten free).
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough for four 6 inch diameter flat breads.
− 2 cups of flour.
− 1/8 teaspoon Celtic sea salt.
− 1/2 cup sourdough starter.
− Water.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OVEN BAKE METHOD

In a bowl mix one cup of flour with the salt, then add the sourdough starter. Slowly add small
quantities of water, stirring with a wooden spoon to form a heavy batter. Stir in the second cup
of flour, then form the dough into a ball with your hands. Either add more flour or water until
you get a pastry type dough. Leave the dough in a covered bowl at 28°C/82°F for 24 hours to
prove.
Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured bench top and knead it with your
hands. If you use low gluten flour then the dough may stick to your hands and break up. (The
easiest dough to work with is made from high gluten flour.)
Divide the dough into four equal sized pieces. Shape and pat them into flat-breads about 10 cm
in diameter. Distribute them evenly on a greased and lightly floured baking tray, then pat them
(or roll them with a rolling pin) until they flatten to about 2-3 mm thick. Bake in a preheated
oven at 180°C/356°F for 15-20 minutes. You can also bake the flat-breads on a terracotta tile.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAN FRIED METHOD

The pan fried method calls for the sourdough mixture to be the consistency of a thick pancake
type batter. Ferment for 24 hours at 28°C/82°F in a covered bowl.
Cook the flat-breads in a good quality saturated fat, such as coconut oil, beef fat or lard, (or
an oil that will withstand a high cooking temperature without going rancid) in a heavy stainless
steel or cast iron fry pan for about 10 minutes. Take care they do not stick. Turn the flat breads
and cook on the other side for 5 minutes.
Image (c) Toberto Tostes
The above flat breads were photographed at an Arab bakery

in downtown Brazil. One advantage of making flat breads,
that has significance for those who are gluten intolerant, is
that you can prove the dough for a long enough period of time
to ensure that all of gluten has been digested.

Sourdough bread
The following recipe using the process of ‘retardation’ (that is cooling the dough) to lengthen
the fermentation process. This method makes a full flavoured bread, with an excellent crumb.
Some people who are gluten intolerant have reported that they are free of symptoms when the
sourdough bread is prepared with a long proving period. However the downside of a long
proving period is that as the gluten is digested into smaller compounds by the microorganisms,
then less gluten means less rise for the dough as the gluten can’t catch the expanding gas
anymore to produce the rise.
INGREDIENTS
Makes one small loaf.
− 4 cups wholemeal wheat flour. (½ + ½ + ½ + 2 ½ cups.)
− ½ cup of sourdough starter.
− ¼ teaspoon of sea salt.
− 25 grams of lard, beef fat or butter.
− 2 cups water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Sourdough Starter
Feed-up a sourdough starter 3 times a day with a little flour, for one day prior to using it.
Make the Sponge

Mix with a wooden spoon in a glass bowl ½ cup flour with the starter, then mix in enough
water to make a thick soupy batter. This is called the sponge. Cover the bowl and leave in a
warm place, 28°C/82°F, for about 4-5 hours to prove. The starter should double in size. If you
use a glass bowl you will be able to see the formation of gas bubbles in the gluten.
Mix in your second half cup of flour with the sponge and put aside to prove for another 3
hours, then add another ½ cup of flour and leave for another 3 hours. Feeding the sponge every
3-5 hours will increase the activity of the yeasts. The fermentation times will be dependent
upon the temperature of the sponge and the microflora in your starter culture. If you need to add
additional water then do so, but be careful not to make it too wet.
Make the Dough

When the sponge is ready dissolve the salt in ½ cup of water and add it to the sponge, then
mix in the fat. (Alternatively just add the salt to the flour in the next step.) Then add the final
amount of flour called for in the recipe, in this case 2 ½ cups.
If your initial sponge was about the ‘correct’ consistency (determined by trial and error) you
should only need to add a little water to form a dough. (But if you do add water use cool water)
Mix the dough in the bowl with your finger tips, (it should be soft and fluffy) then tip it out onto
the bench top. Knead the dough until it becomes silky, carefully adding teaspoons of cold water
as you go, until you have a soft resilient dough. Note it is preferable to have the dough wetter
rather than drier. Depending upon the type of flour, the correct moisture content is usually

arrived at (for spelt and wheat flour) when the dough just sticks to the bench top and your hands.
The less gluten the more the dough will stick. After you have kneaded the dough for 5 minutes
transfer it to a glass bowl, put the bowl inside a plastic bag and refrigerate for 12-72 hours.
(Artisan bakeries sometimes have a retardation refrigerator set at 15°C/59°F. Since I work
from home I use my kitchen refrigerator which runs at 3-5°C/37-41°F. At this temperature, I can
leave the dough in the refrigerator for days without it rising, but the lactobacilli still seem to do
their job. Generally I leave the dough in a refrigerator for 15-24 hours.)
When you are ready to use the dough, unwrap it and leave on a bench top for about 5 minutes
to warm. Knead for about 5-10 minutes until the dough has a silky texture. When the gluten
formation is perfect you should be able to spread the dough between your fingers and stretch
it so that it becomes transparent. If the dough breaks then there is something wrong with the
gluten, sometimes this could be because of your kneading technique but other times it is the
type of flour that you have used.
Shape the dough and put into a greased and floured baking tin or pyrex dish, cover with a
damp cloth so that a skin does not form on the top of the dough, and leave in a warm place,
28°C/82°F, until it doubles in size (about 3 ½ - 4 hours). Stainless steel is safer than aluminum
but can be harder to find. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/ 356°F for 45-55 minutes or until
it is nicely browned and a skewer comes out clean. Once the bread is cooked, tip it out of the tin
and turn upside down on a wire rack to cool. When properly cooked, fresh bread has a hollow
sound when tapped with the fingers.
SOME GOOD REASONS FOR MAKING A SLOW-RISE SOURDOUGH BREAD

There seems to be a common misconception that insoluble fibre is necessary for bowel health
and that it can help prevent some types of cancer yet an article entitled: Climb Down From the
Bran Wagon by Barry Groves at the Second Opinions website, states otherwise. In his article he
points out that the breakfast cereal industry was responsible for promulgating the myth that high
fibre diets are healthy. One research study concluded that a diet high in vegetable derived fibre
was actually associated with a 35% increase in colorectal cancer. Source: http://www.second-
opinions.co.uk/bran_and_cancer.html
In the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon she tells us that: “All grains contain phytic
acid (an organic acid in which phosphorous is bound) in the outer layer or bran. Untreated
phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the
intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains
may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss.
Soaking allows enzymes, Lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralise
phytic acid. As little as seven hours of soaking in warm acidulated water will neutralise a large
portion of phytic acid in grains.
Soaking in warm water also neutralises enzyme inhibitors, present in all seeds, and encourages
the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. The action of these enzymes also increases the
amount of many vitamins, especially B vitamins
During the process of soaking and fermenting, gluten and other difficult-to-digest proteins are
partially broken down into simpler components that are more readily available for absorption.

If the fermentation process continues for long enough and the requisite bacteria are present
then most if not all of the gluten may be broken down. This would explain why some gluten-
intolerant people can digest sourdough bread without any symptoms of gluten allergy.
In India rice and lentils are fermented for at least two days, in Africa corn, millet and teff are
fermented for several days, Mexican corn cakes are fermented for up to two weeks, in Europe
grains were fermented for several days...” (p452-453 Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.)
Properly prepared sourdough bread combines the beneficial effects of Lactobacilli, yeasts,
soaking in water, an acid pH and plenty of time. Commercially baked bread uses a fast acting
yeast combined with rapid mixing to produce dough ready to bake in less than a few hours.
The pH of the bread is alkaline or neutral, no Lactobacilli are involved, only one strain of yeast
is used, and the conditions are not suitable for neutralising phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors and
breaking down gluten into a more digestible form.
Even sourdough yeasts can reach such a state of activity that the dough has risen before the
primary beneficial effects of the sourdough process have had a chance to take effect. It is not
unusual for sourdough to reach its peak in a few hours, which is barely enough time for the
Lactobacilli to get started. Also, it is not unusual for the microflora of a starter to change. A
San Francisco starter may work like a San Francisco starter in San Francisco, but culture it in a
different locality and the microflora may change into something unique to that locality.
Some sourdough breads are not true sourdough because there has not been sufficient time
for the bacteria to produce enough lactic acid to give the bread that characteristic flavour. If
you want to gain the full benefits of sourdough bread you need to ensure that Lactobacilli are
present in large enough quantities, and find a way to lengthen the period of fermentation, hence
the retardation method that I use.
NOTES ON REJUVENATING THE STARTER

Ideally a sourdough starter needs to be used every day in which time it is replenished with
fresh flour. If you only make bread once a week then the starter will probably lose some of its
yeast activity and not make the bread rise to its full capacity. This is in part, because when the
alcohol content reaches a certain level it kills off the yeasts.
There are a number of things that you can do. On removing the starter from the refrigerator
(where it should be stored unless you live in a cold climate) take one teaspoon of starter and
feed it ¼ cup of flour and some water. Leave for 12 hours and repeat the process. After two
days the starter should once again be fully active. If the starter is still not active enough add one
tablespoon of raisins to the starter and culture for another three days, each day discarding most
of the culture and adding fresh flour and water. An alternative is to add freshly made rejuvelac
to the sponge.
As a last resort add a teaspoonful of barley malt or blackstrap molasses to the sponge. Artisan
bakers would probably object to this practice but for home bakers who may only bake bread
once a month this could make all the difference to their self esteem and standing amongst their
friends.
In addition we need to remember that the rising of the bread should remain secondary to the
removal of the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, which I believe is probably more achieved
through the use of a mature starter. When a starter loses its activity we are generally referring

to the loss of yeast activity. When a starter loses its lactobacilli activity then we lose flavour. So
one way to gauge whether you have a true sourdough bread is by the flavour. If it tastes yeasty
like commercial bread then you need to modify your technique until you get a stronger flavour
which should then be an indicator of increased lactobacilli activity.
START WITH WHEAT FLOUR BEFORE MOVING ONTO SPELT AND LOWER
GLUTEN FLOURS
If you are new to making sourdough bread then I suggest that your first few loaves are made
with wholemeal wheat flour. For fun make a few loaves with white flour. It is good for the self
esteem. You should find that bread made with wheat flour will rise easily, have a rounded top,
a nice even crumb and slices well. My experiences with spelt flour from a range of health food
shops over a period of a few years is that it can be very inconsistent. Sometimes it will act like
wheat but other times the bread will collapse, it will have crevices and break up when sliced,
and this has nothing to do with the bakers technique but is a reflection of the flour. My solution
is to add ½ a cup of rye flour for every 3 ½ cups of spelt flour. This offers a consistent solution
to the vagaries of spelt flour and produces a professional looking loaf of bread that can be sliced
thinly.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON BREAD MAKING

− Many factors influence the making of sourdough bread; the ingredients, type of oven,
temperature of your kitchen and so on.
− If your bread is not rising to your satisfaction then try adding a teaspoon of barley malt
to the mix just before you add the last quantity of flour. The sugars in the barley malt
will increase the yeast activity though albeit at the expense of the lactobaccili activity.
− The incubation temperature is critical to the success of your bread. The optimum
temperature is 28°C/82°F. Between 35°C/95°F and 45°C/113°F the yeasts will die. The
lactobacilli activity peaks at 34°C/93°F so if you wish to get a sourer bread then incubate
the bread at 32°C/90°F. This is the theory but in practise a longer incubation time will
increase the time for the lactobacilli to flourish. At 21°C/70°F the activity of the yeast
will be roughly half that at 28°C/82°F hence it will take twice as long to rise, but since
it rises at a lower rate it will not rise as high.
− Use 30-60% of the flour called for in the recipe in the sponge. The percentage of flour
used in the sponge will affect the rising time and flavour of the bread.
− If adding ingredients such as dried fruit and nuts then add them at the end because they
may cause the gluten to break.
− Most of the gluten should be digested in the sponge. Once all the gluten is digested the
dough will not rise, hence it follows that sourdough bread that has risen must contain
undigested gluten.
− Knead the dough for as long as possible.
− The technique of ‘punching down’ the dough is to de-gas the dough and increase the
structural strength of the gluten. (In the same way that strong scaffolding will support a
bigger building.) You may gently roll out the dough with a rolling pin to degas it.
− Try the stretch test for gluten formation. Take a tablespoon of dough and tease it with
your fingers until it is tissue thin and transparent.
− “Proofing” has three different meanings in bread baking: ensuring that the yeast is active,
setting the dough to rise, and letting the loaves rise before baking.
− Learn to recognize when a dough is under or over proofed. When a dough is under
proofed it is still on the rise. When a dough is over proofed it has reached its maximum
expansion, is beginning to lose the carbon dioxide and starting to sink. If you put a dough

that has reached about 90% of its maximum rise into a hot oven then it will continue
to rise in a process known as oven spring and form a nice rounded top. Recognising
whether a dough is under or over proofed comes with practise.
− Hard flour contains more gluten than soft flour.
− Dough that has been retarded in a refrigerator will brown more easily.
− Some bakers add a small bowl of hot water to the oven, the steam mixes with the
sugars in the top layer of the dough causing it to caramelize and brown. The steam will
also prevent the bread from drying out as much and create a loaf of bread that is more
moist.
− To make a low-gluten dough rise add some potato flour to the mix, and just before
you bake it add baking powder. (Tricky). This will work best with the wet method of
sourdough bread making as described below. Gluten free bread may be improved by
toasting.
− A dough that is kneaded with a machine is often quite wet hence it is known as the
wet-method. Dough that is kneaded by hand is much drier hence it is known as the dry
method. The soft sourdough bread that you buy in a shop has probably been made with
the wet sourdough method.
− Some texts state that 1% salt will kill yeasts, hence it is generally added towards the end
of the recipe.
− Some yeasts will store selenium.
− Good quality double-thickness bread tins with reinforced corners will produce a better
crust than cake tins. After use just wipe then clean with a paper towel. Pyrex dishes are
useful for learning how to bake bread because you can watch the bubble formation as
the dough rises.
− Stand the baking tins on a steel tray in the oven to give more heat to the bottom. Bake
the bread in the top third of the oven.
Image (c) Robson Oliveira
Sourdough bread adds both nutrition and

flavour to a feast.

A suggested bread making

timeline
REQUIREMENTS
− “The sourdough bread recipe on the previous page”, but note that in this recipe we
replace the wheat with spelt and rye flour.
− 250 ml jar of sourdough starter.
− Clean 250 ml jars.
− 2 litre glass bowls.
− Spelt flour, wholemeal.
− Rye flour.
− Baking tins, etc.
Let’s say that the starter has been left unattended in a refrigerator for a month. There will
probably be a layer of liquid on the surface. This liquid may be quite black and is referred to as
hooch. It should smell acidic and alcoholic. Check for mould growing on the insides of the jar.
If there is any mould then discard the culture and use your backup culture. If the backup culture
is mouldy then you will have to start from scratch and make a new starter. But let’s say that your
starter is in perfect condition then:
1. Tuesday evening remove the starter from the refrigerator and leave on a bench top.
2. Wednesday morning feed up the starter: Take 2 tablespoons of starter and add it to a clean
250 ml jar. Add ½ cup of flour and enough water to make a thick paste. Add a few raisins
and stir them in (optional). Replace the lid, making sure that it is loose enough for the gas
to escape and leave the starter in a warm place, 28°C/ 82°F.
3. Wednesday evening unscrew the lid and examine the starter: It should have risen with a few
bubble, it should be light in colour and have a very light yeasty smell.
4. Thursday morning: Discard most of the starter, saving the raisins and add another half a cup
of flour and some water to make a paste.
5. Friday: Repeat the above step but add enough flour so that the jar is half full.
6. Saturday: Follow the recipe for sourdough bread on the previous pages but note that here
we use spelt and rye flour.
i. 8:00am: Add ½ cup of spelt flour to a 2 litre glass bowl. Add ¼ cup of starter
and enough water to make a thick batter. Stir. We call this the sponge. Cover
and place the bowl in a warm place, 28°C/ 82°F.
ii. 12:00pm: The batter should have risen and have bubbles. Add ½ cup of spelt
flour to the sponge and some more water to keep the batter consistency. Stir
and put the bowl back in the warm place.
iii. 4:00pm: Add ½ cup of spelt flour to the sponge and some more water to
maintain the batter consistency. Stir and put the bowl back in the warm

place.
iv. 8:00pm: The sponge should now be highly active and have trebled in size
with many large bubbles. If you put your ear to the sponge you will be able
to hear the gas escaping as the bubbles explode.
− Mix in the fat with the sponge.
− Mix 2 cups of spelt flour with ½ cup of rye flour and the salt in another
bowl then mix into the sponge with a wooden spoon to form a dough.
With practise you will be able to estimate the correct amount of water for
the sponge so that you only need to add a little more now. Turn the dough
out onto a clean bench top and knead with your hands. If necessary add
a little water.
− Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. Test the gluten formation by pinching
out a piece of the dough until it is paper thin. If it does not break then
the gluten will hold the loaf of bread together otherwise the bread will
be crumbly.
− Put the dough into a clean bowl, wrap in a plastic bag and put it in a
refrigerator.
7. Sunday:
i. 8:00am: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. It should have risen by
about 50%. Tip the dough out onto a bench top. Leave for 10 minutes to
warm a little then knead for 5 minutes. It will be harder to knead than it was
the previous evening. Resist the temptation to add more water. Grease and
dust a bread baking tin. Place the dough in the tin, cover with a damp cloth
and put in a warm place, 28°C/ 82°F.
ii. 11:30am - 12:00pm Within 3 ½ - 4 hours it should have doubled in size and
be ready to bake. Preheat the oven and bake the bread in the top 1/3 of the
oven for 45 -50 minutes at 180°C/ 356°F.
iii. If necessary test the bread with a skewer. Tip out onto a stainless steel rack
and leave to cool. The bread may be frozen for longer storage.
Image (c) Wilf Ratzburg
Some people may have become intolerant to wheat as a result

of over consumption hence it may be prudent to consume a
variety of grains to make our sourdough bread. This will also
give us a broader range of nutrients.

Sourdough pizza base

Warning: Do not make sourdough pizza unless you are prepared to give up franchised pizza.
The difference in taste is immeasurable.
INGREDIENTS
Makes one large flat sourdough pizza base, or one small thick base.
− 1 cup Spelt flour.
− 25 grams of lard or butter.
− ¼ cup of sourdough starter.
− Water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix the salt with the flour, then finger in the fat. Add the sourdough starter and enough water
until the mixture forms a heavy dough. Knead the dough on a bench top for five minutes, either
adding more water or flour until the dough reaches the desired consistency. Form the dough into
a ball, wrap with grease proof paper and put aside to prove at 28°C/ 82°F for 12 hours. Once the
dough is proofed then roll it out on a floured surface with a rolling pin. Transfer the sourdough
pastry base to a greased pizza tray.
Add pizza ingredients and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C/ 356°F.
NOTES
When kneading the dough if it sticks to either the bench top or your hands then it is too moist.
If the dough is too difficult to knead then it is probably too dry.
If you prefer a thick bread like sourdough pizza base then do not prove the dough for 12 hours
but just roll it out and transfer to a greased pizza tray and then leave to rise at about 28°C/ 82°F
for 6-18 hours. The pastry should double in size.
Image (c) Peter Galbraith
Once you have eaten

a pizza made with
sourdough pastry you
will be hooked for life.

Sourdough pastry
High gluten wheat and spelt flour will give the best results for sourdough pastry, with lard or
butter as the preferred choices of fat. You may add a little low gluten flour such as rye, barley,
buckwheat, rice or millet but they will make it more difficult to roll out the pastry, so if you
want to use a low gluten flour in your pastry then you may need to push it directly into the dish
with your fingers. Obviously a sourdough pastry is not going to be a cordon bleu pastry but at
least the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors have been removed, and the sourdough gives it a
great flavour.
INGREDIENTS
Makes one 9 inch diameter pie crust
− 1 cup wholemeal flour.
− Spices, (optional).
− Sweetener, (optional).
− 30 gram lard or butter.
− 2 tablespoons sourdough starter.
− Water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix the salt, spices and sweetener with the flour, then finger in the fat. Mix in the sourdough
starter and just enough water to make a thick dough. Knead for 5 minutes, form into a ball,
wrap in grease proof paper and leave to prove for 8-12 hours at 28°C/82°F before transferring
to a refrigerator. The pastry will keep in the refrigerator for a few days but will slowly become
more sour.
Roll out the sourdough pastry on a lightly floured surface, then transfer to the baking dish. The
pastry will roll easier if it is cool but not cold. If you are making a pie then precook the pastry
for 15-20 minutes before adding the filling.
Image (c) Sue Kinzelman

Quiche
Line a flan dish with sourdough pastry, prebake for 15 minutes, add chopped vegetables and
some pieces of bacon if you so wish, pour over a beaten egg and milk mixture, then sprinkle
with grated cheddar cheese, bake in the oven and voila you have a quiche.
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough to fill a 10 ½ inch (27cm) flan dish.
− Sourdough pastry made with 2 cups of flour.
− 1 cup onions, chopped.
− ½ cup red capsicum, chopped.
− 1 ½ cups mushrooms, chopped.
− 1 cup broccoli, chopped.
− ½ cup organic bacon pieces, (optional).
− ½ teaspoon thyme (dried).
− ½ teaspoon oregano (dried).
− 4 large eggs.
− 350 ml milk (raw full cream).
− 1 cup matured cheddar cheese, grated.
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the sourdough pasty the day before. Roll out the pastry and line a flan dish, prick with
a fork and prebake for 15 minutes at 180C/ 356°F.
Remove the pastry from the oven and strew the chopped vegetables over it. Add your choice
of fresh or dry herbs. Beat the milk, eggs and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables then
sprinkle with grated cheese. Return the quiche to the oven and bake for 25-30 mins at 170°C/
338°F. Allow to cool for an hour before serving so that the custard can set.
Image (c) Anna Tunska
Let your imagination choose the ingredients.

Sprouted grain pasta

This recipe for sprouted grain pasta came over the internet from an anonymous Italian woman
who says that “flour from sprouted grain makes a sweet and more easily digestible pasta”, and
which it should since the antinutrients will have been removed during the sprouting process.
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak the grain overnight in water. Rinse the grain then spread it out on a stainless steel tray.
Tilt the tray so as to drain off excess water which could cause the grain to rot. Cover the grain
with a cloth and leave to sprout for 12-24 hours. Keep the grain moist by spraying it with water.
As soon as the rootlets appear rinse the grain and dehydrate in a dehydrator. Once the grain
is dry it can be ground to a flour in a grain mill and used to make pasta as per your favourite
recipe.
Fluffy rice
The absorption method
Even though rice is quite low in antinutrients it still benefits from a period soaking. “Two
recent studies support the health benefits of traditional grain preparation methods. Japanese
scientists found that rice that has been soaked for a day before it is cooked contains more fibre,
minerals and vitamins than non-soaked rice. The soaked rice also contains triple the amount
of lysine, an important amino acid, and ten times more gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA),
a nutrient that benefits the kidneys. (Neutralization of strong chelating complexes such as
phytic acid explains the paradoxical increase in mineral content.) A 22-hour soaking in warm
water allows the rice to begin the germination process, during which there is a proliferation
of nutrients to feed the growing plant. The soaked rice was easier to cook and tasted sweeter
(Reuters 12/12/01).” Reprinted with kind permission from: Caustic Commentary. “Soak Those Grains”.
Weston A Price Foundation Journal: Wise Traditions Spring 2001.
This recipe calls for the rice to be soaked for a period of time to remove the antinutrients then
cooks it with the absorption method to produce a fluffy rice that is easy to digest. Please note
that the quantity of water used to cook the rice and the cooking time will vary depending upon
the type of saucepan and the heat source. Once you get the hang of cooking rice this way you
should find that the rice grains have burst and are soft and fluffy.
INSTRUCTIONS
Add two cups of wholegrain rice to a bowl. Cover with 4 inches of filtered water and leave
to soak for 22 hours. If the weather is very hot then it may be advisable to change the water
at least once to prevent the growth of undesirable organisms. The next day pour off the water,
rinse three times then transfer the rice to a stainless steel saucepan. Add water to a level of about
½ an inch above the surface of the rice. Put on the lid and bring slowly to the boil. Once the
water is bubbling turn the heat down and simmer until all the water has been absorbed by the
rice. At this point the rice should no longer look wet. Turn off the heat and leave for a further
30-60 minutes for the rice to continue to expand and soak up the remaining moisture.

Sourdough pancakes
Sourdough pancakes have a rich slightly sour taste and are easy to digest. Always fry pancakes
in a fat or oil that is high in saturated fats, such as coconut or palm kernel oil, or even in animal
fats but definitely not in a vegetable oil as they are unsuited for frying and quickly become
rancid.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 4-6 large pancakes.
Recipe #1
− 1 cup spelt flour.
− 1 tablespoon sourdough starter.
− ½ cup of water.
− 1 egg lightly beaten, optional.
− Full cream raw cow or goat milk.
− Coconut oil.
Recipe #2
− 1 cup spelt flour.
− ½ cup kefir.
− 1 egg lightly beaten, optional.
− Full cream raw cow or goat milk.
− Coconut oil.
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl then mix in the sourdough starter and the water, or the kefir if
you are using recipe #2 to form a thick batter. Cover with a cloth and leave to culture for 6 -12
hours at 28°C/ 82°F. The batter should treble in size and smell yeasty.
When you are ready to make the pancakes mix in the beaten egg to the batter with enough
full cream milk until you get the desired pancake consistency. Fry the pancakes in coconut oil
in a pan with a thick base. The oil needs to be hot when you add the first pancake otherwise it
will soak up the oil and stick. Test with a drop of batter first. Sourdough pancakes cook slower
than unsoaked grains and are slightly chewy with a pleasantly sour flavour. Serve with your
favourite toppings.
NOTE
For variety try rye, barley or buckwheat flour but note that as you lower the gluten content the
pancakes lose the glue which holds them together and they become harder to work with.

Sourdough spicy fruit loaf (hot

cross buns at Easter)
“These are the best hot-x-buns I have ever tasted. I am a fussy eater and a good cook, and I
have never tasted hot-x-buns so beautiful.” Dianne Hill-Harrison Cottesloe WA. Comments at
a sourdough bread workshop in Willetton Perth 2003.
With this recipe you make a sponge as you do for the sourdough bread before adding the
rest of the ingredients and forming the dough into a loaf or into balls. You should find that the
addition of molasses and dried fruit will increase the rate of fermentation, causing the dough to
rise higher than normal sourdough bread.
INGREDIENTS
Makes one small loaf or 6 buns.
Ingredients for the Sponge

− 1 ½ cups spelt flour. (½ + ½ + ½ cup.)
− ½ cup sourdough starter.
− Water.
Ingredients for the Dough

− 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses.
− 50 gm butter.
− 2 ½ cups spelt flour.
− ¼ teaspoon of sea salt.
− ¼ teaspoon mace.
− 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
− ½ teaspoon allspice.
− ½ teaspoon 5-spice.
− 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder.
− 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.
− 2 teaspoons grated orange peel (organic, not waxed.)
− 2/3 cup currants.
− Water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Make a Sponge
Mix ½ cup flour and the sourdough starter in a bowl with enough water to form a thick batter.
Cover with a cloth and put aside in a warm place (28°C/ 82°F) to prove for 4-5 hours. It should
become quite frothy and treble in size. Add another ½ cup of flour and a little water to maintain
the consistency of the batter and put aside to prove for another 4-5 hours. Repeat this step once
more.

Make the Dough

When the sourdough sponge is ready mix in the molasses and butter. In a separate bowl mix
the salt, spices and orange peel with the flour then mix it into the sponge with a wooden spoon.
Add enough water until the mixture forms a soft dough. Make the dough as moist as you can
without it being too sticky. Transfer the dough to a bench-top and knead for 5 minutes, then
place the dough back into the bowl, cover with a plastic bag or cloth and store in a refrigerator
for 12-24 hours.
When you remove the dough from the refrigerator leave it for 10 minutes to warm. Knead the
dough for five minutes until the gluten is well formed then flatten it out and spread the dried
fruit on top. Fold the dough back onto itself and knead until the dried fruit is evenly distributed.
Either leave the dough in one piece to make a fruit loaf or roll the dough into a log shape then
cut into six pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange in a well greased and floured 8 x 8
inch baking tin.
Leave the dough to rise in a warm place (28°C/82°F) for about 3 ½ - 4 hours or until the
mixture has trebled in size. Bake at 180°C/ 356°F for 45 minutes or until a clean knife comes
out dry.
NOTES ON MAKING THE GLAZE AND CROSSES.

A glaze may be made from butter, milk and sugar, or from sugar, gelatin and water.
To make the crosses paint on a mixture of flour and water, or of molasses and butter, or mix
some molasses with a small quantity of dough. Roll the dough into a sheet and cut out strips.
Then lay the strips on top of the dough balls.

Sourdough date brownies

INGREDIENTS
Makes 12-16.
− 1 ½ cups of Californian dates, squashed into the cup.
− 4 large eggs, from pasture fed chickens.
− 1 cup kefir made with raw jersey milk.
− 200 grams (3/4 cup) butter, from pasture fed cows.
− ½ teaspoon vanilla essence.
− 1 cup carob powder.
− ½ cup baking cocoa powder.
− 3 cups spelt flour.
− 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
− ½ teaspoon of Celtic sea salt.
− Water, (approx 1 - 4 oz).
INSTRUCTIONS
Chop the dates, then process them in a food processor with the eggs, kefir and softened butter
for a few minutes at medium speed until the mixture forms a rough batter. Then one ingredient
at a time, add the sourdough starter, vanilla essence, carob, cocoa and just enough water to make
a smooth cake batter. The intention at this stage is to ensure that the dates are homogenised with
the other ingredients.
In a separate bowl mix the salt and cinnamon with the flour, then add the flour mixture to the
batter in the processor. Depending upon the type of processor you may need to use a wooden
spoon to help mix the flour with batter. You will also need to add just enough water for the
mixture to reach the consistency of a cake batter.
Grease a 12 x 8 x 1 ¼ inch baking tin. Dust the tin with flour, spoon in the mixture and level
it out with a spatula. Leave the mixture to rise in a warm place (28°C/82°F) for about 12-20
hours or until the mixture has increased in volume by about 80%. Bake at 180°C/356°F for 45
minutes or until a clean knife comes out dry.
Serve with kefir cream.
NOTES
The optimum time to bake the brownies are when the batter has increased in volume by about
80%, then the batter should rise in the first few minutes of baking. It’s called ‘oven spring’.
If you wait until the batter has doubled in size before you bake it then the brownies will most
likely sink.

Sourdough Christmas pudding

This recipe uses the process of lacto fermentation, with the microorganisms being supplied
by both a sourdough bread starter and kefir whey. Kefir whey is made from fermenting milk
(preferably raw whole milk from pasture fed Jersey type cows) with kefir grains, and separating
out the curds and whey. (Referred to earlier in this book.)
The fruit and nuts are fermented for 1-2 days, before the rest of the ingredients are mixed in
and left to culture for a further 12-24 hours. The sourdough process ensures that both the phytic
acid and enzyme inhibitors have been neutralised, and that most of the gluten has been digested,
making this Christmas pudding more nutritious, digestible and flavoursome. Choose organic
nuts and dried fruits that have not been preserved with sulphites or sugar, or softened with oil,
which by now would have gone rancid.
Spelt flour is called for in this recipe but you may use whichever flour suits you, but please
note that gluten-free flour will not rise so the pudding will be quite heavy. However if you use a
gluten flour, the sourdough process should digest most of the gluten, and anecdotal reports are
that some people who are gluten intolerant have no symptoms from a sourdough recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough to fill a 750ml pudding bowl.
FRUIT AND NUTS

− 1 ½ cups of chopped mixed dried fruit: choose from raisins, papaya, pineapple, sultanas,
prunes, apricots or dates.
− 1/3 cup chopped nuts: hazelnuts and brazils.
− 1 tablespoon of grated mixed citrus peel: orange, lemon and lime.
− 1 tablespoon of citrus juice: lemon, orange, or lime.
− 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses.
− 4 tablespoons dark ale, Guinness or stout.
− 2 tablespoons of dark rum, brandy, port or sherry.
− 1 tablespoon kefir whey or Grainfields B. E. liquid.
FLOUR AND SPICES

− ½ teaspoon ground allspice.
− ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
− ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
− 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace.
− 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom.
− 1 ½ cups wholemeal spelt flour.
− ¼ cup Billington’s unrefined molasses cane sugar.
− 50 gm butter from pasture fed cows.
− 2 eggs from pasture fed chickens.

− 4 tablespoons sourdough starter.

− 1/3 cup grated beetroot.
− ½ cup wholemeal spelt flour.
− 750 ml pudding bowl.
− Baking paper.
− Aluminium foil and string.
INSTRUCTIONS
As this Christmas pudding uses the sourdough process you will need to make it over a period
of 2-3 days, though I have made it successfully in 24 hours.
Ferment the fruit and nuts

1. Chop the dried fruit into ½ cm cubes then mix with the chopped nuts and finely grated citrus
peel in a large glass bowl. Add citrus juice, blackstrap molasses, dark ale, brandy and kefir
whey. Cover with a cloth held in place with a piece of elastic and leave to ferment for 12-20
hours at 28°C/82°F.
Make the Christmas pudding

2. When the fermented fruit and nuts are ready mix in the spices, salt and unrefined sugar with
1 ½ cups of flour, then finger in the butter. Add beaten eggs and sourdough starter. Stir in the
fermented fruit and nuts, and the beetroot. Add additional flour a little at a time (about ½ cup)
until you get a smooth cake-like batter. (Note the batter needs to be more moist than dry.)
3. Grease a 750 ml pudding bowl with butter, dust it with flour then spoon in the Christmas
pudding mixture, cover with a damp cloth and leave to prove a further 12-24 hours at 28C/82°F.
There needs to be about ½ - 1 inch of space at the top of the bowl to allow for the mixture to
rise a little.
Steam the pudding

4. Put a small cake rack on the bottom of a large saucepan, then add one inch of water. Cover
the pudding bowl with two circles of baking paper, (greased with butter if preferred). Hold in
position with an elastic band then tie with string. Remove the elastic band. Trim off any excess
paper then cover with a piece of aluminium foil held in position with string. Trim off any excess
alfoil. Hopefully this will stop any aluminium ions migrating into the food.
5. Stand the pudding bowl on the rack in the saucepan. Ensure that there is about one inch of
water in the saucepan. Cover the saucepan with a lid and bring the water to a gentle boil. Turn
down the heat to a simmer and steam the sourdough Christmas pudding for 2 hours. Keep an
eye on the water level to ensure that it does not boil dry, topping up as necessary. The pudding
may rise another ½-1 inch during the cooking process.
6. Serve the pudding hot with kefir cream, brandy butter or whisky sauce
7. The sourdough Christmas pudding should improve with age and keep for a couple of months.
Be sure to store it in a cool place. In warm climates it is advisable to store in a refrigerator. To
reheat, steam again for 45 minutes.

Sourdough Christmas cake

This sourdough Christmas cake recipe uses the process of lacto fermentation, with the
microorganisms being supplied by both a sourdough bread starter and kefir whey. Kefir whey is
made from fermenting milk with kefir grains (preferably raw whole milk from organic pasture
fed Jersey type cows), and separating out the curds and whey.
The fruit and nuts are fermented for 1-2 days, before the rest of the ingredients are mixed in
and left to culture for a further 12-24 hours. The sourdough process ensures that both the phytic
acid and enzyme inhibitors have been neutralised, and that most of the gluten has been digested,
making this Christmas pudding more nutritious, digestible and flavoursome. Choose organic
nuts and dried fruits that have not been preserved with sulphites or sugar, or softened with oil.
Spelt flour is called for in this recipe but you may use whichever flour suits you, but please
note that gluten free flour will not rise so the cake would be quite heavy. However if you use a
gluten flour, the sourdough process should digest most of the gluten, and anecdotal reports are
that some people who are gluten intolerant have no symptoms from a sourdough recipe.
INGREDIENTS
You will need a 4 litre glass bowl and a 9 inch spring form tin.
FRUIT AND NUTS

− ½ cup prunes.
− ½ cup raisins.
− ½ cup currants.
− ½ cup papaya.
− ½ cup pineapple.
− ½ cup cherries.
− 2 tablespoons citrus peel.
− ¼ cup hazelnuts, chopped.
− ¼ cup brazils, chopped.
− 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses.
− 4 tablespoons dark ale, Guinness or stout.
− 4 tablespoons of dark rum, brandy, port or sherry.
− 2 tablespoons kefir whey or Grainfields B. E. Liquid.
FLOUR AND SPICES

− ½ cup grated beetroot.
− 3 cups wholemeal spelt flour.
− 1 teaspoon mixed spice.
− 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
− ½ teaspoon ground ginger.
− ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace.
− ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom.
− ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt.
− ½ cup Billington’s unrefined molasses cane sugar.

− 200 gm butter, softened.

− 4 free range eggs.
− ½ cup sourdough starter, heavy consistency.
− 1 ½ cups of wholemeal spelt flour.
− 9 inch spring form tin.
− Baking paper.
INSTRUCTIONS
As this Christmas cake uses the sourdough process you will need to make it over a period of
2-3 days, though I have made it successfully in 24 hours.
Ferment the fruit and nuts

1. Chop the dried fruit into ½ cm pieces then mix with the chopped nuts and citrus peel in a 4
litre glass bowl. Add the blackstrap molasses, dark ale, brandy and kefir whey. Cover with a
cloth held in place with a piece of elastic and leave to ferment for 12-20 hours at 28°C/82°F.
Make the Christmas cake

2. When the fermented fruit and nuts are ready then mix in the grated beetroot.
3. In a separate bowl mix 3 cups of flour with the spices and salt then rub in the sugar and butter
with your fingers. Process the flour and spice mixture in a food processor with the eggs and
sourdough starter. Transfer the mixture from the food processor to the bowl with the fruit and
nuts, and mix well with a heavy spoon. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour a little at a time
until the mixture forms the consistency of a moist cake batter. (You may need to adjust the
quantity of flour slightly to suit your recipe.)
4. Grease a 9 inch spring form baking tin and line with greaseproof paper. Cut a round piece
of baking paper to fit the base and some strips to line the sides. Dust with flour. Spoon in the
sourdough Christmas cake mixture and leave to prove for 12-24 hours at 28°C/82°F, or until it
has risen by about 50 – 80%. If you bake the cake when it has risen to about 80% of its capacity
then it should rise further in the oven and give a nice rounded top, known as oven spring. If
you let the dough rise to its full capacity before you bake it then it will probably sink but this is
something that you only learn from experience. If the cake has not risen within 24 hours, do not
worry, bake it anyway and it should rise about 50%.
Bake at 180°C/356°F in a preheated oven for 50 minutes and if necessary cook for a further
15-25 minutes at 150°C/300°F, or until the cake looks cooked and a clean knife comes out
dry.
5. Remove the sourdough Christmas cake from the oven and leave to cool for 30 minutes before
removing it from the tin and placing it face down on a cake rack. Inverting the cake should
prevent the top from sinking, which can happen with this type of recipe. Serve the sourdough
Christmas cake with kefir cream, brandy butter or whisky sauce.

Tropical coconut slice

This recipe uses a tropical flavoured sourdough base covered with a layer of coconut. Pure
creamed coconut should be available in 200gm blocks in the refrigerated section of Asian
supermarkets. Apart from fresh coconut, this is probably the cheapest source of coconut that is
free from additives.
Low gluten flour such as rye, barley, rice, buckwheat and millet are used so that the base does
not rise too much. (If possible, use equal quantities of each.) These grains will also provide
some additional nutrients and enhance the flavour.
Anti-microbial saturated fats from coconut oil and butter from pasture fed dairy cows help
to combat Candida, fungi, parasites, viruses and other unfriendly microorganisms that invade
the digestive terrain. Coconut oil is antiviral and contains lauric, capric and caprylic acids --
recommended to combat Candida. (Reference: How to Restore Digestive Health by Jordan S. Rubin, NMD,
CNC. Published in Wise Traditions Summer 2004.)
INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 bars.
Sourdough Base
− 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (oat meal).
− 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoon water (90ml)
− 1 tablespoon molasses.
− 1/2 cup sourdough starter.
− 1/2 cup of kefir.

− 1/2 teaspoon fennel, ground.
− 1/2 teaspoon aniseed, ground.
− 1 1/2 cups low gluten flour. (see above).
− 1/4 cup of unrefined sugar (Billington’s or Rapadura).
− 100 gm creamed coconut.
− 1/2 cup dried papaya, diced.
− 1/2 cup dried pineapple, diced.
− tablespoons of water (optional).
Coconut Topping
− 1 egg.
− 1/2 cup kefir.
− 1/4 cup honey.
− Pinch of Celtic sea salt.
− 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence.
− 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder.

− 1 tablespoon grated rind of lime or lemon.

− 4 teaspoons lime or lemon juice.
− 200 gm pure creamed coconut, softened.
− 1 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
INSTRUCTIONS
Sourdough Base
Mix the rolled oats, water, molasses, sourdough starter and kefir in a bowl and put aside for an
hour for the oats to soak up the moisture. When the oat mixture is ready do the following:
Mix the salt, spices, flour and unrefined sugar in a bowl. Then mix in the creamed coconut.
(If the weather is hot the coconut may be soft and oily; if the weather is cool then you will have
a block of coconut which you need to chop or grate.) Process the flour and coconut in a food
processor with the blade attachment at medium speed until it looks wet or thickens, then add the
butter and process for another minute.
Tip the flour and coconut mixture into the bowl of oatmeal and mix thoroughly with a wooden
spoon adding a tablespoon of water at a time until you get the consistency of a cake batter. Mix
in the dried pineapple and papaya then spread the batter evenly in a greased and floured 12 x
8 inch shallow baking tray. Cover the sourdough base with a tea-towel and leave to prove in a
warm place at 28°C/82°F for 12-24 hours.
When you are ready to make the topping partially precook the base at 180C/356°F for 20-25
minutes in a preheated oven.
Coconut Topping
While the sourdough base is baking prepare the topping. In a food processor with the blade
attachment combine the egg, kefir, honey, salt, vanilla, arrowroot powder, grated lemon or lime
rind, and lemon or lime juice. Then process in the creamed and desiccated coconut. Spread
the coconut topping over the partially cooked sourdough base and bake at 180°C/356°F for 20
minutes in a preheated oven or until the top is golden brown in colour.
Notes for the base.

If the kefir and the sourdough starter are quite thick then you may need to add some additional
water to get an appropriate moisture content.
Image (c) Marcelo dos Santos
Salt, surf, sun and coconut. What more could you

ask for?

Apricot kernel coconut slice

This rich coconut slice has a layer of coconut with a tangy citrus taste over a sourdough base. It
calls for apricot kernels which are high in vitamin B17. I have balanced out the kernels with dried
apricots so that you get a whole food as the Hunza’s would have done. Pure creamed coconut
should be available in 200gm blocks from the refrigerated section of Asian supermarkets and is
now also available in an organic form from some health food shops. As an alternative to spelt,
low gluten flours such as rye, barley, rice, buckwheat and millet are used. If possible use equal
quantities of each. These different types of flour will also provide some additional nutrients and
enhance the flavour.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 bars.
Sourdough Base
− 1 cup rolled oats (oat meal).
− 1/3 cup water.
− 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses.
− ½ cup of kefir.

− ½ teaspoon fennel, ground.
− ½ teaspoon aniseed, ground.
− 1 ¼ cups low gluten flour. (see above).
− ¼ cup of unrefined sugar (Billington’s or Rapadura).
− ½ cup apricot kernels.
− 100 gm creamed coconut.
− ½ cup black apricots.
− Tablespoons of water (optional).
Coconut Topping
− 1 egg.
− ½ cup kefir.
− ¼ cup honey.
− Pinch of Celtic sea salt.
− ½ teaspoon vanilla essence.
− 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder.
− 1 tablespoon grated rind of orange, lime or lemon.
− 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice.
− 200 gm pure creamed coconut, softened.
− 1 ½ cup desiccated coconut.

INSTRUCTIONS
Sourdough Base
Mix the rolled oats, water, molasses, sourdough starter and kefir in a bowl and put aside for an
hour for the oats to soak up the moisture. When the oat mixture is ready do the following:
Mix the salt, spices, low gluten flour and unrefined sugar in a bowl. Grind the apricot kernels
into a flour in a blender or grain mill, and add to the flour mixture. Then mix in the creamed
coconut. (If the weather is hot the coconut may be soft and oily; if the weather is cool then you
will have a block of coconut which you need to chop or grate.) Process the flour, apricot kernel
flour and coconut in a food processor at medium speed until it looks wet then add the butter and
process for another minute. Finally add the chopped black apricots and process for one minute
so that there are still small pieces of apricot left.
Tip the apricot flour mixture into the bowl of oatmeal and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon
adding a tablespoon of water at a time until you get the consistency of a cake batter. Spread the
batter evenly into a greased and floured 12 x 8 inch shallow baking tray. Cover the sourdough
base with a tea-towel and leave to prove in a warm place (28°C/82°F) for 12-24 hours.
When you are ready to make the topping partially precook the base at 180°C/356°F for 20-25
minutes in a preheated oven.
Coconut Topping
While the sourdough base is baking prepare the topping. In a food processor combine the
egg, kefir, honey, salt, vanilla, arrowroot powder, grated lemon or lime rind, and lemon or lime
juice. Then process in the creamed and desiccated coconut. Spread the coconut topping over the
partially cooked sourdough base and bake at 180°C/356°F for 20 minutes in a preheated oven
or until the top is golden brown in colour.
Notes for the base.

1. If the kefir and the sourdough starter are quite thick then you may need to add some additional
water to get an appropriate moisture content.
2. Raw sugar is not unrefined sugar but white sugar with the addition of 5% molasses. Billington’s
have an excellent range of unrefined sugars.
3. Black apricots are organic non-sulphured apricots.
Image (c) Piotr Bizior
Thailand: Land of coconut. The Thai diet is rich in

saturated fat from coconut oil and lard, relatively
low in fiber and features many and varied animal
foods yet their health is many times better than the
average American.
http://www.westonaprice.org/traditional_diets/thailand.html

Apricot kernel cake

This recipe uses apricot kernels which are high in vitamin B17 (laetrile). Apricot kernels have
a marzipan like taste which is enhanced with cardamom and black apricots. As the Hunza’s ate
the apricot kernel with the fruit we follow their example in this recipe and use dried organic
apricots to help balance the nutrients in the kernels. Consume apricot kernel cake in moderation
as some people believe that apricot kernels may be toxic if eaten in large quantities. For more
information on apricot kernels and their reputed anticancer benefits read the book: Cancer: Why
we’re still dying to know the truth, by Phillip Day.
INGREDIENTS
Use a 12 x 8 x 1 ¼ inch baking tray. Makes 10-12 slices. Or bake in a 19cm (7 ½ inch) spring
form baking dish.
− 3/4 cup kefir.
− 100 grams butter.
− 2 eggs, from pasture fed chickens.
− ½ cup Californian dates, chopped.
− ½ cup organic apricots (black), chopped.
− ½ cup apricot kernels.

− 2 cups spelt flour.
− ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder.
− Tablespoons of water if necessary.
INSTRUCTIONS
Process the kefir, butter, eggs, sourdough starter, dates and apricots in a food processor. Grind
the apricot kernels to flour in a blender or grain mill then mix with the spelt flour, salt and
cardamom in a bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the ingredients in the food processor and
process until you get a smooth batter. If the mixture is too dry then you will need to add a little
water until you get the desired consistency.
Grease and dust a baking tin with flour. Spoon in the mixture and level out with a spatula.
Leave the mixture to rise in a warm place (28°C/82°F) for 12-20 hours or until the mixture has
risen about 50%. Bake at 180°C/356°F for 45 minutes or until a clean knife comes out dry.
Serve with cultured butter or kefir cream.

Oatmeal slice
This low gluten sourdough recipe uses rolled oats (oat meal), barley flour, rye flour,
desiccated coconut, nuts, dried fruit, butter and eggs to make a nutritious snack. It is a little
crumbly straight out of the oven but cuts fine when cool.
INGREDIENTS
Use a 24 x 11 x 9cm deep bread tin.
− 2 cups rolled oats /oatmeal.
− ¼ cup almonds.
− ¼ cup brazils, chopped.
− ½ cup raisins.
− ¼ cup lycium/wolf/gogi berries.
− ½ cup black apricots.
− 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon water.

− 2 eggs.
− 1 cup barley flour.
− 1 cup rye flour.
− ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt.
− ¼ teaspoon cardamom.
− ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
− ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
− ½ cup desiccated coconut.
− Tablespoons of water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the rolled oats, nuts and dried fruit in a bowl. Add the water, molasses and
sourdough starter then mix well with a wooden spoon.
Combine the butter and eggs in a food processor at medium speed for a minute. Mix the
barley flour, rye flour, salt, spices and desiccated coconut in a separate bowl then add the flour
mixture to the butter and eggs and process until the batter is of an even consistency. Transfer
the batter to the oatmeal mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon. Leave for an hour for the
oats to soak up the water.
Stir briefly with a wooden spoon then transfer to a greased and floured baking tin. Spoon in
the mixture and level out with a spatula. Leave to rise in a warm place (28°C/82°F) for 12-20
hours or until the mixture has increased a little in size. Because this recipe uses low gluten
ingredients it won’t rise like wheat bread. Bake at 180°C/356°F for 50 minutes or until a clean
knife comes out dry. When cool cut into slices and serve with butter.

NOTE
1. As some types of oats will absorb more or less water than others you may need to slightly
alter the quantity of water used. Make a note of the type of oats and try and use the same ones
each time you make this recipe.
2. I usually make the sourdough starter with spelt flour but you may like to use rye or barley
flour.
3. It is possible that dry almonds may not soak up enough moisture from the cake mixture.
If you have concerns about antinutrients remaining in the almonds then you may like to soak
them in water for a few hours before you add them to the recipe.
4. This recipe could be improved by grinding the nuts into a flour. You would then need to add
a little more water to get the right consistency.
Oats are low in gluten and are best utilised in recipes where the
rise is not important.

Oatmeal slice
Egg and milk free.
This low gluten sourdough recipe uses rolled oats (oat meal), barley flour, rye flour,
desiccated coconut, almonds and brazils, dried fruit and butter to make a nutritious snack. It is
nice when left to cool but even better when eaten an hour after being removed from the oven.
INGREDIENTS
Use a 24 x 11 x 9cm deep bread tin.
− 1 cup barley flour.
− 1 cup rye flour.
− ¼ teaspoon cardamom.
− ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
− ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
− ½ cup desiccated coconut.
− 2 cups rolled oats/oatmeal.

− ¼ cup almonds.
− ¼ cup brazils.
− ½ cup raisins.
− ¼ cup lycium/wolf/gogi berries.
− ½ cup black apricots, chopped.
− 1 cup water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix the barley and rye flour, salt, spices and desiccated coconut in a bowl then process for a
minute in a food processor at medium speed with the butter.
Add the rolled oats to a separate large bowl. Grind the nuts in a blender into a course flour
then add to the rolled oats. Add the dried fruit, water, molasses and sourdough starter and mix
well with a wooden spoon. Tip the flour and butter mixture into the oatmeal and mix well with
a wooden spoon.
Spoon the mixture into a greased and floured baking tin and level out with a spatula. Leave
to rise in a warm place (28°C/82°F) for 12-20 hours or until the mixture has increased a little
in size. Because this recipe uses low gluten ingredients it may only rise a half an inch. Bake
at 180°C/356°F for 50 minutes or until a clean knife comes out dry. When cool cut into slices
and serve with butter.

NOTES
1. As some types of oats will absorb more or less water than others you may need to slightly
alter the quantity of water used. Make a note of the type of oats and always use the same ones
for this recipe.
2. I usually make the sourdough starter with spelt flour but you may like to use rye or barley
flour.
3. If your sourdough starter is thick then you may need to compensate by adding a little more
water.
Some health food stores stock a wide range of grains, nuts,

seeds, flours and dried fruits, some of which are organic.
Buy the freshest looking products and avoid anything
that looks like it may be mouldy or contains chemical
preservatives. Note, that not all ingredients or additives are
required to be listed on the label.

Remember to soak your nuts

“All nuts, grains, seeds and legumes contain phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Unless
treated, phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc and block
their absorption, and the enzyme inhibitors can put a strain on the digestive system.” (Sally
Fallon Nourishing Traditions.)
The main problem with grains is the phytic acid while with nuts it is the enzyme inhibitors.
(There is enough tannins in the skins of almonds to stain a tea cup.) The simple practice of
soaking grains, cereal, nuts, and seeds in water overnight allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other
organisms to help neutralise phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, and to improve the nutritional
benefits. If you enjoy oatmeal porridge then you will find it much easier to digest if you soak
the oats in either water or kefir overnight before cooking as usual. Likewise muesli also benefits
from a period of soaking. If you like to eat nuts then they are best prepared by a period of soaking
before being dehydrated. Sally Fallon terms them crispy nuts. Hard nuts such as almonds can
take an extended period of soaking and sprouting while the softer nuts such as walnuts should
only be soaked for about 7 hours.
SPROUTED NUTS
− 4 cups of almonds.
− 1.5 litres filtered water.
− 2 litre glass jar.
Put the almonds in the jar. Cover with the water and leave at 28°C/82°F for about 12 hours.
Rinse the almonds, tip the jar on its side to allow the water to drain and leave them to ‘sprout’ for
another 12 – 24 hours. If the weather is hot then you may need to rinse the almonds periodically
to keep them moist and to prevent the growth of nasties.
Drain the almonds in a colander then spread them on a stainless steel baking tray and dehydrate
in a cool oven at 65°C for 12-24 hours, stirring occasionally until completely dry. Preferably
they should be dried in a dehydrator as it becomes easier to control the temperature. Store in an
airtight container.
CRISPY NUTS
− 4 cups of almonds, preferably skinless.
− 1 tablespoon sea salt.
− 1.5 litres filtered water.
Mix almonds with salt and filtered water and leave in a warm place for at least 7 hours or
overnight. Drain in a colander. Spread on a stainless steel baking pan and place in a warm oven
(less than 65°C/150°F) for 12 - 24 hours, stirring occasionally, until completely dry and crisp.
Store in an airtight container.
Reference: Adapted and used with kind permission from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
p452 and p515.


A COUPLE OF DESERTS AND A SIMPLE CHEESE RECIPE 51
A couple of
desserts and a
simple cheese
recipe

Raw kefir cheese cake

This recipe uses a date and almond crust with raw kefir cream and raw eggs. The result is a raw
cheesecake that is soft, light and fluffy. Note that all ingredients should be organic and fresh,
and that the milk, cream and eggs should come from organic pasture fed animals. One half cup
of apricot kernels (high in vitamin B17) may be used in place of some of the other nuts.
RAW KEFIR CHEESE CAKE

Serves 8-10. Requires an 8 inch diameter by 2 ½ inches deep pyrex dish, or a 9 inch spring
form. Makes an 8 inch by 1 ¼ inch thick cheese cake. If you wish to make a cheesecake that is
2 inches thick then just double the quantity of filling. The base is about ¼ of an inch thick.
INGREDIENTS
Base
− 3/4 cup almonds.
− ½ cup pecans.
− 3/4 cup of Californian dates.
Kefir and Kefir Cream

− ¼ cup kefir grains.
− 3 cups of raw milk, from organic pasture fed cows.
− ½ cup kefir.
− 1 ½ cup double weight cream, raw if possible.
Filling
− 3/4 cups of raw milk, from organic pasture fed cows.
− 1 tablespoon of gelatin.
− 2 cups kefir cream (see above).
− 1/4 cup raw honey.
− 2 egg yolks.
− 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence.
− 2 teaspoons lime/lemon juice.
− 2 egg whites.
− Pinch of Celtic sea salt
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 2 days ahead.

Nuts: To prepare the almonds, soak them in water for 12 hours, rinse then leave to sprout for 12
more hours in a jar turned on its side. Rinse once more, then dry the almonds in a oven at low
heat (65°C/150°F), turning the almonds occasionally until they are dry and crisp. Better still
dehydrate the almonds in a dehydrator.
Kefir: Mix ¼ cup of real kefir grains with 3 cups of raw full cream jersey cows milk. Culture at
room temperature for 12-24 hours then refrigerate. Remove the kefir grains from the kefir with
a fork before use.

Kefir Cream: Mix ½ cup of kefir with 1 ½ cups of double weight cream (raw is preferable) and
leave to culture for 12-24 hours. Refrigerate the kefir cream until ready for use.
PUTTING THE RAW CHEESE CAKE TOGETHER

1. Grind the nuts as finely as possible in a grain mill, blender or food processor. Chop the dates
then process in a food processor with the nut flour. Press the nut and date mixture into a buttered
dish with your fingers or the bottom of a glass to form a thin crust.
2. Put the milk into a small saucepan, sprinkle with the gelatin and warm slightly stirring with a
flat wooden spoon until the gelatin is dissolved. It may help to beat slightly with a wire whisk.
Sit the saucepan in a bowl of cool water to cool the milk gelatin mixture to body temperature.
(This is the milk-gelatin mixture.)
3. In a food processor, combine the kefir cream, raw honey, egg yolks, vanilla and lime/lemon
juice, and process at low to medium speed for 20-30 seconds, or until smooth, being sure that
all the honey has been mixed in and has not stuck to the bottom. To prevent the honey from
sticking to the bottom of the processor make sure you spread the kefir over the bottom first.
Note that if you over process at this stage you risk the cream turning to butter. (This is the egg
custard.)
4. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form peaks, and put aside. At this point
you will need to work quickly.
5. Add the cooled milk-gelatin mixture to the egg custard in the food processor and mix at slow
to medium speed for 20- 30 seconds or until smooth.
6. Transfer the mixture to a bowl then gently fold in the egg whites with a spatula. Pour the
mixture onto the crust and refrigerate for several hours before serving.
NOTEs
1. If you cannot obtain raw cream then buy a good quality double weight cream.
2. The elderly and those with compromised immune systems should avoid consuming raw
eggs.
3. It is best not to over consume raw egg white as they contain a trypsin inhibitor which
interferes with protein absorption and avidin which may interfere with the absorption of
biotin. (An anecdotal report related to me by Kyle Grimshaw-Jones described how an
English man induced biotin deficiency from ingesting 13 dozen raw eggs per week.)
4. The kefir may provide some protection against the risk of pathogens in the eggs.
5. This recipes uses a naturally processed, standard strength vanilla essence.

Goat milk dessert

Egg free
This recipe uses raw goat milk with the addition of cow cream to make it richer, gelatin to give
it the consistency of yoghurt and to improve the digestibility, honey to give it a delicious natural
sweetness and vanilla to round it off. If you like you can also add some lime, lemon juice or fruit
puree. If you want a richer cheesecake type consistency then double the quantity of gelatin and
cow cream. This goat’s milk dessert is nice eaten by itself or can be used as a topping.
INGREDIENTS
Requires a 1.5 litre glass or enamel dish.
− Pinch Celtic sea salt.
− 1 litre raw goat’s milk.
− 200 ml double weight cow cream.
− 1 tablespoon gelatin crystals.
− ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence.
− 2 teaspoon lime/lemon juice, optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Add pinch of salt and 3/4 cup of the goat’s milk to a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over
the top of the milk, stir and heat gently until the gelatin has dissolved.
In a separate bowl whisk the rest of the goat’s milk with the cow cream, honey, vanilla essence
and optional lime/lemon juice, then pour over the milk in the saucepan. Stir briskly with a hand
whisk. Pour into a glass or enamel dish and refrigerate. Serve when set.

Soft cheese: camembert style

As at 2005 in Austria 10% of milk is consumed raw while in France about 8% of cheese is made
with raw milk. Camembert, created in 1789 by Marie Harelis, made from cow’s milk cheese
(40 to 45% fat), traditionally 11 cms in diameter by 3-4 cms thick, is a soft-ripened white mold
cheese with an edible crust. The texture of this home made raw cheese may vary between that
of a firm cream cheese or an extremely hard feta. To get that distinctive rich creamy camembert
texture you may need to mix in additional raw cream with the milk.
If the milk you start with has a fat content of 5% and you start with 2 litres of milk, then by
the time you have reduced it to a 400gm block of camembert cheese, the fat content will have
increased to about 25%. If you add an additional 250ml of 60% fat cream and reduce the cheese
to say 500gm then the fat content will be around 45%.
Without saying, the raw milk and cream needs to be sourced from healthy, organic pasture
fed Jersey type cows. Raw milk from cows kept in confinement and fed on grains could lead
to serious illness. If you do not have access to good quality raw milk then you may try kefiring
the best quality pasteurised milk that you can obtain. If you have made kefir successfully with
pasteurised milk before then in theory the kefir cheese should be okay. The following recipes
are not perfect but they should at least get you started and remember, as always, that the onus is
you to educate yourself regarding any hazards that may be associated with cultured foods.
RECIPE FOR KEFIR CHEESE

Two litres of milk will make about 2 blocks of cheese about 8-10 cm in diameter and 2.5cm
thick.
− 2 litres raw milk.
− 1 cup of kefir grains.
− 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt.
− Unbleached linen, 600mm square.
− Colander or hook to hang the linen bag.
− Cheese moulds 10cm wide x 8 cm deep.
− Plastic rack.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR KEFIR CHEESE

Kefir the milk then remove the kefir grains.
Line a bowl with a piece of unbleached linen. Tip the kefir into the linen and tie up the corners
with a piece of string. Hang the bag of kefir over a bowl from a stick supported by the backs of
two chairs, or hang it from a rafter or a suitable hook. Alternatively line a colander with linen
and support the colander over a bowl. Leave for 24 hours for the whey to drain through. The
result will be cream cheese in the linen and kefir whey in the bowl. Store some of the kefir whey
in a refrigerator ready for use in other recipes.

Untie the linen and mix in Celtic sea salt with the cream cheese then spoon the cream cheese
into the cheese moulds. Place the cheese moulds on plastic mesh so that more of the whey can
drain away. You may wish to put a cloth under the plastic mesh in order to soak up some of the
whey.
After a few days, the cheese should be dry enough for it to be removed from the moulds and
placed directly upon a plastic rack. Turn the cheese daily.
After culturing the cheese at 20°C/68°F for about 1 week, wrap it in grease proof paper and
transfer it to a 15°C/59°F refrigerator where it may be left to mature for 2- 3 weeks. If you do
not have a 15°C/59°F refrigerator then just put it in a kitchen refrigerator. Check the cheese
every few days to view and smell its progress, and to replace the paper as it soaks up moisture,
otherwise the cheese will stick to the paper. Once the cheese is dry enough wrap it in air proof
paper (cheese or butter paper if you can find it) to stop further drying. When the cheese is
mature then refrigerate at 3°C/38°F. The cheese is ready to eat when it pleases your taste buds.
There is generally a period of about 1 – 2 weeks when the cheese is at its optimum.
RECIPE FOR A CAMEMBERT TYPE CHEESE

Two litres of milk will make 2 blocks of cheese about 8-10 cm in diameter and 2.5cm thick.
− 2 litres raw milk.
− 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt.
− Unbleached linen, 600mm square.
− Colander or hook to hang the linen bag.
− Cheese moulds 10cm wide x 8 cm deep.
− White mould culture. (See the resource section for sources.)
− Plastic rack.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR A CAMEMBERT TYPE CHEESE

Pour the raw milk into a glass bowl and cover with a cloth held in place with an elastic band.
After 24 hours gently stir in the cream that has risen to the top. 24 hours later the raw milk
should have set into curds and whey. This process of naturally souring the milk is known as
clabbering.
Line a bowl with a piece of unbleached linen. Gently mix the curds and whey together with
a fork then pour it into the linen lined bowl. Tie up the corners with a piece of string. Hang the
bag of curd over a bowl from a stick supported by the backs of two chairs, or hang it from a
rafter or a suitable hook. Alternatively line a colander with linen and support the colander over
a bowl. Leave for 24 hours for the whey to drain through. The result will be cream cheese in the
linen and whey in the bowl. You may wish to store some of the whey in a refrigerator ready for
use in other recipes, though kefir whey is probably preferable to clabbered whey.
Untie the linen and mix in Celtic sea salt with the cream cheese then spoon the cream cheese
into the cheese moulds. Place the cheese mould on plastic mesh so that more of the whey can
drain away. You may wish to put a cloth under the plastic mesh in order to soak up some of the
whey.
Sprinkle a few white mould spores to the top of each of the cheese moulds. After a few days
the mould should have grown a little over the top surface of the cheese and the cheese should be

dry enough for it to be removed from the moulds and placed directly upon a plastic rack.
The air inside your cheese incubator needs a fairly high humidity to encourage mycelial
growth of the camembert culture but also needs to be dry enough for the cheese to dry a little.
Turn the cheese daily to encourage the mould to grow on each side of the cheese and to prevent
the cheese from sticking to the rack. Under optimum conditions the mould will cover the cheese
and look like mouse fur.
I should mention here that some recipes call for clabbering the milk, draining it, then rubbing
salt into the rind and then after a few days spraying the blocks of cheese with water that contains
some of the camembert culture. The choices that you make will be determined by your resources
and by the amount of time that you can devote to your cheese making pursuit.
After culturing the cheese at 20°C/68°F for about 1 week, wrap it in grease proof paper and
transfer it to a 15°C/59°F refrigerator where it should be left to mature for 2- 3 weeks. If you
do not have a 15°C/59°F refrigerator then just put it in a kitchen refrigerator. Check the cheese
every few days to view and smell its progress, and to replace the paper as it soaks up moisture,
otherwise the cheese will stick to the paper. Once the cheese is dry enough wrap it in air proof
paper (cheese or butter paper if you can find it) to stop further drying. When the cheese is mature
then refrigerate at 3°C/38°F °F. The cheese is ready to eat when it pleases your taste buds. There
is generally a period of about 1 – 2 weeks when the cheese is at its optimum.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON CHEESE MAKING

1. Clabber the milk and drain away the whey at 20°C/68°F. Culture the blocks of cheese at
20°C/68°F for one week. If possible then transfer the cheese to a 15°C/59°F refrigerator for
a few weeks, otherwise store the cheese in a 3°C/38°F refrigerator
2. Needless to say that at all times the cheese should be securely covered with a cloth to prevent
the entry of insects, especially vinegar flies that will lay their eggs, the only evidence being
of their entry some two weeks later when you observe brown specks on the surface of the
cheese.
3. The longer that you clabber the milk before removing the whey the more the cheese gets a
lactic acid flavour.
4. The flavour of the cheese is affected by many variables such as temperature, time, lactic
acid, the innoculant, and whether the cheese is wrapped in paper or not.
5. Some French cheese makers spray the cheese with unpasteurised beer or wine to add
additional flavour and micro-organisms.
6. Some recipes for camembert call for the cheese to be clabbered raw or with a starter culture.
It may then be drained through a linen bag, spooned into moulds until dry enough to be
removed. It is then dusted with salt and then after 3-4 days when nearly dry it is finally
sprayed with a culture of Penicillium candidum. It is then left 3-4 weeks at 11-15°C/52-
59°F for the mycelium to develop before being refrigerated at 7°C/45°F.
7. Some cheese makers rub Celtic sea salt into the developing rind once or twice as soon as
it is removed from the cheese mould. You can also dust salt on the top surface while it is
in the mould and I have a feeling that some artisan’s may dust salt onto the outside of the
mould. The salt should inhibit the growth of microorganisms and hence slow further acid
development. The salt also draws the water out of the cheese.
8. To slow the growth of the micro-organisms the cheese is sometimes wrapped in tin foil
cheese paper to create an anaerobic environment, and later unwrapped.
9. For the camembert rind you will need to inoculate the cheese with Penicillium candidum

spores (white mould) available in small quantities in Australia from CheeseLinks. phone 03
5283 1396. They also supply cheese making baskets and hoops. Penicillium roqueforti is a
blue mould that may be used to make a roquefort type cheese.
10. Under ideal temperature and humidity, furry white mould (Penicillium candidum mycelium)
will cover the cheese and turn gray as the mould forms spores.
11. Generally you should use fresh mould spores but you may also wish to experiment with
using a piece of rind from a camembert cheese as an innoculant.
12. If you want to improve your cheese making then you may wish to invest in a 20 litre electric
Primus brand esky available from some camping shops and Dick Smith/Tandy type stores.
Electric eskies can be temperature controlled from about -5°C to 25°C/23°F to 77°F.
13. For commercial quantities of cheese making supplies in Australia contact Chris Hansen
Laboratories. http://www.mychr-hansen.com
14. To see colour pictures of microorganisms and to get scientific information on cheese visit
Food Engineering, Lund University in Sweden. http://distans.livstek.lth.se:2080/
15. Generally soft cheeses are eaten within a few weeks but the FDA recommend that soft
cheeses be matured for 60 days to help lessen the risk of pathogens.
16. Rennet has traditionally been used to coagulate milk for cheese production. The main source
of rennet was from the stomach lining of young ruminants such as calf, goat, lamb and
camel. There are some plant sources for vegetable rennet but not enough for industrialised
production. Microbial rennet’s are produced by a mould but may impart a bitter taste to the
cheese. Most non animal rennet’s are produced by Genetic Engineering. Milk can also be
coagulated by some acids for example citric acid.
CAUTIONS
Raw cheese should only be made from top quality raw milk from organic pasture fed jersey
type cows. Please refer to The Untold Story of Milk. By Ron Schmid, ND with foreword by
Sally Fallon for more information on raw and pasteurised milk. Remember the onus is on you
to educate yourself on how to work with raw dairy products. If you have any doubts about
consuming raw dairy products then the very clear advice is, ‘don’t’.
Avoid contamination of the cheese at all stages from anything which could harbour patho-
gens, such as dirty hands, coughing on the cheese, raw chicken, meat and fish, faeces and also
pasteurised dairy products. Always apply the look, smell and taste test. If you have any doubts
about the cheese throw it out and start again.

Nut and seed cheese

Some nuts and seeds may be cultured to make a non-dairy cheese. It is important that the nuts
and seeds be fresh and free from signs of mould.
INGREDIENTS
Makes ~ 2 cups.
− 1 cup almonds.
− 1 tablespoon kefir whey, or
− ½ cup rejuvelac.
− Water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Grind the almonds to a flour in a food processor or grain mill, then mix with either the kefir
whey or rejuvelac and enough water to make a thick paste. Spoon the mixture into a glass jar,
cap loosely and leave in a warm place (28°C/82°F) for about 6-8 hours or until the mixture has
doubled in size. When the nut cheese is ready it should smell cheesy. Store in a refrigerator.
NOTES
1. The rejuvelac or kefir whey need to be fresh to ensure that the microorganisms are highly
active. If not, then the fermentation time will need to be extended.
2. An option is to soak the nuts and seeds overnight before fermenting them. This should
ensure that the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors are more thoroughly removed but it does
not produce such a flavoursome nut cheese.
3. The oils in nuts and seeds may go rancid if stored incorrectly. They are best stored in a
refrigerator or freezer, though the nuts and seeds may already have been rancid at the point
of sale.
4. Care should be exercised in culturing anything with a high oil content (e.g. peanuts, coconut,
nuts, seeds and olives) because of the risk of aflatoxins, a carcinogenic compound produced
by the mould Aspergillus Flavus. If you have any doubts about mould or bacterial growths
then discard the culture.


CULTURED VEGETABLES 61
Cultured
vegetables
Image © Sandra Cunningham Dreamstime.com
Where possible buy organic vegetables that have been sourced from local
suppliers.

Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut, German for sour cabbage, has become a generic name for fermented vegetables.
Around the time of Captain James Cook, sauerkraut was a key preventative for scurvy by
European seafarers. According to William Dufty, author of the Sugar Blues, sauerkraut was
able to counteract the antinutrient properties of dietary refined sugar. Dufty’s contention was
that scurvy was not so much caused by the absence of fresh foods rich in vitamin C, but by the
consumption of a diet high in refined sugar which depleted the body of vitamins and minerals
and thereby contributed to the condition.
In the book, The Hidden Drug: Dietary Phosphate by Hertha Hafer, the author makes a very
telling point when she writes that, “A spoonful of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before
bed may ameliorate the symptoms of ADHD”. She further notes that before the 1900’s, those
people living on a traditional diet did not suffer from ADHD. Fermented vegetables produce
lactic acid and if the acetobacter microorganisms are present then it seems likely that some
acetic acid will also be produced.
It is also worth noting that a number of Traditional Chinese Medicine remedies utilise fermented
vegetables and fruits, such as Umeboshi plums. Whereas raw cabbage, that is the ubiquitous
coleslaw served at salad bars and fast food outlets, may lead to a depressed thyroid functioning
if eaten in sufficient quantities, fermented cabbage and other vegetables provide many health
benefits and should not be under estimated for their healing powers. Korean sauerkraut known
as kimchi is such a ubiquitous part of Korean culture that employees get a kimchi allowance
with their pay.
As you are going to ferment raw vegetables then you need to take care that they are fresh, free
from signs of mould or disease and that they have not been contaminated with animal waste. It
goes without saying that you should wash your hands thoroughly and if you have wounds on
your hands then wear latex gloves. Keep animals away from the food preparation area and any
person who has a respiratory cold. Wash the vegetables well in clean filtered water and ensure
that cutting boards and kitchen bench tops are well cleaned.

NOTES ON CHOOSING A FERMENTATION VESSEL

In the first 24 hours of fermentation juice leaves the cells and carbon dioxide produced in the
fermentation process pushes the sauerkraut and the juice to the top of the vessel. If the weather
is cool, say 20-24°C/68-75°F then you can ferment the sauerkraut in 2 litre glass jars (with lids)
as long as you leave a three inch head space. Pack the vegetables in tightly using a wooden
tamper or wooden spoon. No matter what vessel you ferment the sauerkraut in you should
always pack the vegetables tightly enough so as to eliminate all air spaces - this usually also
brings the juice to the top - and then cover the top layer with some grated cabbage so that you
get a nice even surface.
Every 8 hours you will need to push the sauerkraut back down into the vessel with a wooden
spoon, sometimes even more frequently. It can also help to push the wooden spoon to the bottom
of the vessel in order to remove air pockets which may have formed. This will then allow the
juice to sink back down. Another reason for pushing the sauerkraut back down into the jar is to
keep the top of the sauerkraut wet, and thereby prevent mould from growing on the surface. In
the event that mould does develop then you have the choice of scrapping it off or discarding the
entire batch of sauerkraut as some moulds can release dangerous mycotoxins.
In warmer weather, that is anything above 24°C/75°F the sauerkraut may ferment faster
than you can push the sauerkraut back down in the jar and the juice will tend to overflow
the container, especially if you are using a 2 litre glass jar. If this happens then later in the
fermentation process when the juice is reabsorbed back into the cells the sauerkraut may dry
out, which then may provide an environment for mould.
One way to prevent the juice from overflowing the jar is to tightly screw on a lid that has a
good seal. But this creates a potential hazard whereby a positive gas pressure may cause the jar
to explode. I find the easiest thing to do is once the juice begins to reach the top of the jar, to
pour it off into a smaller container, then once the saurkraut has finished its fermentation to pour
the juice back in with the saurkraut.
An option for larger quantities of saurkraut is to use a good quality stainless steel container.
However this invariably increases the area of the surface layer of sauerkraut, which as mentioned
before is the place where pathogens can take hold if it is not kept wet with the sauerkraut juice.
In choosing a container - glass jar, stainless steel pot or food grade plastic bucket – the container
should be tall and narrow rather than squat and wide. This will keep the surface layer as small as
possible. Once the sauerkraut shows obvious signs of fermentation then it can be transferred to
glass jars. Push it tightly into the jar so that there are no air spaces. Smooth out the surface. Wipe
the inside of the jar with a paper towel. Cap with a lid and when ready store in a refrigerator.
Note: Some people cover the sauerkraut with large cabbage leaves and weight them down
with a ‘brick’ but in my experience less than desirable organisms grow around the cabbage
leaves and invariably end up falling into the sauerkraut when you remove the leaves.

NOTES ON TEMPERATURE
The ideal temperature for culturing vegetables, as far as I can ascertain, is between 20-24°C/68-
75°F. Some sources say 10-15°C/50-60°F but then these sources are from colder climes, while
myself, I live in a subtropical climate on the Gold Coast of Australia. Fermentation at temperatures
above 24°C/75°F will cause the ferment to progress too quickly, which can favour organisms
that produce a less desirable flavour. In addition the vegetables will not have the characteristic
crunchy texture of kimchi, instead they will be much softer - which for some people may be
more attractive. If the ambient temperature is above 28°C/82°F then you will need to take great
care in the fermentation process and may need to shorten it to 24-36 hours before transferring
the sauerkraut to the refrigerator. At temperatures above 30°C/86°F the sauerkraut may go bad.
(I have had rejuvelac, that is fermented wheat berries, go bad during mid summer.)
No matter what temperature you ferment the sauerkraut you should keep your eye on the
fermentation process. If you have pH paper then test the pH. Once it has dropped below pH4.6
then you can safely transfer the sauerkraut to a refrigerator. Without pH paper - I have never
used pH paper to test sauerkraut - use your senses. As the vegetables ferment gas bubbles will
be produced, the texture of the vegetables will visibly soften, the colour will change and there
will be a pleasant acidic aroma.
Once the sauerkraut has been fermented at 20-24°C/68-75°F for a few days, or less at a higher
temperature, then it should be transferred to a refrigerator where the process can continue at a
much slower rate giving time for delicious flavours to develop.
Ferment and store the sauerkraut away from bright lights.
Synonyms
The jalapeño is a hot chili pepper. Ripe, 2–3½ inches (5–9 cm) long and is commonly sold
when still green.
Capsicums are also known as sweet peppers, chili pepper or bell pepper. Capsicums can grow
to twice the size of an orange and are sweet. They may be green, yellow or red.

Abby’s sauerkraut
This is the saurkraut recipe that I make most of the time at home. The only missing
ingredient that I would like to add if I could get easier access, is Dakon radish.
The beetroot in this recipe gives it a beautiful red colour that most people mistake for red
cabbage, and the beetroot also gives it a sweeter taste to balance out the acidity. The feedback
I get is always something like: “Gee, I never thought saurkraut could taste so good. I always
thought it was salty, horrible and green.” Enjoy the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough to fill two 2 litre glass jars. Prepare it in a 10 litre plastic food grade bucket.
The measurements given are for when the vegetables have been topped, bottomed and peeled.
Don’t be too concerned about the exact quantities of vegetables as there is plenty of latitude
for experimentation and seasonal variability will always determine what is available anyway.
− 1 tablespoon Celtic sea salt.

− 1 chilli pepper, red fresh ~ 10cm long.
− 3 medium onions (400gm).
− 1 tablespoon garlic cloves (15 gm).
− 3 tablespoon ginger root (50gm).
− 3 medium carrots (400gm).
− 2 medium capsicum green (400gm).
− 1 bunch broccoli (300gm).
− 2 medium beetroot (500gm).
− 1 drumhead cabbage (1.5 kg).
− 1 tablespoon Grainfields B.E. Liquid, optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Before you start read the previous two pages entitled, Notes on Choosing a Fermentation
Vessel.
1. Measure the salt into the bucket then add the vegetables as follows. Mix the ingredients
as you go with a wooden spoon or a pair of tongs.
2. Cut the stalk off the chilli, slice it down the centre then chop finely – use the seeds as
well.
3. Check the onions for signs of mould as they are prone to harbouring a black mould
under the skin. Use only the cleanest looking onions. Peel then chop roughly.
4. Peel the garlic and chop finely.
5. Peel and grate the ginger root.

6. Top and bottom the carrots. If they have a lot of blemishes then peel them before slicing.
7. Slice the capsicum long ways. Cut out the stalk piece. Check for mould as they
sometimes grow mould on the inside. Chop into 2cm squares. You can add the seeds if you
like.
8. Chop the broccoli florets into 2cm pieces.
9. Top and bottom the beetroot. Peel well to remove the rough skin, then grate with a food
processor
10. Check the cabbage for insect damage. Use only fresh insect free cabbage. Cut off the
stalk. You can use the tough outer leaves as long as they are in good condition. Chop them
into 5cm pieces. Chop the rest of the cabbage into chunks then grate with a food processor.
Keep about two cups of grated cabbage aside, which you will use to cover the top layer of
saurkraut.
11. Add one tablespoon of Grainfields B.E. liquid to the vegetables in the bucket and mix
well. Hint: Invert the bottle gently so that the sediment is mixed back into the liquid.
12. Mix the ingredients thoroughly in the bucket. Transfer to two 2 litre glass jars. Pack
the vegetables in tightly using a wooden spoon being sure to eliminate all air spaces. There
should be enough juice to fill the air spaces and cover the vegetables. Cover the vegetables
with a layer of grated cabbage and smooth it over. Wipe the inside of the glass and the rim
with a paper towel. Loosely screw on the lid so that gas can escape. Store the jars on a tray,
just in case the liquid should rise to the top and overflow. As the sauerkraut will probably
rise to the top, periodically you will need to push it back down in the jar. Use a paper towel
to keep the rim of the jar clean.
NOTE
The Grainfields B.E. liquid innoculant culture and kefir whey are optional. Sometimes I use
Grainfields B.E liquid because it adds additional probiotic organisms. Occasionally I add a 1/4
teaspoon of EM innoculant culture, though the flavour is not quite so nice.
Using Grainfields or kefir whey will produce more yeast activity than you would net with a
natural ferment. If you have any problems with yeasty products then you are probably better
off not using the Grainfields or kefir whey.

Dakon radish sauerkraut
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough to fill two 2 litre glass jars.
− 2 small red chillies (2 inches long).
− 1 bunch spring onions, or
− 4 medium onions.
− 2 cups carrots.
− 1 cup dakon radish.
− 1 cup red capsicum.
− 1 cup broccoli florets.
− 3 tablespoons fresh ginger root.
− 6 cloves garlic.
− Herbs, optional.
− 1 medium cabbage.
− 1 tablespoon kefir whey, optional, or
− 1 tablespoon Grainfields B.E. liquid, optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the instructions as for Abby’s sauerkraut recipe.

Beetroot sauerkraut
The following beetroot sauerkraut recipe is free of cabbage.
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough to fill one 2 litre glass jar.
− 1 ½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt.
− 1 small red chilli (2 inches long).
− ½ bunch spring onions, or
− 4 medium onions.
− 2 cups carrots.
− 2 cups dakon radish.
− 1 cup red capsicum.
− 1 cup broccoli florets.
− 1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger root.
− 3 cloves garlic.
− Herbs, optional.
− 1 kg of beetroot.
− 2 tablespoons kefir whey.
− 1 - 2 teaspoons EM culture, optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the instructions as for Abby’s sauerkraut recipe. The beetroot can be grated with a
hand grater or processed with the grating attachment of a food processor.
Be sure to cover the sauerkraut with a layer of grated beetroot. If you leave chunky pieces of
vegetables sticking out from the sauerkraut then it is possible that they could go mouldy.
Image (c) Denise Hunter
The versatile beetroot can be cooked,

used raw in salads, cultured in saurkraut
or fermented to make Beet Kvass.

Papaya sauerkraut
This recipe is made with mature green papaya (aka pawpaw aka Carica Papaya). Reports
state that it should provide a rich source of papain enzymes which aid in digestion. Papain
enzymes are also sold in a dehydrated form as a meat tenderiser.
Papaya sauerkraut has a bitter taste that combines well with red meat. If you wish to sweeten
it then try adding some beetroot or carrot. Mature green papaya are ready to use when the
fruit shows a slight tinge of yellow. If the seeds are white then you can also add them to the
sauerkraut though you would probably find the black mature seeds are too peppery for this type
of recipe. Some people actually dehydrate and grind the mature black seeds into pepper.
INGREDIENTS
Makes enough to fill a 2 litre glass jar.
− 1 small red chilli.
− 3 medium brown onions.
− 1 large red capsicum.
− Handful of fresh herbs, optional.
− 1 kg mature green papaya.
− 2 tablespoons of kefir whey.
− ¼ cup lime juice, optional.
− 1 - 2 teaspoons EM culture, optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the instructions as for Abby’s sauerkraut recipe. The mature green papaya can be
grated with a hand grater or processed with a food processor and the grating attachment.
Be sure to cover the sauerkraut with a layer of grated papaya. If you leave chunky pieces of
vegetables sticking out from the sauerkraut then it is possible that they could go mouldy.
NOTES ON PAPAYA
Papaya originated from tropical American countries and is now grown worldwide. Even
though it is a tropical plant it may be grown with success as an indoor plant in colder climates.
The leaves, fruit, skin, seeds, flowers, latex and roots may be used in a variety of concoctions.
The leaves may be dried, stored in a cool dry place and used as a herbal tea. The fruit may be
sliced, dried in a dehydrator and stored as for any other dried fruit.
The flesh of the mature green papaya is very high in papain, an enzyme that is used in a dried
form to tenderise meat. Papain and other plant enzymes are able to tolerate a wide range of pH
so that they are able to work both in an acid stomach and an alkaline small intestine. The flesh
of the mature green papaya may be used to assist in the digestion thereby taking pressure off the
pancreas. Some reports state that the enzymes in papaya are able to digest undigested debris in
the intestinal tract and the rest of the body tissues. But note that the enzymes in papaya are used

to ripen the fruit so that by the time a papaya is fully ripe very few if any enzymes are left.
Cautions as reported in The Medicine Tree by Harald Tietze.

In rare cases people have been allergic to the pollen of papaya. The latex from the plant or
green fruit may burn the lips. Pregnant women should avoid recipes containing unripe fruit,
skins, leaves, seeds or latex since this may lead to an abortion. Women from traditional societies
used papaya as a contraceptive. Over dosing on papaya, especially the leaves or the ripe seeds
may have harmful effects. Apart from the ripe fruit it is recommended that one only use papaya
under the guidance of a health care professional.
Reference: Harald W. Tietze, Papaya (Pawpaw) The Medicine Tree 2nd edition, 1997.
Image (c) Darlene Sanguenza
If you live in a place where papaya grows easily then you owe
it to yourself to find out more about this amazing plant.

SOME RESEARCH ON LACTO FERMENTED VEGETABLES.
Can kimchi cure bird flu? Researchers at Seoul National University say that kimchi, a Korean
version of sauerkraut, may provide protection against avian flu. In an experiment, 11 out of 13
chickens recovered from the disease after being fed kimchi.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4347443.stm and http://www.newstarget.

com/005897.html. See also the Seoul National University website.
Can the Micro-organisms in Sauerkraut Protect Against Small Pox? Just as scientists are
belatedly recognizing that cholesterol can be good, so have they recognized that bacteria can
be friendly. According to an article in Newsweek (3/26/01), “It’s hard to imagine microbes
as our allies. But mounting evidence suggests that these friendly flora aid digestion, ward off
pathogens and help us process folic acid and other critical nutrients.” The friendly bacteria are
the hundreds of strains of lactobacilli, which formerly were in our diets when we ate natural
lacto-fermented foods such as sauerkraut and yoghurt. Actually, the medical profession used to
understand this principle. At the Civil War Cemetery and Pest House in Lynchburg, VA, visitors
learn that Dr. John Hay Terrill was able to reduce the death rate from small pox from 90 percent
to 5 percent by giving his patients sauerkraut. As humans develop more and more resistance to
antibiotics, health practitioners will return to nature’s natural antibiotics—the friendly flora in
lacto-fermented foods.
Reprinted with kind permission from the Weston A. Price Foundation website. http://www.
westonaprice.org/causticcommentary/cc2001su.html
CAUTIONS
There have been a number of reports of parasite eggs found in Chinese Kim Chi imported
into Korea and the USA. Some Chinese products have also been found to be contaminated with
heavy metals. As the Chinese may use sewage as fertilizer it would be advisable to ensure that
you use fresh, clean organic vegetables from a reliable source. (The Korea Times: Parasite Eggs
Found Again in Kimchi From China.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200510/kt2005102717134410220.htm)


LACTO FERMENTED BEVERAGES 73
Lacto-fermented
beverages
Drink ID: 889286 (c) Ajay Singh | Agency StockXchng. Label Vince Gallo
Surprise your friends with a probiotic rich, low alcoholic beer.

Preface to brewing lacto-

fermented beverages
Most traditional cultures fermented lacto fermented beverages from plant material that grew
in their locality, and there were probably few people prior to the advent of the juicing machine
who drank fruit or vegetable juice unfermented. We are all familiar with fermented grains in the
form of beer, and fermented grapes in the form of wine but other less well known fruits such as
the Noni from the Pacific Ocean area, was allowed to fully ripen on the tree (and still is to this
day), and as soon as the fruit was ready to drop it was sealed in a container and left to ferment
for 4-5 weeks before being consumed. The process of lacto fermentation increases the level of
antioxidants and produces lactobacilli and yeasts.
Basically you can ferment most, if not all fruits, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, edible
seaweeds and green grass powders, minerals, grains, spices, and so on, if they are prepared
correctly. As a guide you may wish to refer to a table of antioxidants on the Internet to choose
fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants. But note that different types of laboratory
tests for antioxidant activity produce differing results depending upon what they are attempting
to measure.
Some brewers suggest using green or black tea (organic) as a matter of course in beer type
recipes as it provides tannins which give the brew body. Licorice root and elderflower are useful
additions because they add a flavoursome sweet taste. As a guide start with about 3 tablespoons
in a 2 litre brew but as always it would be prudent to check with a health care professional
before consuming any herbs.
Use any fruit juice that you like. Juices that are high in antioxidants such as cranberry,
blueberry, blackberry, cherry, dark grape and prune juice are a good way to start. Cranberry,
blueberry, blackberry and cherry juices are usually about 18% juice and can be used straight
from the carton. Dark grape juice is usually 100% juice so it is preferable to dilute it with equal
parts filtered water. Prune juice should also be diluted with equal parts or more of water.
Freshly squeezed juice, either by hand or with a slow speed juicer is always preferable to
pasteurised juices sold in cartons or bottles, but is not always so easily available. Beetroot can
be grated and pineapples and soft fruits can be crushed. But take care if there is any fruit pulp
floating on the surface as it may provide an environment for dangerous moulds. It is suggested
that you practise fermenting clear juices first.
Temperature
The optimum temperature for brewing yeast for beer is 25°C/77°F. EM benefits from a slightly
higher range 29-32°C/84-90°F. Generally I find that 25-28°C/77-82°F works fine for most lacto
fermented beverages. It is recommended that you set up an incubator which can be temperature

regulated. I use a large Colemans esky that I bought from a camping store. In it there is a heat-
mat that I bought from a pet shop (see resource section), sandwiched between two floor tiles
connected to a thermostat that I bought from the same pet shop. Having an incubator also keeps
the fermentation vessels free from dust, insects, animals, light and small children.
Acidity pH
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider a naturally fermented product as
one in which enough time has been given for the pH to reach 4.6 or below without the addition
of any added acid. If the pH stabilises below 4.4 then it is considered to be in the category of
very safe foods. Generally lacto fermented beverages have a pH around pH 3.7. Source: FDA
website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/cp03803a.html
The typical pH range for home brewed beer is pH3.9 -pH4.6. EM cultures are typically lower
than pH3.9. As a reference point the pH of Coca Cola® is pH4.0. pH is measured with pH paper
available from scientific supply houses. (See resource section.)
Water quality
The water used in your lacto-ferments needs to be free from chlorine, chemicals and odours
which could interfere with the fermentation process and alter the flavour. This means that you
will probably need to filter the water in some way. The choice is yours whether you want to
boil it or not. As yet I have not found it necessary to do so.
Cleanliness
As mentioned previously in this manual cleanliness is very important. Work in a dust free area.
Keep animals out of the kitchen. Don’t prepare a lacto-ferment if you have a bad cold. Your
clothing should be clean with hair tied back if necessary; no need to wear latex gloves unless
your hands have wounds or sores, but wash your hands well with soap and water. Be careful of
cross contamination from taps and bench tops.
Alcohol Content
A typical home brewed beer only uses yeast as its inoculant culture to convert the sugars into
carbon dioxide and alcohol. In a lacto fermented brew the lacto bacilli work synergistically
with the yeasts to produce additional substances. The final result is a beverage generally lower
in alcohol. You can reduce the alcohol content further by shortening the fermentation time and
by reducing the quantity of fermentable sugars - that is use less fruit juice, malt, molasses, etc.
(Note: different brands of malt have a different water content.) To estimate the alcohol content
of a home brew visit http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wawcs0113236/ln-brewing-calculators.
html. A low alcoholic beverage contains less than 1.15% alcohol by volume. An extra light beer
contains less than 0.7% alcohol. 1.5 litres of 0.7% alcohol beer equals one standard alcoholic
drink.
Adding Some Fiz

If you ferment a beverage in an open container, and if all of the fermentable sugars have been
digested then the resultant beverage will be flat, that is devoid of bubbles of carbon dioxide.
(Occasionally, if a secondary fermentation process begins then there may be a new production
of carbon dioxide.) To add some bubbles to your beverages just add one teaspoon of sugar
directly to each bottle just before you fill them with brew. An alternative to sugar is rice syrup
but if you use rice syrup you might find it easier to mix it with some water and then mix it into
the decanted brew. In some cases one teaspoon of sugar or rice syrup may not be enough so you
will need to learn the correct amount by experimentation.

Pesticides and Preservatives

In 2006 I had a number of my brews tested on a Vega machine. Previously I had thought
that at least some of the pesticides would have been denatured by the probiotics but all of
the brews that I had tested, which were made from non organic fruit juices, tested positive to
the presence of some undesirable substance even though some of them had been fermented
for over 6 months. The unfermented juice also gave the same test result. My feeling is that
it may be better to not consume fruit or fruit juice at all unless it is pesticide free. As well as
an avoidance of pesticides you should also be on the alert for preservatives. A friend told me
about someone who was unable to ferment 100% pure organic apple juice, possibly because
the juice contained ‘below the legal labellable limit of synthetic vitamin C’ as a preservative.
So if you have difficulty in fermenting some fruit juices then the problem could be that a
preservative has inhibited your culture.
Warning
Take care with fermenting beverages in sealed containers as there is the risk of explosion or
implosion which could cause serious injury. Plastic is safer than glass but still not necessarily
100% safe.
Disclaimer
Please note that the recipes in this book are just the result of my own experimentation. I have
a science background, not that, that background is extensive in any way except that what I bring
to my recipes will be different to what someone else with a different background will bring to
them. As with all fermented products there are potential health risks and the onus is on you
to educate yourself on what they are. It is best not to use any herbs without the guidance of a
herbalist. I have also devised my own way of fermenting lacto fermented beverages that suit my
brewing room, ingredients, containers, lifestyle and the climatic conditions of the Gold Coast
of South East Queensland, which is close to being subtropical at times. Which is to say that you
will need to devise a method that works for you.

Procedure for brewing a lacto-

fermented beverage
THERE ARE FOUR MAIN STEPS TO BREWING A LACTO FERMENTED
BEVERAGE:
1. Obtain a suitable primary starter culture that contains the required microbial organisms.
2. Activate the starter by fermenting a starter extension.
3. Ferment the sugars with the bulk of the liquid.
4. Add any additives such as plant material, minerals and salt, and top up the liquid to the final
volume.
READ THIS SECTION FIRST TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO BREW

A LACTO FERMENTED BEVERAGE
First you need to obtain or make a primary starter culture. This is your primary source of
microorganisms such as to be found in a wild ginger beer starter, kefir whey, kefir water grains,
Grainfields B.E. Wholegrain liquid or an EM type culture.
Then use the primary starter to make a starter extension. In sourdough bread making parlance
this would be the equivalent of the sponge. So in the same way that you use a small amount
of sourdough starter to successively feed up a large amount of highly active sourdough sponge
which you finally mix with flour to make a dough, with lacto fermented beverages you make a
starter extension.
Once the microorganisms in the starter extension are highly active you add the starter extension
to the required amount of sugars (molasses, barley malt) and water; give it 1-5 days to ferment
and lower the pH into the safe range. It is then safe to move onto the next step which is to add
the remaining ingredients such as salt, rock dust, bentonite clay, herbs, fruit juice, vitamin
B12, and vitamin C, which could otherwise buffer the liquid and prevent the pH from dropping
rapidly to between ph3.9 - pH4.6 . In this way you ensure that the supplementary ingredients
do not inhibit the proliferation of the lacto acid forming microorganisms and the creation of
a suitably acidic environment. Otherwise if the pH stays above pH4.6 there is the risk of the
growth of pathogens. (Note that some experts in the field of EM prefer to get the pH of their
EM brews to below pH3.9.)
If you are bottle fermenting then generally you should leave the bottles undisturbed during
the fermentation period (3-5 days). If you are making an EM brew then once a day for 1 - 5
days, while the microorganisms are colonising the liquid, you should stir the liquid gently
to slightly aerate it and to remix any sediment back into the brew. In this way you ensure
that the sediment does not create a sub environment within the brew which could harbour
non favourable microorganisms, and that any scum does not dry out and form another sub
environment. Aeration also stimulates the yeast growth.

Once fermentation is under way and the pH has entered the required range you should assist
the formation of an anaerobic state by not agitating the liquid and keeping the fermentation
vessel covered. It also helps to limit the airspace by filling the fermentation vessel near to the
top.
If you are using a non-breakable container such as a large PET bottle, home brewers plastic
carboy or steel keg then you may like to screw the lid on tightly to pressurise the liquid and
force the CO2 and H2 back into the liquid. This can help the probiotics to proliferate and assist
in a rapid pH drop. In most cases you should ferment the brew for 3-5 days until the majority
of the sugars have been digested and the liquid goes flat. (If however, you are making EM type
brews or elixirs with a higher concentration of sugars, then the fermentation time may need be
extended to up to 12 weeks.)
At this point the brew should be transferred to bottles and capped. When filling the bottles you
should aim to agitate the brew as little as possible to avoid the introduction of oxygen which
could trigger a new fermentation cycle. To ensure a sparkling brew upon opening the bottles
just add the equivalent of 2-3 teaspoons of rice syrup or barley malt per 750 ml to the brew
before you bottle it. Even without the addition of rice syrup/barley malt at the bottling stage
fermentation may continue for some months (especially with EM), hence the 2-3 teaspoons is
just an estimate so you will need to determine for yourself by experience just how much you
need to add. Take care as exploding bottles may cause serious injury. Note that sometimes the
microorganisms may use up the carbon dioxide resulting in a negative pressure, and presenting
the risk of implosion.
Contingent upon the microflora present and the quality of the ingredients, fermentation times
from 20 - 90 days should increase the antioxidant properties of the brew. Care should be taken
with long fermentation times and the use of simple sugars such as sugar, fructose, dextrose, rice
syrup, honey and light molasses as the pH may drop below pH 3.6 resulting in the demise of
some of the microorganisms and then if the pH rises then the brew could go off.
However as long as the pH remains below pH4.6 then it is unlikely that any pathogens will
be present, however as just mentioned, pH can fluctuate over time and you should always apply
the sniff, look and taste test before you drink any sizable quantity. (pH paper in the range pH
3.0 - 5.5 is available from scientific supply houses.) Brews should be stored below 20°C/68°F,
in dark bottles and away from light
As with all cultured and lacto fermented foods you need to exercise some caution and common
sense. If you have survived on a diet of processed foods and have a history of antibiotic use,
then the flora in your digestive system are probably out of balance. In this case you would be
well advised to introduce lacto fermented foods and beverages a little at a time. AGM Foods
Australia recommend an initial serving size of 50ml per day for their Grainfields B.E. liquid,
that can be increased to a litre per day once the digestive system has adjusted. If you read some
of the ‘official’ websites for EM you will see that they advise against consuming any more
than 30 ml per day for some of their products. If the flora in your digestive system are out of
balance then you could experience mild indigestion, diarrhea and nausea if you take more than
a teaspoon per day of any lacto fermented beverage that contains live cultures. Also you could
experience severe bloating from the sudden death of many less favourable gut organisms. So
it would be prudent to introduce yourself to lacto fermented beverages gradually as well as
seeking the advice of a health care practitioner

STEP 1. OBTAIN A SUITABLE PRIMARY STARTER CULTURE THAT CONTAINS

THE REQUIRED MICROBIAL ORGANISMS
− Grainfields B.E. Wholegrain liquid.

− Kefir whey.
− Kefir water grains.
− Wild ginger beer type cultures.
− EM food grade cultures.
GRAINFIELDS B.E. WHOLEGRAIN LIQUID AS A SOURCE OF MICROBES

AGM Foods Australia make an excellent range of probiotic liquids that are suitable for use as
a starter culture for lacto fermented recipes. You can use any of their range of liquid products,
the cheapest one being Grainfields B.E. Wholegrain Liquid though, I don’t recommend their
powdered cultures to inoculate lacto fermented beverages, because in my experience the cultures
are too difficult to activate. However, Grainfields B.E. Wholegrain Liquid provides a reliable
and sterile source of probiotic organisms and is the starter culture that I use most of the time.
According to the AGM literature, (http://www.agmfoods.com) a Grainfields product may

contain some or all of the following:
LACTOBACILLUS STRAINS
Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Bifidus (Bifidobacterium bifidum).
Lactobacillus casei.
Lactobacillus helveticus.
Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
Lactobacillus leichmannii.
Lactobacillus caucasicus.
Lactobacillus lactis.
Lactobacillus fermenti.
Lactobacillus brevis.
Lactobacillus plantarum.
Lactobacillus delbreukii.
YEAST STRAINS
Saccharomyces boulardii.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
KEFIR WHEY / KEFIR WATER GRAINS AS A SOURCE OF MICROBES

Kefir water grains or kefir whey may be used as a source of microbes. More than 30 micro-
organisms are to be found in wild kefir grains. According to the website Great Health to You
http://www.greathealthtoyou.com/serv01 the dominant micro-organisms in kefir are:
Saccharomyces kefir.
Torula kefir.
Lactobacillus caucasicus.
Leuconnostoc species.
Lactic Streptococci.
Lactose fermenting yeasts.

The micro-organisms come from four main groups:

1. Lactobacilli.
2. Streptococci and lactococci.
3. Yeasts.
4. Acetobacter.
Some of the micro-organisms found in store-bought yoghurt or in probiotic supplements are

also found in kefir. They are mainly from the Lactobacilli group:
In store-bought yoghurt we commonly find:

Lb. acidophilus.
Lb. casei.
Lb. bulgaricus.
Lb. bifidus.
In probiotic supplements we find:

Lb. acidophilus.
Lb. brevis.
Lb. casei.
Lb. delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus.
Lb. fructivorans.
Lb. helveticus subsp. Lactis.
Lb. hilgardii.
Lb. plantarum.
Note: Candida albicans has not been found in kefir grains.
Reference: Encyclopaedia of Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition [1993] [pp. 1804-
1808] Edited by R. Macrae, R.K. Robinson, M.J. Sadler sourced from Dom’s Kefir In-site
http://users.chariot.net.au/%7Edna/kefirpage.html#composition-of-KG
WILD CULTURES AS A SOURCE OF MICROBES
Ginger Beer Starter

To make a ginger beer starter you employ the aid of naturally occurring micro-organisms
(yeasts and lactobacilli). Just leave a mixture of sugar, ground ginger and water in a jar for a
few days at 25-28°C/77-82°F until it starts to ferment.
− 350ml jar.
− 200ml filtered water.
− 8 teaspoons ground ginger.
− 8 teaspoons white sugar.
In a 350ml jar, mix 2 teaspoons of ground ginger and 2 teaspoons of sugar with 200ml of
water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Each day thereafter for 7 days, add 1 teaspoon of
ground ginger and one of sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Within 2-3 days the starter
should be quite bubbly. Once the starter is bubbling you can stop feeding it and use it as your
ginger beer starter culture. If the starter shows no signs of bubbles after a week then discard it
and start again.

Note: One teaspoon of sugar weighs approximately 2.5gm.
EM CULTURES AS A SOURCE OF MICROBES

EM is a generic shorthand term for a consortium of five or more species of micro-organisms
from at least three groups: lactobacilli, yeasts, phototrophic purple non-sulfur bacteria - also
known as PNSB’s, actinomycetes and streptomycetes.
EM technology was developed by Dr Teruo Higa, a Japanese scientist from the Department
of Horticulture at the College of Agriculture at University of Ryukyu in Japan. EM has many
applications including bioremediation, agriculture and health products. (Bioremediation can be
defined as any process that uses microorganisms, fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return
the environment altered by contaminants to its original condition. Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Bioremediation).
EM cultures provide an interesting group of organisms known as phototrophic purple soil-

based bacteria from the Rhodobacter and Rhodopseudomonas group. These organisms are able
to digest a wide range of substrates including toxic waste products, animal and human waste
and convert them into harmless substances and antioxidants. EM type microbial innoculant
cultures may contain anywhere from 5 to 100 different species of organisms. Refer to the
resource section in the back of this manual for sources of EM microbial inoculant.
Note: that an EM inoculant should generally only be used for the EM type recipes until you
have gained some experience with lacto fermentation.
STEP 2. ACTIVATE THE STARTER BY FERMENTING A STARTER EXTENSION

This step assumes that you have procured a primary source of microorganisms. If not, then
please go back to step one.
Once you have your primary source of organisms then you activate them in a solution of
barley malt extract, blackstrap molasses or rice syrup and water for 2 days. You do this so
that when you make your recipe it will begin to ferment immediately and in the process out
proliferate any other organisms that may be present, and also cause a rapid drop in pH which
should prevent the growth of any pathogens. The recipes below are intended as a guide to
making a starter extension from various sources of microorganisms for use in culturing a lacto
fermented beverage.
GRAINFIELDS B.E. WHOLEGRAIN LIQUID STARTER EXTENSION

− 25ml barley malt or blackstrap molasses.
− 400 ml water.
− 100 ml B.E. Grainfields liquid.
Dissolve the barley malt in the water in a clean jar. Add the B.E. Grainfields liquid, stir
and screw on a lid. Place in incubator at 25-28°C/77-82°F. Agitate the starter by swirling the
liquid once every 12 hours. (My current understanding is that both oxygentation and higher
temperatures support the growth of yeasts over lactobacilli. If you are aiming for a lower alcohol
content brew then agitate less and incubate at 25°C/77°F rather than 28°C/82°F.)

If you want to get consistency between your final brews then you should aim for consistent
agitation for each of your starters. Loosen the lid every 8 hours to release the carbon dioxide.
The starter is maximally active during 12-48 hours - the signs being sedimentation, change in
colour, floating yeast, bubbles of carbon dioxide, acidic and alcoholic smells. You should aim
to use the starter within 48 hours of its preparation.
500 ml of starter extension should be sufficient to culture 5-6 litres of a lacto fermented
beverage. As a rule of thumb 10% of the total volume of brewable liquid should be the starter
extension. That is 100 ml of starter extension plus 900 ml of liquid.
KEFIR WHEY STARTER EXTENSION

− 400 ml water.
− 100 ml kefir whey.
Follow the instructions as for the Grainfields starter extension.
WILD GINGER BEER STARTER EXTENSION

− 400 ml water.
− 100 ml wild ginger beer starter.
Follow the instructions as for the Grainfields starter extension.
STEP 3. FERMENT THE SUGARS WITH THE BULK OF THE LIQUID

In this step, in the fermenting vessel, you dissolve the total quantity of sugars called for in the
recipe with about 3/4 of the total volume of water required. Note that you need to leave enough
space for any other liquids that you might add, such as fruit juice and herbal preparations. You
then ferment the brew for about 1 - 5 days so that the microorganisms can establish themselves
and drop the pH into the safe range. You ferment the bulk of the sugars before you add the
supplementary ingredients just in case any of the supplementary ingredients - such as plant
material, salt, rock dust, minerals, bentonite clay, vitamin B12 and vitamin C - inhibit the growth
of lactic acid forming organisms or have a buffering action and prevent a rapid drop in pH.
STEP 4. ADD ANY ADDITIVES SUCH AS PLANT MATERIAL, MINERALS, AND

SALT, AND TOP UP THE LIQUID TO THE FINAL VOLUME
Once the sugars are actively fermenting the pH should have dropped into the safe range. (If
you are unsure then testing the pH with pH paper is recommended.) Now is the time to add the
rest of the ingredients called for in the recipe. This procedure should also preserve more of the
bioactive substances in any raw plant material that you use in your recipe.

A simple lacto-fermented
beverage
This recipe calls for a proprietary brand probiotic innoculant culture, Grainfields B.E.
Wholegrain liquid available from AGM Foods in Brisbane Australia. It is suggested that you
start with Grainfields as it was cultured under sterile conditions. In addition, it is a good idea to
experiment with a range of bottled or packaged fruit juices. Please note that as the juice, sugar
concentrations and additives vary with the brand and type of juice then your results will vary.
INGREDIENTS
− A 1.25 litre clean empty plastic water or juice bottle.
− 100 ml Grainfields B.E. Wholegrain liquid.
− 1 litre organic cranberry, blueberry, blackberry juice or grape juice. (Use a juice
concentration of around 30-50%.)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add the Grainfields to the plastic bottle.
2. Shake the fruit juice gently in its container so as to mix in any sediment then mix with the
Grainfields making sure that you leave at least four inches of head space between the top of the
liquid and the top of the bottle. Wipe the neck of the bottle and the inside of the cap clean with
a paper towel.
3. Screw the lid on tightly and leave to ferment at about 25-28°C/77-82°F for 2-3 days. Bubbles
should develop within 24 hours and there will be a thin scum of yeasts.
4. Every 12 hours gently unscrew the lid to test for the production of carbon dioxide. If a lot of
gas is produced you may get foaming. If so, then leave the cap slightly loose to release some of
the pressure. After 2-3 days screw the lid on tightly and refrigerate. If you are new to fermenting
then it is recommended that you consume the beverage within a few days but as long as the
pH has dropped into the range of pH3.9 -pH4.6 then theoretically it should last for months. pH
paper can be obtained from a scientific supply house.
NOTE
1. If you use a prepackaged juice with a high sugar concentration such as grape juice then it is
advisable to dilute it 50/50 with water.
2. Lacto fermented beverages are not suitable for everyone and as such it may be prudent to
check with a health care practitioner first.
3. Some juices, dark grapes for example, may produce undesirable substances. For example
some people get a hangover from red wine but not white.
4. I suggest you use the Grainfields B.E. Wholegrain liquid rather than their powders as I have
not been able to culture a lacto fermented beverage with their powders.
5. As you increase the fermentation time then more sugars will be digested producing a drier
drink.
6. The longer you brew the beverage then the higher the alcohol concentration.

Another simple lacto-

fermented beverage
INGREDIENTS
Step 1.
− 1250 ml clean plastic water bottle.
− 500 ml dark grape juice (100% juice).
− 50 ml Grainfields B.E. Wholegrain liquid.
Step 2.
− 500 ml water.
− 50gm fresh ginger.
− 2 teaspoons green tea.
− 2 teaspoons licorice root.
− 2 teaspoons elderflower.
INSTRUCTIONS
Please make sure that you have had
success with the previous recipe before you
make this one.
Step 1. Ferment the fruit juice with the

Grainfields for 2 days in the PET bottle at
about 25-28°C/77-82°F.
Step 2. When the fruit juice shows obvious

signs of fermentation then prepare the ginger Organic fruit and vegetable juices are becoming
and herbal tea as follows: easier to obtain. Check your local health food
store.
1. Peel and grate the ginger, then squeeze the juice through a piece of muslin. Add the juice to
a glass bowl.
2. Simmer the ginger pulp in about 1 cup of water for 10 minutes. Cool then strain through
muslin. 3. Put the ginger pulp back into the pot with another cup of water. Simmer once again,
turn off the heat and add the green tea, licorice root and elderflower. Leave covered for ten
minutes so that the tea can steep.
4. When cool strain through muslin into the glass bowl.
5. Add the sea salt and stir.
6. When the temperature of the tea is less than 25°C/77°F make the volume up to 500 ml with
cool water.
7. Mix the ginger herbal tea with the fermented juice. Ferment for another 1-2 days at 25-28°C/77-
82°F then refrigerate. Drink cold.

Wheatgrass ginger beer

This recipe for wheatgrass ginger beer should preserve some of the bioactive substances
found in wheatgrass juice. It is also a more pleasant way to drink the wheatgrass juice rather
than having it straight. As an alternative to fresh wheatgrass juice you may wish to experiment
with powdered wheatgrass, spelt grass, barley green, spirulina and so on. As a suggestion you
could start with about 2 tablespoons of powdered greens per litre of brew. Raw honey is used to
sweeten the brew though barley malt is a better option.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 3 litres, 4 x 750ml bottles. You need a suitable 4 litre container made from glass, stainless
steel, ceramic or food grade plastic for the brew, and some equipment to make and juice the
wheatgrass. Ferment the brew between 25-28°C/77-82°F.
− 1 litre water.
− 1/3 cup raw honey or barley malt.
− 250 ml starter extension (Grainfields).
− 4 tablespoons licorice root.
− 1 teaspoon stevia leaf.
− 4 tablespoons gingko biloba, optional.
− 2/3 cup lime or lemon juice.
− Juice from 4 trays of wheatgrass.
− Filtered water up to 3 litres.
− 4 teaspoons of white sugar.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. When the starter extension is ready calibrate the fermentation vessel at the 3 litre mark. Add
one litre of water, the raw honey or barley malt to the fermentation vessel, stir until dissolved.
Add the starter extension and stir once again. Leave for 12 hours then stir gently. After 24 hours
add the rest of the ingredients as follows:
2. Peel and grate the ginger then strain the ginger pulp through a piece of muslin, using tongs
to squeeze out the juice into a glass bowl. Add the ginger juice to the fermentation vessel. Then
add the ginger pulp to a saucepan with just enough water to cover it then add the licorice root
and simmer for about 20 minutes, with the lid on. Turn off the heat and add the optional gingko
biloba and leave to steep for a few minutes.
3. Strain the tea into a bowl through a sieve or colander lined with muslin. Use a pair of tongs
to squeeze out the liquid. Take care as it will be very hot. Put the pulp back into the saucepan,
add enough water to cover the cover the pulp and simmer for a further 15 minutes, then strain
once again. Add the sea salt and optional minerals to the tea, and stir. When the herbal tea is
cooled to less than 30°C/86°F add it to the fermentation vessel. Add the lime or lemon juice to

the fermentation vessel.
4. Juice the wheatgrass through a slow speed juicer then add the juice to the fermentation vessel
and make up the volume to 3 litres with water. Stir the brew then cover the container with a
piece of linen held in place with an elastic band to prevent the entry of insects. Gently stir the
brew after 12 hours and then after another 12 hours to mix the sediment and scum back into the
liquid. If at any time it looks like the scum could be drying out then stir the scum back into the
liquid, though you should leave the liquid undisturbed as possible to assist the development of
an anaerobic state. If the scum dries out on top of the liquid it could provide an environment for
undesirable flora and fauna. Ferment for 3-5 days at 25-28°C/77-82°F.
5. After five days most of the sugars should have been digested but the fermentation may
continue for some weeks. Decant the liquid into a clean container. Discard the sediment. Add
one teaspoon of sugar to each bottle to produce carbon dioxide bubbles. If you add too much
sugar you risk creating dangerous gas pressures. Instead of sugar you can use rice syrup but take
note that some sugars, especially honey may take months to be completely digested and may
continue to generate gas.
6. Divide the wheatgrass ginger beer amongst 4 beer bottles (750ml), cork, label and leave to
ferment for a further 2 days. Refrigerate before use and serve with a dash of kombucha tea if
you want a fresh acid taste.
Notes on Growing the Wheatgrass

You will need about one tray of wheatgrass per 750 ml bottle of beer. I use black plastic seed
trays (13 x 11 x 2 inches) available from garden suppliers. Use about 3/4 cup of wheat grains
per tray. If the wheatgrass is too dense then it may encourage the growth of mould. Make sure
you use organic wheat grain from a health food shop as grain sold for agricultural use will
probably contain pesticides.
Put the wheat grains in a large glass jar or food grade plastic bucket. Fill the container with
water to a level about 6 inches above the wheat. Stir to remove air bubbles and leave for 12
hours. Pour off the water, rinse then spread the grain on a large stainless steel tray so that the
grain is about ½ inch deep. Tilt the tray to drain off excess water and leave the grain to sprout.
Every 4 hours either mist the grain with water or rinse thoroughly. Once the grain has sprouted
roots about 1 mm in length then it is time to plant it.
Line the seed trays with butchers paper or hand towels. Avoid using newspaper with coloured
ink as the chemicals may leach into soil and be taken up by the wheat. Fill each tray with
organic compost, that has been mineralised with rock dust, to a depth of 1 inch. (Rock dust
should be available from your local hardware store.) Level off the compost, then scatter the
sprouted wheat grain evenly over the soil. The grain should cover 50% - 80% of the soil, so that
there are still patches of soil showing through. Place the trays in the shade, away from direct
sunlight, and out of the wind. Gently water the grains with a watering can.
Cover the trays with paper to protect the seed from drying out, then use some inverted seed
trays to hold the paper in place. Every 6 hours for 1-2 days you should check that the seedlings
are not drying out. It may help to mist them with water at regular intervals but take care not to
over water or they will rot.

Once the seedlings are showing tiny bits of green, remove the paper and cover with a piece
of 50% shade cloth that is supported about 1-2 inches above the trays. In this way the humidity
should stay high enough to prevent the roots from drying out. Once the green shoots are about
½ an inch high you should be able to remove the shade cloth but you still need to take care that
the wheatgrass seedlings do not dry out, or get exposed to direct sunlight in the heat of the day.
Grow the wheatgrass, which should be nice and green, to about 5 inches high. Each tray should
yield about 110ml of wheatgrass juice. If the wheatgrass develops mould, throw it out and start
again.
Note
Some plastics may out-gas toxic chemicals. Food grade plastic seed trays would be preferable
to the plastic that is used to grow flowers, though I have yet to find any. Suppliers of hydroponics
equipment may have food grade seed trays. After you have dealt with the challenges of growing
your own wheatgrass you may wonder how commercial growers grow the wheatgrass that is
sold at juice bars. Is it really chemical free?
Image (c) Creativeye99 Agency: Dreamstime
Wheatgrass - young, fresh, vibrant and alive.

Papaya ginger beer

Papaya ginger beer is quite bitter as you would expect. If you can not get fresh papaya leaf then
use dried leaf, however you will need to experiment with the quantity. As a guide this recipe
calls for two cups of papaya leaves but you may use whatever quantity suits your individual
requirements. (Check with a naturopath or herbalist for guidelines.) Drink papaya beer chilled
with a splash of kombucha tea or an EM brew to give it an acid zing.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 3 litres, 4 x 750ml bottles. Fresh papaya leaf weighs about 60gm (2 oz.) per cup. You
need a suitable large container made from glass, stainless steel, ceramic or food grade plastic.
Ferment at 25-28°C/77-82°F.
− 1 litre filtered water.

− 1/3 cup barley malt extract.
− 250 ml starter extension.
− 120 gm fresh papaya leaves.
− 150 gm fresh ginger root.
− 6 teaspoons elderflower tea.
− 2/3 cup lime/lemon juice.
− Optional minerals.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. When the starter extension is ready calibrate the fermentation vessel at the 3 litre mark. Add 1
litre of water and the barley malt to the fermentation vessel, stir until dissolved. Add the starter
extension and stir once again. Leave for 12 hours then stir gently. After 24 hours add the rest of
the ingredients as follows:
2. Scrunch the papaya in your hands then chop finely. Put in a small saucepan, cover with
boiling water, cover with a tight lid, leave to simmer for 10 minutes then allow to cool.
and simmer for about 10 minutes with the lid on then leave to cool.
4. Add the green tea, elderflower and stevia leaf to a glass bowl. Pour on about 400 ml of boiling
water. Cover the bowl with a lid and leave to cool.
5. When the papaya, ginger and licorice and the other herbal teas are cool strain through a

stainless steel sieve into the fermentation vessel.
6. Add the lime or lemon juice, sea salt and the optional minerals to the fermentation vessel and
stir.
7. Make up the volume to 3 litres with water. Stir then cover the container with a piece of linen
held in place with an elastic band to prevent the entry of insects. Gently stir the brew after
12 hours and then after another 12 hours, sooner if necessary, to mix the sediment and scum
back into the liquid. If at any time it looks like the scum could be drying out then stir the scum
back into the liquid, though you should leave the liquid undisturbed as possible to assist the
development of an anaerobic state. If the scum dries out on top of the liquid it could provide an
environment for undesirable flora and fauna. Ferment for 3-5 days at 25-28°C/77-82°F.
9. Divide the papaya ginger beer amongst 4 large beer bottles (750ml), cork, label and leave to
ferment for a further 2 days. Refrigerate before use and serve with a dash of kombucha tea if
you want that fresh acid taste.
Image (c) Heng kong Chen Dreamstime
Papaya is easy to grow in warm climates. Young

leaves are highest in active nutrients. In cold
climates grow it as an indoor plant. To get some
seed just buy a ripe papaya from your local vegie
shop, scoop out the seeds and dry them on a paper
towel.

Simple beet kvass

Kvass, the name given to a traditional Russian drink made from fermented cereal grains and
vegetables provides lactobacillus bacteria and electrolytes, and has traditionally been used to
treat the sick.
INGREDIENTS
− 1 medium beetroot.
− 2 litres water.
− 2 tablespoons Grainfields B.E. liquid, or
− 2 tablespoons kefir whey, or
− 1 tablespoon water or milk kefir grains.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Peel the beetroot then chop it into half inch cubes. Place the beetroot in the jar with the salt
and enough water to leave a 2 inch head space. Inoculate it with either Grainfields B.E. Liquid,
kefir whey or kefir grains. If you use milk kefir grains then rinse the milk off first with water.
2. Ferment for about 3-5 days at 25°C/77°F. A lower temperature suits beet kvass rather than a
higher temperature. The beet kvass may be drunk within 2 days. Refrigerate when it is to your
liking. As with the sediments from all fermented brews the choice is up to you if you consume
it or not. Generally it would be best to avoid the sediment.
NOTE
You can ferment the beet kvass without using a culture. The advantage of using a culture
however is that you are introducing ‘known’ organisms and there is less chance that the kvass
will go off . Once you have some experience making kvass with a culture try it without.
Image (c) Denise Hunter
The colour of beetroot is due to the

purple pigment betacyanin and a yellow
one betaxanthin known collectively as
betalins.

Beetroot ginger beer

The previous recipe for Beet Kvass may taste a little bland for some palate’s so I have given
you the option of the following recipe for beetroot ginger beer which is enhanced with the
addition of ginger, licorice, green tea, stevia and raw honey.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 3 litres, enough for 4 x 750ml bottles.
− 1 litre water.
− 250 ml starter extension (Grainfields).
− 75 gm fresh ginger root.
− 1 medium beetroot (400gm).
− 2/3 cup lime/lemon juice.
INSTRUCTIONS
one litre of water and the honey to the fermentation vessel, stir until dissolved. Add the starter
3. Add the green tea and stevia leaf to a glass bowl. Pour on about 400 ml of boiling water.
Cover the bowl with a lid and leave to cool.
4. When the ginger and herbal teas are cool strain through a stainless steel sieve into the
fermentation vessel.
5. Either juice the beetroot in a slow speed juicer or grate it then add to the fermentation
vessel.
6. Add the lime or lemon juice and the sea salt to the fermentation vessel and stir.

7. Make up the volume to 3 litres with water. Stir then cover the container with a piece of linen
held in place with an elastic band to prevent the entry of insects. Gently stir the brew after 12
hours and then after another 12 hours, or sooner if necessary, to mix the sediment and scum
back into the liquid. If at any time it looks like the scum could be drying out then stir the scum
back into the liquid, though you should leave the liquid undisturbed as possible to assist the
development of an anaerobic state. If the scum dries out on top of the liquid it could provide
an environment for undesirable flora and fauna. Ferment for 2-5 days at 25°C/77°F. (Note the
beetroot ginger beer may be drunk within 2 days.)
9. Divide the beetroot ginger beer amongst 4 large beer bottles (750ml), cork, label and leave
to ferment for a further 2 days. Refrigerate before use and serve with a dash of kombucha tea if
you want that fresh acid taste.
Ginger ID: 192205 (c) P. R. | StockXchnge
Where possible use raw ginger in preference to the powder.

Pineapple ginger beer

This simple recipe for pineapple ginger beer uses the principles of lacto-fermentation to make
a refreshing fruity beverage. If you drink it within 3 days it will be sweet but if you leave if for
longer than a week to ferment it will be like a dry wine. You can also sweeten it by adding 1
teaspoon or more of stevia leaf when you brew the green tea.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 6 litres, 8 x 750ml bottles. You will need a suitable brewing container, such as a
stainless steel stock pot, glass jar, food grade ceramic crock or food grade plastic pail.
− 1 litre filtered water.

− 600 ml starter extension
− optional minerals.
− ¼ cup raisins.
− 1 medium ripe pineapple (1500gm gives about 1 litre
of juice.)
INSTRUCTIONS
one litre of water and the honey to the fermentation vessel, stir until dissolved. Add the starter
3. Add the green tea to a glass bowl. Pour on about 400 ml of boiling water. Cover the bowl
with a lid and leave to cool.
4. When the ginger and green tea are cool strain them through a stainless steel sieve into the
fermentation vessel.
5. Add the Celtic sea salt, optional minerals, raisins and stir.
6. Juice the pineapple through a slow speed juicer. If you don’t have a slow speed juicer then
chop and crush the pineapple as finely as you can. (Don’t use a high speed juicer as the juice

will oxidise before it has a chance to ferment.) Add the juice and pulp to the fermentation vessel
then make up the volume roughly to 6 litres with water. Stir the brew then cover the container
with a tea towel held in place with an elastic band to prevent the entry of insects. Gently stir
the brew after 12 hours and then after another 12 hours to mix the sediment and scum back into
the liquid.
7. As the pulp rises to the surface it will dry providing an environment possibly conducive to
harmful mould, bacteria and insects. So periodically (say every 8 hours, or even sooner, after
the previous two stirs) push the surface pulp back under the liquid to keep it wet, though you
should leave the liquid as undisturbed as possible to assist the development of an anaerobic
state. Ferment for about 3-5 days at 25°C/77°F. The pineapple ginger beer may be drunk within
2 days or as soon as the pH has entered the safe range. The longer you ferment the pineapple
ginger beer the noticeably drier it will become.
8. Strain the pineapple ginger beer through a number of layers of muslin, into a clean container,
with the aid of a pair of heavy tongs to squeeze out most of the juice. Discard the sediment.
Make up the volume to 6 litres with filtered water.
9. Add one teaspoon of sugar to each bottle to produce carbon dioxide bubbles. If you add too
much sugar you risk creating dangerous gas pressures. Instead of sugar you can use rice syrup
but take note that some sugars, especially honey may take months to be completely digested
and may continue to generate gas. Divide the pineapple ginger beer amongst 8 large beer bottles
(750ml), cork, label and leave to ferment for a further 2 days. Refrigerate before use.
Image (c) (c) Julia Eisenberg
The pineapple is native to southern Brazil and Paraguay.

The European explorers thought it looked like a pine cone
with the taste of an apple hence its name.

Abby Eagle Real Beer

Stinger
When I created this recipe I wanted to create an Australian beer made from organic ingredients
that was clear like a lager, with a real hops aroma, flavoursome, a thick frothy head, low in
alcohol, rich in probiotics and antioxidants and most importantly a beverage that tasted like
real beer. This recipe is different from most home brewed beer in that it uses lactobacilli as
well as yeast. As with my other recipes I wanted it to be something that you made at home
from supplies sourced from the local organic market without the use of premixed beer malt,
yeast from an aluminium sachet, sulphite tablets, brewing clarifiers, foam control, carbonation
drops, or chemical additives. In addition, I can see that there is a demand for low alcoholic
beer, especially in Asian countries and amongst some of the young people that I meet. I hope
this recipe meets some of that need.
ingredientS
Makes enough for 6 amber 750 ml plastic PET bottles each holding 650 ml. Also require:
measuring cylinder or beaker, digital kitchen scales, funnel, fine stainless steel seive.
Starter
− 520 ml water.
− 30 ml barley malt.
− 80 ml Grainfields B.E. liquid.
Dissolve the barley malt in the water in a glass jar. Add the B.E. Grainfields liquid and
stir. Screw on a lid. Place in incubator at 25-28°C/77-82°F. Agitate the starter by swirling the
liquid every few hours so that oxygenation can support the growth of the yeasts. If you want
to get consistency between your final brews then you should aim for consistent agitation for
each of your starters. Loosen the lid every 8 hours to release the carbon dioxide. The starter is
maximally active during 12-48 hours - the signs being sedimentation, change in colour, floating
yeast, bubbles of carbon dioxide, acidic and alcoholic smells. You should aim to use the starter
near enough to 48 hours after its preparation.
Beer
− 600 ml of starter, from above.
− 30 gm fresh papaya leaf. (approx. 7.5 gm dried)
− 12 teaspoons (7.2 gm) of hops flowers. (~0.6 gm = 1 tsp)
− 90 ml of barley malt.
− water (filtered and chlorine free) up to 3.9 litre.
instructions
1. Make the starter. Once it shows active signs of fermentation do the following: Scrunch up
the fresh papaya leaves with your fingers; chop finely on a cutting board; add to a stainless steel
saucepan, then add enough boiling water to cover the leaves. Put on a tight fitting lid; simmer
gently for 10 minutes then leave to cool. If you are using dried papaya leaves then pour 500 ml
of boiling water over them in a glass bowl. Cover with a dish and leave to cool.

2. Pour 500 ml of boiling water over the hops flowers in a glass bowl. Cover with a dish and
leave to cool.
3. Dissolve the barley malt in 500 ml of water.
4. Now it’s time to put it all together: The challenge is to be able to mix all of the ingredients
to a total volume of 3.9 litre so that each bottle holds 650 ml with a head space of about 6 cm.
The simplest way to do this is to calibrate a container to 3.9 litre. To do this find a suitable sized
pot or jar. Measure in 3.9 litres of water using a 1 litre jug, then make a mark on the side of the
container. Discard the water.
5. The next step is to strain the cooled papaya leaf and hops tea through a fine stainless steel
sieve into the container. Add the barley malt solution and the starter. Add good quality filtered
water up to the 3.9 litre mark. Mix thoroughly, then divide the beer evenly amongst the 6 bottles.
Screw on the lids tightly, label with recipe name and date, and brew between 25-28°C/77-82°F
for a week. Keep a record of the temperature for future reference and try and use the same
temperature each time you make a brew as temperature will affect the flavour. Serve chilled.
Remove the lid slowly to prevent foaming. Note: If you have a consistent problem with too
much gas which makes it difficult to uncap the bottles then leave the lid loose for 12 hours before
locking it tight. You might need to experiment with a longer or shorter time. Most importantly
keep your procedures and temperatures identical with each batch.
notes
Hops (Humulus lupus)
Hops are a distant relative of stinging nettle and cannabis which is a major reason for their
relaxing effect. Hops reduce irritability and restlessness. Blended with other herbs, they are
good for stress, anxiety, insomnia, tension and headaches. Hops is a preservative which means
that a lower alcohol content beer can last longer. Hops also aids in clarification as well as head
retention. (Ref: http://www.greydragon.org/library/hops.html)
Barley Malt Syrup

Barley malt is a sweetener produced from sprouted barley, containing approximately 65
percent maltose, 30 percent complex carbohydrate, 3% protein. It is a rich source of minerals,
amino acids, protein and vitamins. Different sources of malt contain more or less water than
others and hence will affect the % alcohol in a fermented brew. Malt contains gluten. (Ref: http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley_malt_syrup)
The malting process involves a number of steps in which complex processes occur. “First
the grain is steeped in water to absorb moisture and then left to sprout in much the same way
that you would sprout mung beans. During the sprouting stage enzymes are activated. Once the
grains have reached a required level of biological change they are dried and partly “cooked”,
terminating further growth and curing the grain for storage. During the kilning process, malt
develops its colour and flavour. Some styles of beer, such as porters and stouts, use grains that
are simply roasted in roasting drums, bypassing the malting process, allowing for a very rich
dark colour and astringent flavour. Malt can also be roasted giving a slightly smoother flavour
than that of the roasted barley.” (Ref: http://www.littlecreatures.com.au/aboutmalt/)
Malted barley is suited to brewing for many reasons. It has a high complement of enzymes for
converting its starch supply into simple sugars and contains protein, which is needed for yeast
nutrition. (Ref: http://www.beer-brewing.com/apex/beer_chapters/ch02_barley_malts.htm)
Blackstrap Molasses

“There are three major types of sugar cane molasses: unsulphured, sulphured and blackstrap.
There are also three major grades of cane molasses: first molasses, second molasses, and
blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses contains, glucose, fructose, raffinose and numerous
non-sugar organic materials, as well as sucrose.” (Ref: http://www.organicfooddirectory.com.au/
molasses.php)
Organic blackstrap molasses is an excellent source of nutrition. 2 teaspoons (13.67 gm) of
blackstrap molasses provides the following %RDI: manganese 18%, copper 14%, iron 13%,
calcium 12%, potassium 11%, magnesium 8%, vitamin B6 6%, selenium 4%. (Ref: http://www.
whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=118) Blackstrap molasses is gluten free.
Papaya
The mature green fruit, the ripe fruit, the leaves, stems and roots are attributed with therapeutic
properties. Carica papaya is easy to grow wherever the ambient temperature is above 25°C/77°F.
If you live in a cool climate then try growing it as an indoor pot plant. To obtain seed just buy a
ripe papaya from your local market. Dry the seed for future use or plant it directly into the soil.
The seed will germinate in about one week. Leaves are ready to harvest in about 2 months and
the plant will grow for years. Use younger papaya leaves rather than older ones. Dried papaya
leaf should also be available from the health food shop but is not as much fun as growing your
own.
Flavour
There are a number of factors that determine the flavour of the beer: The type of hops, its age
and how it has been stored; the use of other herbs; the type of yeast or innoculant culture used;
the type of barley malt; the quality of the water; the alcohol content and whether it has been
pasteurised or not.
Definitions
“Beer: A fermented alcoholic beverage brewed from malt or grain and flavoured with bitter
herbs such as hops.
Lager: A type of beer of German origin that contains less hops than beer and is brewed from
6 weeks to 6 months at low temperature to allow sedimentation, resulting in a light, bubbly,
crystal clear beverage.
Ale: A fermented alcoholic beverage containing malt and hops, stronger in flavour and alcohol,
and darker in colour than beer. Initially Ale was brewed from malt alone.” Ref: http://www.
thefreedictionary.com
Shelf Life
Bottle brewed beer (bottle conditioned) can last longer than pasteurised beer because the
presence of live yeasts inhibit oxidation. Some bottle brewed beer can last for many years with
the flavours continuing to develop for a period of time before they shows signs of degradation.
Some of the factors other than oxidation that determine shelf life are the quantity of barley
malt, type of inoculant culture, water quality, alcohol content, type and quantity of hops, type of
container. Glass is generally better than using PET bottles. Beer is also affected by temperature
and light hence the use of amber or green bottles. Store in a cool place out of direct light - if
possible store under refrigeration.
CAUTIONS
For this recipe you will need a box of brown 750ml plastic PET bottles available from your
local home brew shop or supermarket. On no account use glass bottles as there may be a serious
risk of explosion.

Kombucha tea
Kombucha has earned a reputation as a healing drink yet one should try to gain an understanding
of its properties before consuming it in large quantities. Basically you are using a group of
micro-organisms to convert white sugar and tea into vinegar. To give you an idea of its acidity,
Apple cider vinegar is about 5% acetic acid while Kombucha tea is approximately 1.5% acetic
acid, depending upon how long it is brewed. Note, that unlike the other recipes in this book
which are lacto-ferments, Kombucha tea is an aceto-ferment. Kombucha shares some properties
with apple cider vinegar so before you start drinking Kombucha by the glassful just think of
how much vinegar you would be prepared to drink? A few teaspoonfuls per day perhaps?
In addition to the error of over indulgence, some people also don’t ferment the kombucha long
enough to digest all of the sugar. The resultant brew tastes nice and sweet but with the health
hazards of sugar. Though some reports suggest that the optimum health benefits are stronger
with a partial ferment my practise has been to ferment the brew until all of the sugar has been
digested and then to drink it in small quantities diluted with water or mixed with a lacto ferment.
If you have any concerns about consuming something new like kombucha, lacto ferments and
EM then it would be prudent to get some advice from a health care professional.
Some people use brown sugar or honey instead of white sugar to culture their Kombucha
but from what I have read white sugar is required in order to produce the highest amounts of
glucuronic acid. (See p596 Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.) If you have any concerns
about the tannins, caffeine and theobromines in the tea then maybe you don’t need to worry
too much as according to some articles they are converted into substances that support health.
My suggestion is that you get on the Internet and do your own research as Kombucha seems to
be a subject that is clouded with half truths, but aside from that it makes a delicious drink when
served either diluted with water or as an addition to ginger beer or fruit juice. There are two
ways to make kombucha tea. If you have some kombucha tea then use the first method but if
you only have a kombucha mushroom then use the second recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Makes one litre.
− 1 litre water.
− 1/3 cup of white sugar.
− 1 - 2 black tea bags (organic).
− 1 - 2 green tea bags (organic).
− 1 teaspoon elderflower tea (optional).
− 100 ml of Kombucha tea.
METHOD 1. (If you have kombucha tea to use as a starter. Preferable)

Add the sugar to a glass bowl, dangle the tea bags over the side, then pour on boiling water.
Use the tea bags to stir the liquid and dissolve the sugar. Leave the tea bags to steep until the tea
has cooled. Discard the tea bags.
When the tea has cooled to below 25°C/77°F add the Kombucha tea and stir. Cover the bowl
with a clean cloth held in place with an elastic band. Leave in a warm place - ~25°C/77°F it does
not matter if the temperature varies - where it won’t be disturbed for 2- 4 weeks. A kombucha

‘mushroom’ should form on the surface and will continue to thicken the more that you ferment
it. The kombucha tea should have a clean acidic smell like vinegar and should not be too sweet.
Once the kombucha is ready, store it in the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation process.
It is best stored in wide mouth glass jars because if a thick mushroom forms in a container with
a narrow neck then you will not be able to remove it.
METHOD 2. (If you only have a mushroom to use as a starter.)

If you don’t have any kombucha tea but only a mushroom then you need to take additional
care to ensure that the pH of the tea drops quickly in order to avoid the growth of pathogenic
bacteria and mould.
ingredientS
− 1 litre water.
− 1/3 cup of white sugar.
− 1 - 2 black tea bags (organic).
− 1 - 2 green tea bags (organic).
− 1 teaspoon elderflower tea (optional).
− 100 ml of Kombucha tea.
− A Kombucha mushroom about 4 inches in diameter.
− 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
instructions
Make the tea and sugar solution as for the first method. When it has cooled mix in the vinegar
then float the mushroom on top. Cover with a cloth and follow the instructions as for the first
method.
NOTES
1. It is preferable to use organic tea. Non-organic black tea contains higher amounts of fluoride
than organic. In addition most non-organic teas are irradiated and some are sprayed with
pesticides. Use plastic lids or corks as metal lids will corrode.
2. Culture the Kombucha tea only in ordinary clear glass, food grade plastic or a food grade
ceramic.
3. If mould should grow on the surface it would be advisable to discard the tea and start again.
4. It may be preferable to use pasteurised vinegar as the unpasteurised version will contribute
microorganisms.
Microflora of Kombucha
The Godshaer Herbalist Advanced Botanical Centre of Medicine website lists the following
micro-organisms as being dominant in kombucha: “Acetobacter xylinum, A. xylinoides, A.
aceti, A. pasteurianum, Gluconobacter bluconicum, including the yeasts: Schizosaccharomyces
pombe, S ludwigii and Pichia fermentans.” Source: http://www.godshaer.co.uk/kombucha.
php
On the www.unibuc.ro website, Ioan Florea Dumitru lists yeast species found in kombucha
belonging to the genera Zygosaccharomyces, Pichia, Brettanomyces, Schizosaccharomyces,
Saccharomycodes, Saccharomyces, Torulaspora and Candida. On the same website it
references a study that proved that kombucha showed antibiotic effects against a number of
different microorganisms including but not confined to the following: Staphylococcus aureus
and epidermis, Shigela sonnei, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Salmonella enteritidis
and typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Candida albicans, Helicobacter pylori and
Campylobacter jejuni. Source: http://www.unibuc.ro/eBooks/biologie/RBL/vol7nr5/art2.htm

Rejuvelac
I was first introduced to Rejuvelac by my friends at the Hippocrates Health Centre on the
Gold Coast of Eastern Australia, where the guests drink a glass of rejuvelac each day to
improve their intestinal flora. Rejuvelac may also be used as a starter for sourdough bread,
and nut and seed cheese.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 2 litres.
- 1 cup of wheat grains, from a health food store.

- 2 litres of filtered water.
- 2 litre wide mouthed glass jar.
INSTRUCTIONS METHOD 1
1. Rinse wheat in water to remove dust and debris.
2. Add the wheat to the glass jar. Fill with filtered water and cover with gauze held securely in
place with an elastic band. (It is important to prevent the entry of insects.) Soak for 12 hours.
3. Pour off the soak water and refill. Leave the jar on a kitchen bench out of direct sunlight.
Give the jar a gentle twirl, but not a shake, every 12 hours. Once a light foam develops
the Rejuvelac should be ready for use. It may take anywhere from 2-5 days to ferment the
Rejuvelac depending on the ambient temperature. In hot weather where it may ferment too
quickly (around 24 hours) it is possible for the Rejuvelac go putrid. Rejuvelac should have a
pleasant yeasty smell with a lemon like flavour.
3. Once the Rejuvelac is ready then decant the liquid from the top leaving the sediment
behind. Refridgerate. Refill the jar with water and ferment for another 24-36 hours to make
a second culture. Decant the Rejuvelac, refridgerate - discard the wheat grains and the
sediment.
INSTRUCTIONS METHOD 2
1. Rinse wheat in water to remove dust and debris.
2. Soak the grain over filtered night. Pour off the water and rinse. Cover the jar with
muslin cloth held securely in place to prevent entry of insects, then lay the jar on its side to
drain, allowing the wheat to sprout for 1-3 days or until the roots are 1-3 mm long. Rinse
periodically to prevent the grains from drying out, and to remove any potentially harmful
organisms. In hot weather you may need to rinse the sprouting wheat 4-5 times a day.
3. Once the wheat has sprouted rinse then fill the jar with water and leave to ferment for 1-2
days or until it has gone milky with a layer of froth on the surface.

4. Decant the liquid and refrigerate.
NOTE:
1. It is possible for Rejuvelac to bad, as it is for any sprouts and ferments. You can generally
tell if the Rejuvelac is okay by the smell and taste. It should have an acidic smell and taste
and the pH should fall within the safe range for a lacto- fermented product. It is good practice
to observe, smell and taste the Rejuvelac periodically to become accustomed to the changes
that occur, as it is for any fermented culture. Rejuvelac should keep in the fridge for a week or
more and will gradually sweeten with time.
2. All bacteria and yeasts have an optimum incubation temperature. Refrigeration will inhibit
the growth of some organisms but may give an opportunity for others to flourish. Hot weather
may encourage the rapid growth of pathogenic organisms before the beneficial organisms
get started, in which case the culture will smell putrid. If your culture goes off, then discard
it, sterilise the jar and wait for cooler weather. In hot weather, it is feasible that a slight
acidulation of the water with a little lemon juice at the start of the fermentation, may provide
an environment less suited to pathogenic organisms.

Antioxidant rich lacto-

fermented recipes cultured
with EM
First recipe - for those new to brewing

RECIPE FOR EM EXTENSION
The EM culture that you buy will probably have been made with a recipe somewhat similar
to this. This recipe allows you to extend that culture at a fraction of the cost of drinking the
proprietary culture.
INGREDIENTS FOR EM EXTENSION

This recipe makes 3.8 litres, enough for 5x 750 ml beer bottles.
− 3400 ml filtered water.
− 190 ml blackstrap molasses (5%).
− 75 ml barley malt extract (2%).
− 190 ml EM microbial innoculant (5%).
− 1 tablespoon rice bran.

− 1 tablespoon dulse powder.
− ½ teaspoon rock dust, (or colloidal minerals.)
INSTRUCTIONS
If you have not done so then please read the Procedure for Brewing a Lacto-Fermented
Beverage as some of the information could be critical to the success of your brew.
Add a third of the water to a 5 litre brewing container. Dissolve in the blackstrap molasses and
the barley malt extract, then mix in the EM and the rest of the water. Cover the container with
a cloth held in place with an elastic band, or fit an air lock if you have had previous brewing
experience. Stir once a day for 7 days. Once the pH has dropped to below pH3.9 (sometimes
Vinny Pinto, author of EM Brew Guide, recommends pH 3.5 for a wider safety margin), and this
may take 7 days depending upon the brewing temperature then add the rice bran, dulse, rock
dust and Celtic sea salt. It may help to dissolve the salt in a little water first. Stir once a day for
a further 7 days.
After 14 days measured from day 1, it is time to bottle the EM extension. If you are familiar
with making home brews or have brewed the EM extension in a container with a spigot then
fit a hose to the spigot and decant the liquid with as little agitation as possible into PET bottles
or glass beer bottles. If you have brewed your EM extension in a jar or a bucket then you need

to find a way to decant the liquid without mixing in the scum and the sediment, and without
agitating it and adding air. Skim off most of the scum with a spoon, and then gently pour the
liquid into a food grade bucket, leaving the sediment behind. Another option is to siphon the
brew with a piece of food grade plastic tube, available from home brew supplies or hardware
shops.
CAUTION
If you are storing your brew in plastic PET bottles then you can probably safely screw on the
lid, as the bottle should be able to handle a buildup of gas pressure. If, however, you store your
brew in glass bottles, then on no account should you cap the bottles as a buildup of gas pressure
could explode the bottle, or a negative gas pressure likewise could implode the bottle, either
way possibly causing serious injury.
One method that I have used is to store the brew in a glass beer bottle and cover the mouth
with a piece of unbleached calico (4 x 4 inches) held in place with an elastic band. As the
problem with using a cork is that the cork invariably pops and the brew foams over leaving a
mess on the inside of the bottle, where it may leave an environment conducive to the breeding
of undesirable organisms. I usually replace the calico with a cork after 3-4 weeks. Ferment for
a total of about four weeks in the bottle before consuming. Most of the antioxidants are to be
found in the liquid and one generally does not consume the scum or the sediment.
I have successfully stored EM brews this way for over a year and to date there has only been
one bottle that went bad. If you have any doubts then discard the brew and start again.

A second recipe - for intermediate

brewers
INGREDIENTS FOR EM JUICE
5 x 750 ml bottles = 3.8 litres.
− 1 litre juice (cherry, prune, grape, etc. Not concentrated).
− 1830 mls water.
− 400 ml of tea made with ¼ cup lycium (gogi, wolf) berries.

− ½ teaspoon rock dust, and or colloidal minerals.
INSTRUCTIONS
Choose a suitable brewing container. Dissolve the blackstrap molasses in the water then mix
in the juice and the EM. Ferment for about 7 days, stirring once each day. Check pH.
On the seventh day simmer the lyci berries in filtered water for ten minutes, strain, add more
water and simmer again, repeat twice. When the lyci tea is cool then add it to the brew. Add
the rock dust and Celtic sea salt. It may help to dissolve the salt in a little water first. Make the
volume up to 3.8 litres. The additional fruit juice in this brew means that it could take some
months for all of the sugars to completely ferment. Also please note that the concentration of
sugars in this recipe are somewhat higher than what other EM brewers recommend. Stir daily.
Ferment for a total of 3 - 4 weeks in the brewing container before decanting the liquid to
plastic bottles. Please note once again, do not seal glass bottles with anything more than a cork
pushed in lightly as there is a serious risk of explosion or implosion. Ferment in the bottle for
another 4 weeks before consuming. Refrigerate before use.

A third recipe - for advanced brewers

INGREDIENTS FOR EM JUICE
5 x 750 ml bottles = 3.8 litres.
− 75 ml barley malt extract (2%).
− 1 litre of fruit juice (cherry, prune, blueberry and cranberry, etc. Not concentrated.)
− 1000 ml water.

− ½ teaspoon rock dust.
− 1 tablespoon dried fish powder or paste.
− 1 tablespoon rice bran.
− 1 tablespoon dulse or kelp powder.
− 2 tablespoons colloidal minerals.
− 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid.
− 1 teaspoon malic acid.
− 1 tablespoon turmeric powder.
− 400 ml tea made with ¼ cup lyci berries.
− 400 ml nettle leaf and thistle lea tea made with ¼ cup of leaf.
− 355 ml filtered water.
− Make the volume up to 3.8 litres.
INSTRUCTIONS
Choose a suitable brewing container. Dissolve the blackstrap molasses and the barley malt
extract in the water then mix in the juice and the EM. Ferment for about 7 days, stirring once
each day. Check pH.
On the seventh day simmer the lyci berries in filtered water for ten minutes, strain, add more
water and simmer again, repeat twice. When the lyci tea is cool then add it to the brew. Steep
the nettle leaf and the thistle leaf in 400 ml of boiling water. When cool, strain and add the tea
to the brew.
Add the rest of the ingredients, dissolving the Celtic sea salt first in a little water. Make the
volume up to 3.8 litres. Stir daily.
Ferment for about 10 - 12 weeks in the brewing container before decanting the liquid to
bottles. Please note once again do not seal glass bottles with anything more than a cork pushed
in lightly, as there is a serious risk of explosion or implosion. Ferment in the bottle for at least
another 4 weeks before consuming. Refrigerate before use.

General guidelines for

brewing EM
The following notes including the section entitled Supplementary Ingredients have been
gleaned from Vinny Pinto’s book: Fermentation with Syntropic Antioxidative Microbes: An
advanced guide to brewing EM fermented secondary products. By Vinny Pinto. Referred to as
‘EM Brew Guide’ and available from http://www.scdworld.com.
1. Containers: Use a suitable container for anaerobic brewing with an airlock that allows
gas to vent in both directions without sucking water from the airlock back into the
brew.
2. Ratios of EM/molasses/sugars: Use ratios from 1:1:8 to 1:1:20 of EM-1™ : blackstrap
molasses : water. (1:20 = 5%) At lower concentrations of EM the PNSB’s tend to
diminish. Generally use 1:1 ratio, EM: to simple carbohydrate (sugars), though you can
increase the ratio of EM. Blackstrap molasses should be about 5% of the volume. Keep
all additional sugars at the same ratio, though sometimes I think Vinny may be referring
to fruit juice concentrates rather than to 100% or less fruit juice. Additional sugars
should not exceed the concentration of blackstrap molasses. If using high quantities of
sugars then you may need to add half of the sugars after the brew has fermented for 7
days and the pH has dropped to below pH3.7. Maximum sugar concentrations should be
between 14% - 19% by volume. Fermentation times increase considerably with higher
sugar concentrations.
3. Barley malt: Barley malt extract at the rate of 1-2% of the brew accelerates pH drop.
4. Head space: Leave a head space of about 1/7 -1/8 of the volume of the liquid in the
container.
5. Temperature: To shorten the fermentation time brew between 32-43°C/90-110°F) for
the first few weeks at least, and extend to more than 9 weeks. Minimum recommended
temperature 27°/80°F. Optimal 29-32°C/85-90°F. See page 97–98 Brew Guide. Allow
the temperature to cycle to a cooler temperature at least twice during the fermentation.
Storage temperature between 7-26°C/45-78°F. Refrigerate before use.
6. Agitation: Oxidative stress from aerating the brew causes the microbes to increase the
production of low molecular weight antioxidants. Page 105. Stir daily for at least ten
days, and at least once every 2-3 days until ready to be bottled. But decant anaerobically.
Some brews may be aerated for the first 6 hours with an aquarium pump and air-stone
aerator.
7. Acidity: pH needs to drop to less than pH 3.5 for the brew to be usable.
8. Fruit juice: Fruits that are high in antioxidants include most berries such as wolfberry
(aka lycium berry) which is the main ingredient in commercially sold Goji juice,
blueberry and blackberry, cherry, elderberry, grape, pomegranate and prune juice.
9. Brix: In general keep starting Brix score below about 9. (And or limit starting sugar/carb
sources to 11% - 13% by volume.) [“Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is a measurement of the
mass ratio of dissolved sucrose to water in a liquid. It is measured with a saccharimeter
that measures specific gravity of a liquid or more easily with a refractometer. A 25
°Bx solution is 25% (w/w), with 25 grams of sucrose sugar per 100 grams of liquid.”
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brix]
10. Time of fermentation: AEM should be brewed for about 4 weeks, while other brews need

at least 2 months to mature. Some brews will last for a few years if stored correctly.
11. Light: Exposure to light increases the growth of the PNSB’s. Exposure to a strong
fluorescent light (or sunlight ) in a transparent container or one which transmits at
least 35% light from 12 -24 hours per day should increase the quantity of antioxidants
produced. Light exposure may start immediately at start of fermentation or after the pH
has dropped to below pH 3.7.
12. Decanting: Decant anaerobically with a food grade plastic tube from a home brewing
shop. If transferring the brew to the bottles within 14 days then you probably don’t need
to transfer the brew anaerobically. Allow some air to enter the brew during the active
stages of the fermentation. First 6 weeks, seal the container and stir daily. See page
102.
13. Antioxidative activity: ORAC testing see page 127 for web addresses.
Supplementary Ingredients.
− Ingredients which may inhibit microbial growth are best added to the brew after 1 week
when the pH has dropped to below pH3.7.
− Fish paste or emulsion at rate of 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per gallon.
− Shrimp paste at the rate of ¼ teaspoon or more per gallon.
− Dehydrated shrimp or fish powder at the rate of ¼ teaspoon or more per gallon.
− Rice bran at the rate of ¼ - 1 tablespoon or more per gallon. The bran needs to have been
stabilised to prevent the oils from going rancid. Check with the supplier.
− Rock dust, powdered bentonite rock dust, Azomite rock dust clay at the rate of 1 teaspoon
to 6 tablespoons per gallon.
− Celtic sea salt up to 2 teaspoons per gallon.
− EM ceramic powder, a pinch per gallon.
− Paramagnetic rock dust.
− Kelp or dulse powder/granules at the rate of 1 tablespoon per gallon.
− Colloidal minerals, coenzyme minerals.
− Molybdenum, 2-8, 150 mcg tabs per gallon.
− Vitamin C as ascorbic acid up to 1 tablespoon per gallon, though some reports indicate
that synthetic vitamin C has a suppressant effect. Rosehip Vital powder or another source
of natural vitamin C could be preferable.
− Malic acid at the rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon (from home brew suppliers).
− Raw bee pollen at 2 - 4 tablespoons per gallon.
− Herbs and vegetables that are high in antioxidants, and green super foods at the combined
rate of 6 - 14 tablespoons per gallon.
− Turmeric, beetroot juice, wheatgrass juice, nettle leaf or root, thistle, milk thistle,
rosemary, oregano, basil, olive leaf, chlorella, spirulina, blue-green algae, dulse, kelp
and Chinese herbs. (EM Brew guide page 82).
− Herbal decoctions - As a rough guide use herbs at the rate of about 40 grams dried
herbal mixture per gallon (as prepared by a herbalist). Simmer the herbs gently with a
reasonable quantity of water in a stainless steel saucepan with loosely fitting lid for 20
- 30 minutes then let it stand for a further 10 - 15 minutes. Leave lid on until cooled to
minimise loss of volatile substances. Strain and add the tea to the brew.
EM, SAFETY AND HEALTH GUIDELINES:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider a naturally fermented product as
one in which enough time has been given for the pH to reach 4.6 or below without the addition
of any added acid. If the pH stabilises below 4.4 then it is considered to be in the category of
very safe foods. Generally lacto fermented beverages have a pH around pH 3.7. Source: FDA

website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/cp03803a.html
Though another source gives the typical pH range for home brewed beer as pH3.9 - pH4.6. Source:
Karl Siebert, The effect of pH on beer stabilisation. http://www.asbcnet.org/meetings/2005/
abstracts/O-15.htm
BOOKS ON CULTURING EM
For more information on EM read Vinny Pinto’s EM Brew Guide: Fermentation with
Syntropic Antioxidant Microbes: An advanced guide to brewing EM fermented secondary
products by Vinny Pinto available from www.scdworld.com
“Efficient Microbes (EM)™” is a trademark owned by Sustainable Community Development

(SCD).

Goodbugs house and garden

probiotic™
When scientists tell us that it will take decades for polluted land or a water way to return
to its natural healthy state what actually facilitates that process? If we knew what it was then
surely we could then accelerate the process? The answer to these questions have been known
for some years. Microorganisms, also known as probiotics, are responsible for breaking down
toxic waste into substances that are actually beneficial to the environment.
The following recipe for GoodBugs™ is a natural living product containing probiotic
organisms that are beneficial to the environment. GoodBugs is 100% biodegradable.
Good Bugs™ can be used to help:

− Create a more healthful environment in the kitchen. Spray bench tops, sinks, taps,
sponges, brushes, cutting boards, floors, and refrigerators.
− Treat mould and mildew areas in basements and bathroom shower areas.
− Spray bathroom bench tops, sink, taps, floor and shower recess.
− Treat surfaces such as door knobs, taps, and places where there is the risk of cross
contamination from bacteria being passed from dirty hands to surfaces that others also
touch.
− Use bleach less frequently to clean the toilet bowel. Instead spray it with GoodBugs.
− Treat garbage bins and wheelie bins to reduce odour and risk of disease
− Unblock drains. Use it with confidence in septic systems and compost toilets.
− Digest animal waste faster, reduce odour and thereby reduce fly populations in piggeries,
cow and horse stables, chicken coops and aviaries.
− Treat dog waste in the backyard and lower the risk of disease.
− Breakdown toxic waste in industrial sites and domestic backyards.
− Promote healthy organic vegetable gardens. Spray it on the plants as well as the soil and
compost heaps.
− Digest sump oil pollution and breakdown pesticides and herbicides in domestic
gardens.
GoodBugs™ does not clean the way that a chemical cleaner or anti-bacterial product does.
Instead GoodBugs adds beneficial bacteria to the environment which help digest grease,
grime, and toxic waste and in the process create an environment that does not support disease
causing bacteria. This helps to promote a natural, healthy and clean environment. Note that
in most cases GoodBugs should be used as an adjunct rather than as a replacement for your
current cleaning / bioremediation strategy. Note also that GoodBugs will leave a brown
residue which may make it unsuitable for aesthetic purposes in some situations.
See overleaf:

THE RECIPE
Use the recipe for EM Extension on the page entitled:
“ANTIOXIDANT RICH LACTO-FERMENTED RECIPES CULTURED WITH EM

FIRST RECIPE FOR THOSE NEW TO BREWING. RECIPE FOR EM EXTENSION”
INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the instructions for EM Extension. If you are not going to ingest the EM Extension
or use it inside the house then it should be okay to leave in the scum and sediment.
Just before use dilute 1:50 with filtered water (non chlorinated), add a few drops of vanilla
essence if you wish and use within 2 days. Choose an application process to suit the job. For
use in the home dispense with a hand held pump spray. Around the garden use a larger spray
unit or watering can. For industrial applications choose a method that suits the job.

Wash your clothes in washing

soda
Washing soda is not toxic like laundry and dishwashing detergents and is much less harmful
to the environment. Washing soda (Sodium Carbonate) is sold in Australian supermarkets
under the brand names ‘Lectric Soda’ and ‘Prepact’. It comes either in granules or a powder.
Some traditional groups would probably have made a cleaning solution by soaking wood
ash in a bucket of water for about 12 hours and then once the ash had settled to the bottom,
decanting the liquid. Wood ash lye, the term for this type of cleaning solution, is high in
potassium carbonate and is more caustic than sodium carbonate. Washing soda, (sodium
carbonate) does not contain harmful detergents, chemicals or horrible invasive fragrances
and is more friendly to your hands and the environment. Potassium carbonate is sold in
Asian supermarkets as a food additive but it is quite expensive in comparison to washing
soda. I have used washing soda since about 2003 with great success to wash my clothes and
the dishes. As it is caustic, and depending upon the concentration, you may need to wear
protective gloves.
Washing clothes
The manufacturers recommendations are to add 50g of washing soda to 45 litres of water
and then use less detergent.
Suggestions for washing clothes solely with washing soda in a small washing machine.
Dissolve about 1 cup of washing soda granules or powder in hot water in a bucket then add
to the washing machine. Half fill the washing machine with hot water, add the clothes, leave
to soak for 30 - 60 minutes, fill up the machine and wash as per your usual cycle. For small
loads you may like to try soaking the clothes first in a 20 litre bucket using about half a cup
of washing soda and hot water before transferring both the clothes and water to the washing
machine.
Suggestions for dish washing

Dissolve 3/4 to 1 cup of washing soda in a litre of water then store in a plastic dispenser
bottle with a flip cap. When you are ready to do the washing first rinse the debris from the
dishes with a brush under a running tap. Then with the hot tap trickling squirt a little of the
washing soda solution onto a sponge. Wipe the dish and put it to one side. Squeeze out the
sponge, squirt a little more washing soda solution onto the sponge, wipe another dish and so
on. When you have wiped all of the dishes just rinse them under a hot tap.
I have used this method for years and I no longer need to wear rubber gloves to protect my
hands from defatting by harsh detergents.


APPENDICES 113
Appendix A
Supplementary Notes On Anaerobic And Aerobic Bacterial Cultures By Steve Lucks
Anaerobic bacterial cultures

AN EXPLANATION INTO THE USE OF ANAEROBIC BACTERIAL CULTURES
FOR THE BREAKDOWN OF ORGANIC MATERIALS.
Introduction.
Anaerobic bacteria are naturally occurring organisms that thrive in the absence of oxygen and
are found in swamps, coal seams, at the bottom of lakes and in landfill sites, where they produce
landfill gas. They also occur in the intestines and rumen of animals and in the gut of termites.
They are utilised worldwide in anaerobic digesters, grease traps and in the bioremediation
of toxic and organic wastes. They can be encouraged to breakdown or consume almost all
known organic materials by careful breeding and culturing. Though many strains of bacteria are
involved, there are three major groups, which tend to dominate the process:
1. Hydrolytic
2. Acidogenic
3. Methanogenic.
The first two include facultative and obligate anaerobic bacteria while the methanogens are
strict anaerobes and are inhibited in the presence of oxygen; the facultative bacteria are able to
reproduce in both the presence and absence of oxygen. The methanogens also have a unique
nickel-containing cofactor as cellular components and exhibit a general resistance to antibiotics
and toxic organic and inorganic substances.
The digestion of organic material into gaseous elements involves several stages:
− Fermentative bacteria breakdown carbohydrates, lipids and proteins into simpler soluble
compounds, which are further, fermented to volatile organic acids, CO2 and hydrogen.
− Acidogenic bacteria process the organic acids to acetate.
− Methanogenic bacteria process the acetate to methane and CO2.
These bacteria reproduce most readily within three temperature ranges: the psychrophilic at
15°C/59°F, the mesophilic at 35°C/95°F and the thermophilic at around 55°C/131°F.
What materials can be digested?

Almost all, organic materials produced by agriculture and society can be anaerobically digested.
The exception, being the biopolymer lignin, which occurs in wood and other fibrous material.
When waste materials such as animal manures, food wastes, grease trap sullage, sewage,
household organic wastes and agricultural wastes are confined in a specially heated tank called
a digester these waste materials readily break down into biogas, which is a mixture of methane
and carbon dioxide. The proportion of methane to carbon dioxide varies but is usually around
65 to 70%. Biogas can be burned to produce hot water or steam, electrical power and even run

a motor vehicle.
How much biogas can be produced from wastes?

Generally speaking between 90 and 100 cubic metres of biogas can be produced per tonne of
municipal waste.
How much electricity can be produced from biogas?

Depending upon the methane content of the biogas and the conversion method, around
1.5-kilowatt hours of electricity can be produced from each cubic metre of biogas.
Conclusion.
The use of anaerobic digestion for the conversion of organic wastes to an energy-rich gas and
humus-like compost is well known and practised worldwide. It is a viable and cost-effective
technology, which is poised to eliminate land filling, reduce CO2 emissions by offsetting fossil
fuel combustion and recycle nutrients for agriculture and horticulture.
Image: (c) Simon Krzic | Agency: Dreamstime.com
EM type microbial innoculants cultured in molasses, rice bran and water

when sprayed in stables and farm yards help to digest animal waste
thereby reducing odour. They also help create an ecological environment
that promotes health and well being.

APPENDICES 115
Aerobic cultures
EM TYPE MICROBIAL CULTURES
These are aerobic, microaerophilic and facultative bacterial species that require oxygen for
most of their metabolic processes. EM bacterial cultures as described further in this publication
are treated in a very different manner than the anaerobes. However in the application of these
cultures similar techniques are employed.
Nutrients must be added to supply needed elements and a higher level of isolation or sterility
must be employed. The anaerobes exist in the filthy real world of animal guts, swamps and
coal seams and contain several species that if ingested by humans may cause stomach upsets if
ingested.
The aerobes on the other hand, particularly the EM cultures are developed specifically for
human and animal ingestion for their antioxidant and ormus properties. Thus the techniques
used to brew these cultures must include the aseptic. Consider that an EM culture is much like
homebrewed beer, which in fact it is except the alcohol levels are less than 0.5%.
All apparatus and ingredients for EM cultures that are brewed for human consumption must
conform to the highest standard of cleanliness. Any person consuming an EM brew must be
confidant that the product conforms to at least homebrew standards.
Applications of EM Type Cultures

These can be applied to all aspects of human and animal nutrition.
EM grower’s symbiotics: the sharing of cultures and foodstuffs produced during the
cooperation between people of like mind can do wonderful things and enhance our short life
on this planet.
Odours and flies in stables: the use of EM cultures as “disinfectant” (not a good word) for
stables and milk production areas is increasing. Simply spraying EM cultures can have great
effects on the breeding of stable flies and other pathogenic species.
Backyard cleanups for organic gardening: In areas possibly sprayed with DDT or other
compounds of similar toxicity to humans and natural organisms the use of EM brews can assist
markedly in the reduction of toxic substances allowing the growth of organic foods free from
these deleterious substances.
Compost toilets: the addition of EM brews to organic toilets is encouraged, but from experience
the use of anaerobic culture in the first stage is encouraged. If the system is such then the use of
EM cultures may be very beneficial.
Compost heaps: the addition of EM brews to compost heaps will assist the naturally occurring
bacteria to carry out their job and to provide other nutritive factors. The vermicultural compost
heap will benefit immeasurably because of the other bacterial species assisting the worms.

Recipes
Silage: the use of EM cultures mixed with crop wastes currently ensiled with molasses or
other materials can be incorporated to provide silage with much enhanced nutritive and health
benefits for the animals, which after all are for production of milk or meat.
Compost tea: the addition of EM cultures to compost barrels or vermicultural setups can allow
for the production of compost tea, which can be sprayed onto the foliage of herbs and crop
plants to enable the growth of beneficial organisms on the foliage both enhancing the growth of
the plant and consumers of the plants as food.
Soil prep for organic gardening: in this case land which has not been used for vegetable
gardening or crop production can be inoculated with EM cultures enhancing any natural biota.
About Stephen Lucks: Dip App Sc (Chem), Dip R&AC, MAIE.

Stephen has been involved in Research and Development in the broad area of renewable
energy for around 20 years. Over the past 15 years he has developed a number of inventions in
the Waste-to-Energy field, particularly in anaerobic digestion and liquid fuels from biomass. He
has also developed the Solar Air Heater Technology and a Solar Air Conditioner and over the
past 15 years he has received around $140,000 in R&D grants.
Stephen was a Research Fellow with the Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable
Technology Australia (CRESTA) at Curtin University of Technology and is a Research Associate
with the Environmental Technology Centre (ETC) at Murdoch University. He is a member
of the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES), the International Solar
Energy Society (ISES) and the Ethanol Fuels Association of Australia. He is also a member of
the Australian Institute of Energy. He has also worked as a Consultant to UNIDO in Vietnam
supervising the development of household and village-scale anaerobic digestion.
During 2001 Stephen continued his R&D into liquid fuels from biomass and the development
of high-solids anaerobic digestion. A 2-phase high-solids anaerobic digester of 18,000-litre
capacity was developed using waste potatoes as the feedstock. It is probably the only one of its
type in Australia. During 2001 Stephen also lodged 7 provisional patent applications with IP
Australia all relating to waste to energy applications.
In the field of landfill gas extraction, Stephen carried out a research program, which involved
injecting specialised anaerobic bacteria directly into a landfill gas production site. These
introduced bacterial cultures stimulated the production of landfill gas by a considerable amount
and this offers greater returns to the operators of the landfill site by reducing the time required
to deplete the site.

APPENDICES 117
Appendix B
Introducing Dr Weston A Price
About Dr. Weston A. Price
Dr. Weston A. Price, a Cleveland dentist who lived in the

latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries, has
Image (c) Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation
been called the “Charles Darwin of Nutrition”. He dedicated

the latter part of his life to searching for the causes of dental
decay and physical degeneration that he observed in his
dental practice. In his quest for the secrets to optimal health
and well-being, he turned from test tubes and microscopes
to previously unstudied evidence among human beings in
traditional societies.
What he discovered, were several groups of isolated

“primitives” who had perfect teeth, robust health and strong
immunity. The world and its so-called primitive people
became his laboratory. As he travelled, his findings led him to the conclusion that dental caries
and deformed dental arches resulting in crowded, crooked teeth, narrower faces and unattractive
appearance were clear signs of physical degeneration, resulting from nutritional deficiencies.
Price traveled the world over in order to study isolated human societies, including remote
villages in Switzerland, Gaelic communities in the Outer Hebrides, Eskimos and Indians of
North America, Melanesian and Polynesian South Sea Islanders, African tribes, Australian
Aborigines, New Zealand Maori and the Indians of South America. Wherever he found groups
living on their traditional diets, Dr. Price observed beautiful straight teeth free of decay, stalwart
bodies, resistance to disease and other indications of good health.
When Dr. Price analysed the foods consumed by these traditional societies and compared
them to the modern western diet of the time, he found that they provided at least TEN times the
fat soluble vitamins from animal foods such as butter, fish eggs, shellfish and organ meats and
four times the water soluble vitamins, calcium and other minerals.
The importance of good nutrition for mothers during pregnancy has long been recognised,
but Dr. Price’s investigation showed that primitives understood and practised preconception
nutritional programs for both parents. Many tribes required a period of premarital nutrition,

and children were spaced to allow the mother to regain her full health and strength after each
child, thus assuring subsequent offspring of physical excellence. Special foods were often given
to pregnant and lactating women, as well as to the maturing boys and girls in preparation for
future parenthood. Dr. Price found these foods to be very rich in fat-soluble vitamins A and D,
nutrients found only in animal fats.
These primitive peoples with their fine bodies, consistent reproduction, emotional stability and
freedom from degenerative ills stand in sharp contrast to those subsisting on the impoverished
foods of civilisation – refined sugar, white flour, pasteurised milk and convenience foods filled
with extenders and additives.
Through photographic documentation, he was able to show that when these isolated societies
“modernised” and adopted the western diet of processed and refined foods, they began to suffer
the same diseases and degeneration that were suffered in so-called “modern” society. These
included dental decay, crowded teeth, narrower faces, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and so
on. The older children of families that had originally consumed traditional diets were strong and
robust whilst the children born after the family’s diet changed were far less robust and healthy.
This pattern was consistent in all the traditional societies and mirror “modernised” groups that
Price studied around the world, regardless of their race. The popular theory and explanation at
the time was that the narrow faces and crowded teeth was caused by racial mixing but Price
was able to disprove this. From the Maasai of Africa, Swiss Alpine villagers, Gaelic islanders,
New Zealand Maoris, all displayed the same degeneration of health when they abandoned their
traditional diets.
The discoveries and conclusions of Dr. Price are documented in his classic volume Nutrition
and Physical Degeneration. The book contains striking photographs of handsome, healthy
primitives and illustrates in an unforgettable way the physical degeneration that occurs when
human groups abandon nourishing traditional diets in favour of modern convenience foods. In
addition to his work on nutrition, Dr. Price conducted extensive research into the destructive
effect of root canals on health and detailed his findings in his two-volume work Dental Infections
Oral & Systemic and Dental Infections & the Degenerative Diseases. His conclusions, ignored
by the orthodox dental establishment for over 50 years, are now gaining renewed acceptance
as holistic practitioners are discovering that the first step to recovery from degenerative disease
often involves removal of all root canals in the patient’s mouth.
The “primitive” Seminole girl (left) has a

wide, handsome face with plenty of room
for the dental arches. The “modernised”
Seminole girl (right) born to parents who
had abandoned their traditional diets, has
a narrowed face, crowded teeth, and a
reduced immunity to disease.
Images (c) Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation

APPENDICES 119
Characteristics of Traditional Diets
1. The traditional diets of healthy primitive and non-industrialised peoples contain no refined or
denatured foods such as refined sugar or corn syrup; white flour; canned foods; pasteurised,
homogenised, skim or low-fat milk; refined or hydrogenated vegetable oils; protein powders;
artificial vitamins or toxic additives and colourings.
2. All traditional cultures consume some sort of animal protein and fat; from fish and other
seafood; water and land fowl; land animals; eggs; milk and milk products; reptiles; and
insects. If animal products were not readily available, then the tribe often went to great lengths
to acquire them recognising that these were essential to their health and reproduction.
3. Primitive diets contain at least four times the calcium and other minerals and TEN times
the fat-soluble vitamins from animal fats (vitamin A, vitamin D and the X Factor) than the
average American diet. In all traditional cultures, some animal products are eaten raw.
4. Primitive and traditional diets have a high food-enzyme content from raw dairy products,
raw meat and fish; raw honey; tropical fruits; cold-pressed oils; wine and unpasteurised
beer; and naturally preserved, lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages, meats and
condiments.
5. Seeds, grains and nuts are soaked, sprouted, fermented or naturally leavened in order to
neutralise naturally occurring anti-nutrients in these foods, such as phytic acid, enzyme
inhibitors, tannins and complex carbohydrates.
6. Total fat content of traditional diets varies from 30% to 80% but only about 4% of calories
come from polyunsaturated oils naturally occurring in grains, pulses, nuts, fish, animal fats
and vegetables. The balance of fat calories is in the form of saturated and monounsaturated
fatty acids.
7. Traditional diets contain nearly equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty
acids.
8. All primitive diets contain some salt.
9. Traditional cultures consume animal bones, usually in the form of gelatine-rich bone
broths.
10. Traditional cultures make provisions for the health of future generations by providing
special nutrient-rich foods for parents-to-be, pregnant women and growing children; by
proper spacing of children; and by teaching the principles of right diet to the young.

Dietary Guidelines
1. Eat whole, natural foods.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
3. Eat naturally raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats
and eggs.
4. Eat whole, naturally produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/
or fermented, such as whole yoghurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour
cream.
5. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive
oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils—coconut and palm.
6. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.
7. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening
to neutralise phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
8. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in

your diet on a regular basis.
9. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use
liberally in soups and sauces.
10. Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.
11. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
12. Use unrefined Celtic sea salt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite
stimulation.
13. Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed
flax oil.
14. Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane
sugar juice and stevia powder.
15. Use only unpasteurised wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.
16. Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.
17. Use only natural supplements.
18. Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.

APPENDICES 121
Dietary Dangers
1. Avoid commercially processed foods such as cookies, cakes, crackers, TV dinners, soft
drinks, packaged sauce mixes, etc.
2. Avoid all refined sweeteners such as sugar, dextrose, glucose and high fructose corn syrup.
3. Avoid white flour, white flour products and white rice.
4. Avoid all hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils.
5. Avoid all vegetable oils made from soy, corn, safflower, canola or cottonseed.
6. Do not use polyunsaturated oils for cooking, sautéing or baking.
7. Avoid commercially fried foods.
8. Avoid modern soy products. Consume only soy that has been prepared in traditional ways
such as tofu, miso, soy sauce, natto and tempeh.
9. Do not practice strict vegetarianism (veganism); animal products provide vital nutrients
not found in plant foods and are particularly essential for healthy reproduction. Studies
have shown that 2nd and 3rd generation vegetarian and vegan children fail to thrive and
develop serious degenerative illnesses. In animals placed on vegan diets, the offspring do
not survive.
10. Avoid products containing protein powders.
11. Avoid pasteurised milk; do not consume low fat milk, skim milk, powdered milk or imitation
milk products.
12. Avoid battery-produced eggs and factory-farmed meats.
13. Avoid highly processed luncheon meats and sausage containing MSG and other additives.
14. Avoid rancid and improperly prepared seeds, nuts and grains found in granolas, quick rise
breads and extruded breakfast cereals, as they block mineral absorption and cause intestinal
distress.
15. Avoid canned, sprayed, waxed, bioengineered or irradiated fruits and vegetables.
16. Avoid artificial food additives, especially MSG, hydrolysed vegetable protein and aspartame,
which are neurotoxins. Most soups, sauce and broth mixes and commercial condiments
contain MSG, even if not so labelled.
17. Avoid caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea and soft drinks. Avoid chocolate.
18. Avoid aluminium-containing foods such as commercial salt, baking powder and antacids.
Do not use aluminium cookware or aluminium-containing deodorants.
19. Do not drink fluoridated water.
20. Avoid synthetic vitamins and foods containing them.

21. Do not drink distilled liquors.
22. Do not use a microwave oven.
Confused About Fats?
These nutrient-rich traditional fats have nourished healthy population groups for thousands
of years:
• Butter
• Beef and lamb tallow
• Lard
• Chicken, goose and duck fat
• Coconut, palm and sesame oils,
• Cold pressed olive oil, cold pressed flax oil, marine oils
These new-fangled fats can cause cancer, heart disease, immune system dysfunction,
sterility, learning disabilities, growth problems and osteoporosis:
• All hydrogenated oils
• Soy, corn, safflower, cottonseed and canola oil (refined)
• All fats heated to very high temperatures in processing and frying

Image: (c) Hayk Harutyunyan Dreamstime
Butter only went out of fashion after a relentless campaign by the vegetable oil industry
to convince ‘modern’ mothers of the early 20th century that margarine was the ‘in thing’.
Between 1926 and 1990 as butter comsumption decreased so did cancer and coronary
heart disease increase. (Source: A Weston A Price Powerpoint Presentation slide.)

APPENDICES 123
What’s Wrong With “Politically Correct” Nutrition?
“Avoid saturated fats”

Saturated fats play many important roles in the body. They provide integrity to the cell
membrane, enhance the body’s use of essential fatty acids, enhance the immune system, protect
the liver and contribute to strong bones. Saturated fats do not cause heart disease. In fact,
saturated fats are the preferred food for the heart and there are numerous studies that prove this
but they are misrepresented. Your body makes saturated fats out of carbohydrates. The lungs
cannot function optimally without animal fat – many vegans develop respiratory disorders such
as asthma. Saturated fats are particularly essential to babies and children being important for
cerebral development.
“Limit cholesterol”
Dietary cholesterol contributes to the strength of the intestinal wall and helps babies and
children develop a healthy brain and nervous system. Foods that contain cholesterol also
provide many other important nutrients. Only oxidised cholesterol, found in powdered milk
and eggs, contributes to heart disease. Powdered milk is added to 1% and 2% milk.
“Use more polyunsaturated oils”

Polyunsaturates in more than small amounts contribute to cancer, heart disease, autoimmune
diseases, learning disabilities, intestinal problems and premature aging. Large amounts of
polyunsaturated fats are new to the human diet, due to the modern use of commercial liquid
vegetable oils.
“Avoid red meat”

Red meat is a rich source of nutrients that protect the heart and nervous system including
vitamins B12 and B6, zinc, phosphorus, carnitine and Coenzyme Q10. The modern claims of
meat being too acid-producing in the body are unfounded and not based on sound science.
“Cut back on eggs”

Eggs are nature’s perfect food, providing excellent protein, the gamut of nutrients and
important fatty acids that contribute to the health of the brain and nervous system. Americans
had less heart disease when they ate more eggs. Egg substitutes cause rapid death in test
animals.
“Eat lean meat and drink low fat milk”

Lean meat and low fat milk lack fat-soluble vitamins needed to assimilate protein and
minerals in meat and milk. Consumption of low-fat foods can lead to depletion of vitamin A
and D reserves.
“Limit fat consumption to 30% of calories”

30% calories as fat is too low for most people, leading to low blood sugar and fatigue.
Traditional diets contained 40% to 80% of calories as healthy fats, mostly of animal origin.
“Eat 6-11 servings of grains per day”

Most grain products are made from white flour, which is devoid of nutrients. Additives
in white flour can cause vitamin deficiencies. Whole grain products can cause mineral
deficiencies and intestinal problems unless properly prepared.

“Restrict salt”
Salt is crucial to digestion and assimilation. Salt is also necessary for the development and
functioning of the nervous system.
“At least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day”

Fruits and vegetables receive an average of 10 applications of pesticides, from seed to
storage. Consumers should seek out organic produce. Quality counts!
“Eat more soy foods”

Modern soy foods block mineral absorption, inhibit protein digestion, depress thyroid
function and contain potent carcinogens.
Myths and Truths About Nutrition
Myth: Heart disease in America is caused by consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat
from animal products.
Truth: During the period of rapid increase in heart disease (1920-1960), American
consumption of animal fats declined but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially
processed vegetable fats increased dramatically. (USDA-HNI)
Myth: Saturated fat clogs arteries.

Truth: The fatty acids found in artery clogs are mostly unsaturated (74%) of which 41% are
polyunsaturated. (Lancet 1994 344:1195)
Myth: Vegetarianism is healthy.

Truth: The annual all-cause death rate of vegetarian men is slightly more than that of non-
vegetarian men (.93% vs .89%); the annual death rate of vegetarian women is significantly
more than that of non-vegetarian women (.86% vs .54%) (Am J Clin Nutr 1982 36:873)
Myth: Vitamin B12 can be obtained from certain plant sources such as blue-green algae and
soy products.
Truth: Vitamin B12 is not absorbed from plant sources. Modern soy products increase the
body’s need for B12. (Soybeans: Chemistry & Technology Vol 1 1972)
Myth: For good health, serum cholesterol should be less than 180 mg/dl.
Truth: The all-cause death rate is higher in individuals with cholesterol levels lower than 180
mg/dl. (Circulation 1992 86:3:1026-1029)
Myth: Animal fats cause cancer and heart disease.

Truth: Animal fats contain many nutrients that protect against cancer and heart disease;
elevated rates of cancer and heart disease are associated with consumption of large amounts of
vegetable oils. (Fed Proc July 1978 37:2215)
Myth: Children benefit from a low-fat diet.

Truth: Children on low-fat diets suffer from growth problems, failure to thrive & learning
disabilities. (Food Chem News 10/3/94)

APPENDICES 125
Myth: A low-fat diet will make you “feel better . . . and increase your joy of living.”
Truth: Low-fat diets are associated with increased rates of depression, psychological
problems, fatigue, violence and suicide. (Lancet 3/21/92 v339)
Myth: To avoid heart disease, we should use margarine instead of butter.

Truth: Margarine eaters have twice the rate of heart disease as butter eaters. (Nutrition Week
3/22/91 21:12)
Myth: Americans do not consume enough essential fatty acids.

Truth: Americans consume far too much of one kind of EFA (omega-6 EFAs found in most
polyunsaturated vegetable oils) but not enough of another kind of EFA (omega-3 EFAs found
in fish, fish oils, eggs from properly fed chickens, dark green vegetables and herbs, and oils
from certain seeds such as flax and chia, nuts such as walnuts and in small amounts in all
whole grains.) (Am J Clin Nutr 1991 54:438-63)
Myth: A vegetarian diet will protect you against atherosclerosis.

Truth: The International Atherosclerosis Project found that vegetarians had just as much
atherosclerosis as meat eaters. (Lab Invest 1968 18:498)
Myth: Low-fat diets prevent breast cancer.

Truth: A recent study found that women on very low-fat diets (less than 20%) had the same
rate of breast cancer as women who consumed large amounts of fat. (NEJM 2/8/96)
Myth: The “cave man diet” was low in fat.

Truth: Throughout the world, primitive peoples sought out and consumed fat from fish and
shellfish, water fowl, sea mammals, land birds, insects, reptiles, rodents, bears, dogs, pigs,
cattle, sheep, goats, game, eggs, nuts and milk products. (Abrams, Food & Evolution 1987)
Myth: Coconut oil causes heart disease.

Truth: When coconut oil was fed as 7% of energy to patients recovering from heart attacks,
the patients had greater improvement compared to untreated controls, and no difference
compared to patients treated with corn or safflower oils. Populations that consume coconut oil
have low rates of heart disease. Coconut oil may also be one of the most useful oils to prevent
heart disease because of its antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics. (JAMA 1967 202:1119-
1123; Am J Clin Nutr 1981 34:1552)
Myth: Saturated fats inhibit production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.

Truth: Saturated fats actually improve the production of all prostaglandins by facilitating the
conversion of essential fatty acids. (Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation Journal 20:3)
Myth: Arachidonic acid in foods like liver, butter and egg yolks causes production of “bad”
inflammatory prostaglandins.
Truth: Series 2 prostaglandins that the body makes from arachidonic acid both encourage
and inhibit inflammation under appropriate circumstances. Arachidonic acid is vital for the
function of the brain and nervous system. (Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation Journal
20:3)
Myth: Beef causes colon cancer

Truth: Argentina, with higher beef consumption, has lower rates of colon cancer than the US.
Mormons have lower rates of colon cancer than vegetarian Seventh Day Adventists (Cancer
Res 35:3513 1975)

Myths and Truths About Soy
Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after
the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.
Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons)
per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement
for animal foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.
Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralise toxins in soybeans, and are
processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.
Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine
and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.
Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.
Truth: The human body cannot use the compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy; in fact,
soy foods cause the body to require more B12
Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic
function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic
disorders. Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones
and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailability of iron and
zinc, which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy
also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system.
Mega doses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend
toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual
development in boys.
Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy
bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent
osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods
protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an
increased risk of cancer.
Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no
evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one’s risk of having heart disease.

APPENDICES 127
Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent
ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about
4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy,
constipation, weight gain and fatigue.
Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.
Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid
problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.
Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had
the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is
associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease in later life.
Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe)
status.
Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for
GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific
community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern
regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.
Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy
consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone
levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce
their virility.
Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use
large amounts of herbicides.
Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-
added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.
Soy Infant Formula - Birth Control Pills For Babies
Babies fed soy-based formula have 13,000 to 22,000 times more estrogen compounds in
their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Infants exclusively fed soy formula receive the
estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day.
Male infants undergo a “testosterone surge” during the first few months of life, when
testosterone levels may be as high as those of an adult male. During this period, baby boys
are programmed to express male characteristics after puberty, not only in the development of
their sexual organs and other masculine physical traits, but also in setting patterns in the brain

characteristic of male behaviour.
In animals, studies indicate that phytoestrogens in soy are powerful endocrine disrupters. Soy
infant feeding – which floods the bloodstream with female hormones that inhibit testosterone
– cannot be ignored as a possible cause of disrupted development patterns in boys, including
learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder.
Male children exposed to DES, a synthetic estrogen, had testes smaller than normal on
maturation and infant marmoset monkeys fed soy isoflavones had a reduction in testosterone
levels up to 70 percent compared to milk-fed controls.
Almost 15 percent of white girls and 50 percent of African-American girls show signs of
puberty, such as breast development and pubic hair, before the age of eight. Some girls are
showing sexual development before the age of three. Premature development of girls has been
linked to the use of soy formula and exposure to environmental estrogen-mimickers such as
PCBs and DDE.
Intake of phytoestrogens even at moderate levels during pregnancy can have adverse affects
on the developing fetus and the timing of puberty later in life.
Soy Dangers Summarized
High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper,
iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as
soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in
children.
Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders.
In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and
to promote breast cancer in adult women.
Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause
thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid
disease.
Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body’s requirement
for B12.
Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D. Toxic synthetic vitamin D2 is added
to soy milk.
Fragile proteins are over-denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein
isolate and textured vegetable protein.
Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic

APPENDICES 129
nitrosamines.
Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and
additional amounts are added to many soy foods.
Soy foods contain high levels of aluminium which is toxic to the nervous system and the
kidneys.
For further information and references, see www.soyonlineservice.co.nz or westonaprice.

org/soy/dangerisoflavones.html and westonaprice.org/soy/soy_studies.html
Principles of Holistic Dentistry
In addition to his work on nutrition, Dr. Price conducted extensive research into the destructive
effects of root canals, detailed in his two-volume work Dental Infections Oral & Systemic and
Dental Infections & the Degenerative Diseases. His conclusions, ignored by the orthodox dental
establishment for over 50 years, are gaining renewed acceptance as holistic practitioners are
discovering that the first step to recovery from degenerative disease often involves removal of
all root canals in the patient’s mouth. The principles of holistic dentistry, based on the research
of Weston Price, are as follows:
• Eat nutrient-dense whole foods, properly grown and prepared.
• Avoid root canals. If you have root canals that you suspect are causing disease, have
them removed by a knowledgeable and experienced holistic dentist.
• Avoid mercury (amalgam) fillings. If you have amalgam fillings, have them removed by
a holistic dentist who specialises in mercury filling replacement.
• Orthodontics should include measures to widen the palate.
• Extract teeth only when necessary, and then in such a way as to avoid leaving the
jawbone with cavitations, which can be focal points of infection.
About The Weston A. Price Foundation
The Weston A. Price Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt charity founded in 1999 to

disseminate the research of nutrition pioneer Dr. Weston Price, whose studies of isolated non-
industrialised peoples established the parameters of human health and determined the optimum
characteristics of human diets. Dr. Price’s research demonstrated that humans achieve perfect
physical form and perfect health generation after generation only when they consume nutrient-
dense whole foods and the vital fat-soluble activators found exclusively in animal fats.
The Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through

education, research and activism. It supports a number of movements that contribute to this
objective including accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture
feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labelling, prepared
parenting and nurturing therapies. Specific goals include establishment of universal access to
clean, certified raw milk and a ban on the use of soy formula for infants.
The Foundation seeks to establish a laboratory to test nutrient content of foods, particularly
butter produced under various conditions; to conduct research into the “X” Factor, discovered
by Dr. Price; and to determine the effects of traditional preparation methods on nutrient content
and availability in whole foods.
The board and membership of the Weston A. Price Foundation stand united in the belief that
modern technology should be harnessed as a servant to the wise and nurturing traditions of our
ancestors rather than used as a force destructive to the environment and human health; and that
science and knowledge can validate those traditions.
The Foundation’s quarterly journal, Wise Traditions in Food, Farming, and the Healing Arts,
is dedicated to exploring the scientific validation of dietary, agricultural and medical traditions
throughout the world. It features illuminating and thought-provoking articles on current scientific
research; human diets; non-toxic agriculture; and holistic therapies. The journal also serves as a
reference for sources of foods that have been conscientiously grown and processed.
By becoming a member you’ll have the opportunity to receive the informative quarterly
journal: WISE TRADITIONS In Food, Farming, and the Healing Arts and to support our
projects and objectives:
• Nutrient-dense foods, traditional fats, broth is beautiful
• Lacto-fermentation, a campaign for real milk, truth in labelling
• Prepared parenting, soy alert! Nurturing therapies
• Life-giving water, non-toxic farming
• Pasture-fed livestock, community-supported agriculture
To become a member, visit www.westonaprice.org

The Weston A. Price Foundation only accepts contributions from members and/or private
donations, and does not accept funds from the meat or dairy industries.
“You teach, you teach, you teach!” —Last words of Dr. Weston A. Price, June 23, 1948
Copyright: The above section ‘Introducing Dr Weston A Price’ is used with kind permission
from The Weston A. Price Foundation. © 1999.

APPENDICES 131
Appendix C
References
− Anfiteatro, Dominic, Microflora of Kefir grains. http://www.users.chariot.net.au/~dna/
kefirpage.html#kefir-micro-flora
− Dufty, William, The Sugar Blues. By, Warner Books, 1975
− Encyclopaedia of Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition [1993] [pp. 1804-
1808] Edited by R. Macrae, R.K. Robinson, M.J. Sadler sourced from Dom’s Kefir In-site
− Fallon, Sally., Enig, G., Mary, Nourishing Traditions: The cookbook that challenges
politically correct nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. Revised 2nd edition. Washington,
DC 20007: NewTrendsPublishing, Inc. 2001.
− Groves, Barry, Climb Down From the Bran Wagon. http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/
bran_and_cancer.html
− Hertha, Hafer, The Hidden Drug: Dietary Phosphate - Causes of behavioural
problems, learning difficulties and juvenile delinquency. (Copyright holder: Jane
Donlin, 2001 Inquiries to PHOSADD Australia, 112 Amethyst Crescent, Armadale 6112,
Western Australia, www.phosadd.com)
− Howell, Dr Edward, Enzyme Nutrition. The Food Enzyme Concept.
− Mollison, Bill, The Permaculture Book of Ferment and Human Nutrition. Tagari
Publications, Tyalgum Australia,1993. (PO Box 1 Tyalgum, NSW 2484 Australia Ph: 066
793 442)
− Pinto, Vinny, (EM Brew Guide) Fermentation with Syntropic Antioxidant Microbes:
An advanced guide to brewing EM fermented secondary products. Available from
www.scdworld.com
− Price, Dr Weston, A., Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. 6th edition, 14th printing.
La Mesa, CA, USA. Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, 2000.
− Price, Dr Weston, A., Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. 6th edition, 14th printing.
La Mesa, CA, USA. Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, 2000.
− Ravnskov, Uffe, The Cholesterol Myths: Exposing the fallacy that saturated fat and
cholesterol cause heart disease. Washington, DC: NewTrendsPublishing, 2002.
− Schmid, Ron, ND with foreword by Sally Fallon, The Untold Story of Milk: Green
Pastures, Contented Cows and Raw Dairy Foods. New Trends Publishing 4801 W.
Street, NW Washington, DC 20007.
− Tietze, Harald W., Papaya (Pawpaw) The Medicine Tree 2nd edition,1997.
− Weston A Price Foundation. Wise Traditions: In Food Farming And The Healing Arts.
The journal of the Weston A Price Foundation. http://www.westonaprice.org
− Weston A Price Foundation Website: http://www.westonaprice.org
Grainfields B.E Wholegrain Liquid

− AGM Foods Brisbane Qld. http://www.agmfoods.com

Kim Chi and Sauerkraut

− Page 47. Can kimchi cure bird flu? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4347443.stm
and http://www.newstarget.com/005897.html.
− Page 47: Micro-organisms in Sauerkraut Protect Against Small Pox? Reprinted with kind
permission from the Weston A. Price Foundation website. http://www.westonaprice.org/
causticcommentary/cc2001su.html
Kefir
− Great Health to You. http://www.greathealthtoyou.com/serv01
− Encyclopaedia of Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition [1993] [pp. 1804-1808]
Edited by R. Macrae, R.K. Robinson, M.J. Sadler sourced from Dom’s Kefir In-site
Kombucha
− The Godshaer Herbalist Advanced Botanical Centre of Medicine website: http://www.
godshaer.co.uk/kombucha.php
− Antibiotic effects of kombucha: http://www.unibuc.ro/eBooks/biologie/RBL/vol7nr5/art2.
htm
The Science of Meditation

− Scientific American 226: 84-90 (1972) in Meditation – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation.
− Meditation as Medicine: Activate the Power of Your Natural Healing Force. By
Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. and Cameron Stauth. Pocket Books, 2001.
− Stroke: Effects of Stress Reduction on Carotid Atherosclerosis in Hypertensive
African Americans 2000;31:568. http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/search?journalcode=str
okeaha&fulltext=meditation+heart
Recommended reading
− Cancer: Cause and Cure. A 20th Century Perspective. By Percy Weston.
− Cholesterol Myths (The): Exposing the fallacy that saturated fat and cholesterol
cause heart disease. By Uffe Ravnskov.
− Global Spin: The corporate assault on environmentalism. By Sharon Beder, Scribe
Publications Melbourne Australia 2000. Dr Sharon Beder is a professional engineer and
associate professor in Science, Technology and Society at the University of Wollongong,
Australia.
− Modern Medicine: The new world religion. By Olivier Clerc.
− Nourishing Traditions: The cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition
and the Diet Dictocrats. By Sally Fallon and Mary Enig.
− Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. By Dr Weston A Price.
− Seeds of Deception: Exposing industry and government lies about the safety of
genetically engineered foods you’re eating. By Jeffrey M. Smith, 2003
− Selling Sickness: How companies are turning us all into patients. By Ray Moynihans
and Alan Cassels.
− Sugar Blues (The.) By William Dufty, Warner Books, 1975.
− Untold Story of Milk (The.) By Ron Schmid, ND with foreword by Sally Fallon.

APPENDICES 133
Appendix D
Permissions
The author thankfully acknowledges permission to use the following:
Weston A Price Brochure used with kind permission from The Weston A. Price Foundation.
Copyright © 1999. Reprinted by permission of Sally Fallon (24/2/06 email).
− Page 1. Introducing Dr Weston A Price.
Excerpts from the book: Nourishing Traditions, revised second edition by Sally Fallon and
Mary G. Enig Ph. D. Copyright © 1999, 2001 New Trends Publishing, Inc. Reprinted by
permission of Sally Fallon (24/2/06 email).
− Page 20: Some good reasons for making a sourdough bread. Page 452-453 NT.
− Page 41: Remember to soak your nuts. Page 452 and 515 NT.
Excerpts from the Weston A Price Foundation Website: Reprinted by permission of Sally
Fallon
− Page 47: Micro-organisms in Sauerkraut Protect Against Small Pox? Initially entitled: Good Bacteria.
http://www.westonaprice.org/causticcommentary/cc2001su.html)
− Fluffy rice recipe: Caustic Commentary. “Soak Those Grains”. Weston A Price Foundation Journal: Wise
Traditions Spring 2001.
Soy Alert Brochure used with kind permission from The Weston A. Price Foundation.
Copyright © 2004. Reprinted by permission of Sally Fallon (24/2/06 email)
End notes
All trademarked names and registered names are trade marks of their respective owners:
“Efficient Microbes (EM)™”, “Xtra (EM)™” and “Beneficial and Efficient Microbes
(BEM)™” are trademarks owned by Sustainable Community Development (SCD).
“Beneficial Microbes (BM)™” and “BM Ecology™” may be trademarked names belonging
to Crown Biotech and Crown Organics in Australia.
Source of the above trademark information: http://www.eminfo.info/disclaimer.html
EM-1 is a trademark of EMRO.

Source: http://www.eminfo.info/moreem1.html. See also: http://www.emrousa.com/
“Coca Cola®” is a registered trademark of the Coca Cola Company.
“GoodBugs™” and “GoodBugs House and Garden Probiotic™” are trademarks owned by
Abby Eagle.

Image Permissions
Cover design: (c) Abby Eagle
Thanks to the following Health Food Shops for allowing myself and Vince Gallo to take
photographs on their premises.
• East Coast Bulk Foods, James St Burleigh Qld Australia.
• Organic Revolution (O’Rev) Shop 15, 33 Tallebudgera Creek Rd West Burleigh Qld Australia
• Wrayorganic, 19th Ave Shopping Centre Palm Beach Qld Australia.
Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation

Many thanks to the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation for permission to use the following
Weston A Price images:
• Image: Weston A Price. © Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation
• Image: Primitive Seminole girl. © Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation
• Image: Modernised Seminole girl. © Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation
The author gratefully acknowledges the following image agencies and photographers:
• Vincent Gallo 0402 805 262 Gold Coast Qld Australia
• Image: Tanielle - Lateral image of brain (c) Bill Scurfield.
Agency Dreamstime www.dreamstime.com

• Image: ID: 122709 Bread #3 © Photographer: Sean Nel
• Image: ID: 1151813 Fresh Garden Vegetables © Photographer: Sandra Cunningham
• Image: ID: 49186 Wine © Photographer: Odelia Cohen | Agency: Dreamstime.com”
• Image: Papaya Leaves ID: 1979715 © Photographer: Heng kong Chen
• Image: Organic Wheat Grass ID: 2261631 (c) © Photographer: Creativeye99
• Image: Cow’s Stable ID: 1042111 © Photographer: Simon Krzic
• Image: Butter ID: 2468416 © Photographer: Hayk Harutyunyan
• Image: Happy Green Bug ID: 1964754 © Photographer: Roman Dekan
• Image: Sprayer bottle ID: 3430978 © Photographer: Sergey Petrakov
Agency StockXchnge www.sxc.hu

• Image: How Now (Colour) ID # 844382_79088320 Dan Shirley
• Image: Wholemeal Roll3 ID #791207_28551078 (c) Steve Woods
• Image: Bakerman making bread ID #558176_91840956 (c) Toberto Tostes
• Image: Food ID #568568_76513161 (c) Robson Oliveira
• Image: Granville Island Market ID #490721_33298586 (c) Wilf Ratzburg
• Image: Good Hands ID #296925_9410 (c) Sue Kinzelman
• Image: Pressing dough ID #683767_86588394 (c) Peter Galbraith (Email permission)
• Image: Pizza ID #824588_73893901 (c) Anna Tunska
• Image: Bahia - Brazil 2 ID #95040_5218 (c) Marcelo dos Santos
• Image: Coconut and Beach2 ID #598633_15231227 (c) Piotr Bizior
• Image: Papaya1 ID #807056_41553581 (c) Darlene Sanguenza (Sent 2 emails from the
StockXchnge site re use of the image but got no response.)
• Image: A Fat Beetroot ID # (c) Denise Hunter
• Image: Pineapple ID: 28616_8563 (c) Julia Eisenberg
• Image: Drink ID: 889286 (c) Ajay Singh

APPENDICES 135
Appendix E
Resources
For information on sources of apricot kernels, cheese making supplies, EM stock cultures,
organic herbs, kefir grains, raw milk, butter, cream and cheese, etc...
Search the Traditional Nutrition Directory at
www.rejoiceinlife.com/directory-es/

Appendix F
A few testimonials
Read more testimonials at http://www.rejoiceinlife.com/feedback/
Testimony: “I grew up a child of the 50s. While I ate meat and dairy products regularly, I also
ate lots of frozen dinners, cakes and cookies, and other modern processed foods. I got lots of
antibiotics for the strep throats I got once or twice a year. As the years went by, I developed
hypoglycaemia. I always loved to cook, and have always been fussy about fresh ingredients, so my
diet wasn’t as bad as it might have been, but it was loaded with sugar, white flour, pasta, and other
nutrient-depleting foods. When I met and married my current husband, he’d been macrobiotic
for several years, so naturally I adapted my cooking techniques to this new way of eating.
After a number of years of practicing macrobiotics, my digestion was horrible (near-constant

gas and bloating), my menstrual cycle (never regular) completely out of whack (unfortunately,
we were trying to get pregnant at the time, and I suffered three miscarriages and was unable,
in the end, to get pregnant at all), and my skin was lacklustre and constantly blemished.
One day, while shopping at the local health food store, I ran across a book titled “Native
Nutrition” by Ron Schmid, ND (now titled “Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine”). The
premise of the book intrigued me, and I introduced a little meat and raw milk to my diet,
which felt really good to me. A few months later, I heard a radio interview with Sally Fallon,
and immediately ordered a copy of “Nourishing Traditions” -- which I read cover to cover
in about a day, following up with Weston Price’s “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration”.
I stopped eating soy immediately (I’d been drinking easily 8-16 ounces of soy milk a day), and
started cooking with butter. I kept eating all the vegetables I ate while macrobiotic, but served
them with butter and Celtic sea salt. I started eating meat and fish nearly every day. I soaked all
my grains and cooked them in delicious homemade meat broth. I began taking cod liver oil and
stopped all other supplements. My digestion improved within weeks, and my skin as well. My nails
got stronger, and my hair noticeably thicker. My stamina and energy started to pick up, as well.
Most intriguing to me was the change when I went to the dentist: for months, she’d been
concerned about some deep pockets that had been forming in my gums, particularly towards the
back teeth. When embarking on this new dietary adventure, I decided to stop flossing entirely
to see if diet would really make a difference. Imagine my dentist’s surprise (and mine) when
the next cleaning came: all the deep gum pockets were gone, and the actual texture of my
gums had changed from weak and easily damaged to strong and healthy. She asked if I’d been
flossing twice a day and massaging my gums, because she couldn’t imagine how else things
had changed so quickly. (I never had the nerve to confess that I’d stopped doing both, but did
mention my diet change, which she had to acknowledge had made an amazing difference.)
Now, some five years later, I have a very different relationship with my body than I have had for
much of my life. My stamina and overall energy are steady and strong. I haven’t gotten a single
winter cold or flu for five years. My menstrual cycle, wildly variable for virtually my entire life, is
like clockwork (I attribute this to raw dairy, and a number of other women I know have commented
on the same thing). My skin is clear, my hair is thick and bouncy, my blood sugar remains stable (I

APPENDICES 137
lost chocolate and sugar cravings when I got enough protein and fat into my diet), and I’m a healthy
camper! My husband’s health has changed, too, for the better (and his teeth and gums are stronger).
As a chapter leader, I’ve seen numerous instances of improved health in people returning to a
more natural way of eating. A few examples: the mother of a young boy says her child is the only
one in his class who doesn’t get colds every winter. A paralegal who works gruelling hours says
she virtually never takes sick days any more, and never gets the flu, even when others around
her are dropping like flies. A young graphic designer, usually unable to get through insane
deadlines without getting sick at least once, sailed through her tough schedule in perfect health.
My nearly 80-year-old mother switched to this diet six months ago (from frozen dinners,
many of them loaded with tofu and vegetable oils, commercial breads, and other poor quality
foods to fresh meats, sourdough breads, lots of fermented vegetables, and raw dairy), and I
am seeing her slowly but quite visibly return to a more vibrant, energetic version of herself.
There’s so much more that could be said, but suffice it to say that this way of eating -- hardly
a “diet” in the typical sense of the word, but simply the most delicious, natural, intuitive way
to eat imaginable -- is life changing, and I am profoundly grateful to all those who have made
this invaluable information available!” Victoria Bloch, Wise Traditions Los Angeles, A local
chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation. http://www.wisetraditions-la.com. 21 June 2004
     
Presenting Problem: “Coeliac, that is gluten in wheat, rye, oats, yeast in bread and not able to
tolerate dairy products. Villi in intestines lie flat, food is undigested, etc. I had these problems
for sixty years.”
Testimony: “I was diagnosed at the age of five years in 1944 when little was known . Most
of my childhood I was ill. In the year 2003 I read Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon from
cover to cover. Having nothing to lose, I wholeheartedly ate unpasteurised cream and butter and
the difference has been astounding for my health. For the first time ever, I feel satisfied having
eaten a normal meal. I now know that with the unpasteurised cream and butter all my food is
digested. I have communicated this to many other coeliacs and people with irritable bowel
syndrome, and also many others who have wheat allergies. My health is so good that in 2003 I
walked the Camino trail from France to Santiago in Spain, and this year a distance in Austria;
all up a total of 2,380 km.
I am a grandmother and found walking in France, Spain, Austria and Switzerland that
unpasteurised cheese, cream, butter and milk is sold freely. It is their tradition, which the
Swiss subsidise for their organic farmers. My small backpack was carrying their traditional
unpasteurised cheese day after day without ever being refrigerated prior to eating -- and my
health flourished with walking an average of 24 km per day.
For me and others, it is essential for our well being to purchase freely unpasteurised cream,
milk and butter. I might add that prior to four years of age, that was all my family had. Once
milk was pasteurised -- BIG problems. Thank you for this opportunity to have my say in this
democratic country.” Jocelyn Helen Mackinnon (Joss). Beechmont Qld Australia. June 2004

     
Presenting problem: “Allergies, chronic sinus infections, chronic athlete’s foot, insulin
dependent diabetes. How long: Sinus infections all my life. Diabetes for 10 years and athlete’s
foot infections since the diabetes developed.”
Testimony: “Nutritionists: recommended very low fat, whole grains, no red meat, lots of soy.
I did just what they told me about 15 years ago: ate lots of brown rice and soy, lots of fruit,
exercised vigorously (karate) for 10 hours per week. That’s when I developed diabetes.
Supposedly I was doing the very things they say will prevent diabetes! I was very frustrated
trying to control diabetes on a high carb diet. Nutritionists were clueless, they couldn’t believe
the low fat diet was not the answer.
Three years ago I found the Weston Price information and started really following natural,
traditional foods, like those I grew up with. We were never sick while I was growing up, and
we lived on wild game, fish and shellfish caught by my family or commercially wild-caught,
vegetables from our garden. Some from the store too, of course, and white bread, but still...
I have been more carefully following this way of eating for two years, as best I could, and
my immune system improved dramatically. A year ago I found a source for raw Jersey dairy,
grass-fed eggs, chickens. I already had a source for grass-fed organic meats. I make homemade
sourdough bread, sauerkraut, pickles, all recipes from my mother and grandmother. I use organic
fruits and vegetables, some of which I am growing myself on my apartment balcony! I make
bone broth’s and have them daily. I drink/eat about 3-4 cups of raw milk and 1-2 ounces of
raw cheese daily, some of the milk made into kefir, and I use raw butter. Usually I have meat/
poultry/or fish one meal daily since through dairy and eggs I get protein, much of it raw. I have
a daily salad and lots of vegetables, fruits in season. I was brought up eating raw eggs (in salad
dressings, etc.) and very rare meat, so that was easy to continue.
I have not had a cold or flu, nor any yeast-type infections such as athlete’s foot for two years,
although the infections used to be chronic and I got colds/flu three or more times a year. This
is an amazing improvement considering that diabetes is considered to damage the immune
system.
The diabetes still is a challenge to control with insulin, and I am still fighting with my doctor
who wants me on blood pressure pills and Lipitor, but it’s my opinion that eating foods that
nourished our ancestors for thousands of years instead of fake crap food that’s only good for
the marketers can only help me. My doctor does say I control my diabetes better than 80-90%
of diabetics. I am also now dealing with menopause with herbs and natural remedies and that
seems to be helping.
My mother is a wonderful cook, and she is working on following many of these same principles,
although they still drink a little low-fat pasteurised milk. She and my father therefore are very
healthy and active in their late 70’s.” Ann Bekins, age 51. Occupation: H.R. Assistant.
     

APPENDICES 139
Appendix G
Recommended books
Nourishing Traditions: The cookbook that challenges politically correct
nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats.
By Sally Fallon and Mary Sally Enig.
The Diet Dictocrats Don’t Want You To Know That:

− Your body needs old-fashioned animal fats.
− Newfangled polyunsaturated oils can be bad for you.
− Modern whole grain products can cause health problems.
− Traditional sauces promote digestion and assimilation.
− Modern food processing denatures our foods but
− Ancient preservation methods actually increase nutrients in fruits,
nuts, vegetables, meats and milk products!
Nourishing Traditions Will Tell You:

− Why your body needs old fashioned animal fats.
− Why butter is a health food.
− How high-cholesterol diets promote good health.
− How saturated fats protect the heart.
− How rich sauces help you digest and assimilate your food.
− Why grains and legumes need special preparation to provide optimum benefits.
− About enzyme-enhanced food and beverages that can provide increased energy and vitality.
− Why high-fibre, low fat diets can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
− Why children need diets rich in animal fats to attain optimal development.
Sally Fallon is the Founder of A Campaign for Real Milk (www.realmilk.com) and President of the
Weston A. Price Foundation (www.westonaprice.org). She is the editor of the Foundation’s quarterly
magazine Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts and has published articles in a number
of alternative health publications including Nexus Magazine, The World & I and the Townsend Letter
for Doctors and Patients. A resident of Washington D.C., she is the mother of four healthy children.
Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., of Silver Spring, Maryland, is an expert of international renown in the field of
human biochemistry and lipids.
Reprinted from the cover of Nourishing Traditions

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration

By Dr Weston A Price
The enduring classic work on how what we eat shapes us…for better or worse.
The Deadly Diet

Circling the world in the 1920s and ‘30s, Dr Price and his wife found the
same sinister pattern among ‘primitive’ populations, whether isolated Irish
fishermen, tribal Africans, Pacific Islanders, Eskimos, North and South
American Indians or
Australian Aborigines. Those groups that followed their traditional nature-
based diets enjoyed good health and vigour, and those that turned to the
‘civilised’ diet of processed, sugar-laden foods soon developed a variety of
ills, including misshapen bones and teeth - and the situation worsened with
each generation.
Dr. Price’s fascinating accounts of his discoveries, and the extensive photo documentation he provides,
drive home the nutritional truths that are only now gaining general understanding, and Nutrition and
Physical Degeneration remains an unequalled source of basic information - a “must for anyone seriously
interested in the effects of food on health.” (Robert M. Cathcart, M.D.)
Reprinted from the cover of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.
The Untold Story of Milk: Green Pastures, Contented Cows and Raw Dairy
Foods
By Ron Schmid, ND
Ron Schmid, ND, naturopathic physician, writer, teacher and farmer, has
prescribed raw milk for his patients for nearly 25 years. The author of
Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine, Dr Schmid is a graduate of MIT
and the National College of Naturopathic Medicine. He has taught at all four
American naturopathic medical schools and served as Clinic Director and
Chief Medical Officer at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic
Medicine.
“This fascinating and compelling book will change the way you think about
milk. Dr Schmid chronicles the role of milk in the rise of civilisation and in
early America, the distillery dairies, compulsory pasteurisation, the politics
of milk, traditional dairying cultures and the modern dairy industry.
He details the betrayal of public trust by government health officials and dissects the modern myths
concerning cholesterol, animal fats and heart disease. And in the final chapters, he describes how scores
of eminent scientists have documented the superiority of raw milk and its myriad health benefits.
“Raw milk is a movement whose time has come. This book will serve as a catalyst for that movement,
providing consumers with the facts and inspiration they need to embrace Nature’s perfect food.”
Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions

and President of the Weston A Price Foundation.
Reprinted from the cover of the Untold Story of Milk

APPENDICES 141
The Cholesterol Myths: Exposing the fallacy that saturated fat and
cholesterol cause heart disease.
By Uffe Ravnskov.
Dr. Ravnskov has done a magnificent service with a scholarly book that
gathers a vast body of impressive evidence and will surprise many with true
facts from research studies. The book is a must reading for all interested
persons and certainly should be required reading for all nutritionists and all
physicians who treat patients. Ray H. Rosenman MD Former Director of
Cardiovascular Research, SRI.
Whether diet plays a major role in disease is a question that interests us all.
Author Ravnskov has a mission: To inform his readers that there is another
side to his question than the view usually presented to us...Many with
establishment views will regard Dr. Ravnskov as a crank.
That would be a grave mistake. He has done his homework, he is not a lone voice in the wilderness and
he deserves to be taken seriously. Above all, this book will make us think more deeply about the true
role of diet in heart disease and about quality of the information that we receive. Michael Gurr, PhD
Renowned Lipid Chemist.
“But what about heart disease?” This is the response of many Americans when advised to consume
the foods of their ancestors, foods like butter, whole milk, eggs and meat. Fear of saturated fat and
cholesterol has put a solid brick wall between the consumer and satisfying nutritious food - and filled
the coffers of the food processing industry. Dr Ravnskov’s measured and clear-eyed analysis actually
serves as a sledgehammer that breaks down barriers to healthy, sensible eating. Sally Fallon Author of
Nourishing Traditions.
Reprinted from the cover of the Cholesterol Myths.

Appendix H
Mind body healing

The Science of Meditation
Studies have shown that meditation can Lateral image of the brain.
lower the biochemical byproducts of stress,
such as lactate, decrease heart rate, lower
blood pressure, and produce favourable brain
waves. (Scientific American 226: 84-90,
1972)
Other studies show that, “Long-term

meditators experience 80% less heart disease
and 50% less cancer than non meditators.”
(From Meditation as Medicine By Dharma
Singh Khalsa, M.D. and Cameron Stauth.
In a study published in the journal Stroke

in 2005, 60 African-Americans with
hardening of the arteries practiced
meditation over a 6-9 month period. The meditators showed a significant decrease in the
thickness of their arteries while the non meditators showed an increase. (Stroke: Effects of
Stress Reduction on Carotid Atherosclerosis in Hypertensive African Americans 2000;31:568)
Over the last few decades neuroscientists have used sophisticated brain scanning technology
to study the brains of long term meditators. What they have found is compelling: The right
amygdala is associated with survival instincts: fight or flight, fear, anger, rage, aggression
and negative emotions. The left amygdala is associated with positive emotions. The left
hippocampus is associated with internal dialogue and negative expectations. The right
hippocampus is associated with no mind states, positive expectations and inner vision.
During meditation the right amygdala quietens down and the left one becomes more active;
and the left hippocampus quietens down and the right one becomes more active. Also the right
prefrontal lobe which is associated with anxiety quietens down and the left prefrontal lobe
which is associated with happiness, joy, bliss, compassion and altruism becomes more active.
The parietal lobe which is associated with visuospatial processing and the distinction between
yourself and the world quietens giving you a sense of oneness. (Source: The Brain – Engineered for
Divinity by Peter van Houten, M.D. http://www.ananda.org/meditation/support/inspiration/brain.html)
Studies have shown that meditation can help with:

• Normalising blood pressure. • Eating disorders.
• Reducing anxiety. • Addictions.
• Reducing stress. • Negative emotions.
• Reversing heart disease. • Scholastic performance.
• Stopping smoking. • Sports performance.
• Weight loss.

APPENDICES 143
Appendix I
About the author

Abby Eagle followed the consumer trend and experimented
with vegetarian and vegan diets for 20 years. Twice he was so
ill that he thought his time on this Earth was nearly finished.
One day Kyle Grimshaw-Jones, a Naturopath friend who he
had not seen in a few years, suggested that he buy a copy of
Nourishing Traditions and look at the Weston A. Price website.
This was the turning point in his health. Abby dropped the
vegetarian, high soy, low fat, high carbohydrate attitude and
learned to embrace traditional nutrient dense foods such as raw
milk, butter, cream and kefir; consume pasture fed lamb, beef,
liver, heart, and chicken with the fat; make gelatinous bone
broths; eat fatty fish and saturated fats such as lard, beef fat and
coconut oil; bake his own sourdough bread and cakes; and
culture sauerkraut and lacto fermented beverages. His health dramatically improved but it still
took about 4 years for him to recover from some of the damage done by the vegetarian / vegan
diets. During that recovery period Abby immersed himself in learning about traditional nutrition
and shared his knowledge every couple of months at a Sunday afternoon workshop teaching
others about traditional nutrition.
He built a website, www.rejoiceinlife.com, where he published some of his recipes and created
a number of directories to help people find local sources of traditional foods. Even though
Abby’s focus has now shifted onto running his meditation school the website still continues to
attract an increasing number of visitors each month. Abby was the Gold Coast Chapter Leader
for the Weston A Price Foundation from about 2002 – 2006.
He has a Diploma in Applied Science (Biology). He spent 12 years working as a laboratory

technician in the Department of Botany at the University of Western Australia before
backpacking across Indonesia. He then travelled to the USA to visit a commune in Oregon that
later became a benchmark for land reclamation, and has spent some time in India. Abby is a
Master Practitioner of NLP and Ericksonian Hypnosis and has over 20 years experience in the
personal growth field and eastern meditative techniques. Abby Eagle lives on the Gold Coast,
Queensland Australia. (17/06/2009)

About the reviewers
Filippa Araki has had a lifelong interest in nutrition and lifestyle. She was a committed
vegetarian/vegan for 17 years, however, she developed health problems including gallstones
and a hormone imbalance. Her quest for a cure led her to Sally Fallon’s seminar in 2002 where
she became convinced that her diet was the main cause of her health issues and that she had
a responsibility to her as yet unconceived child to consume animal products. She changed her
diet by first introducing raw milk and then gradually weaned herself onto meat and other animal
products. Her health was transformed and she subsequently gave birth to a very healthy baby.
Hence began her commitment to spreading the teachings of the Weston A Price Foundation,
in particular with regards to pre-conception and pregnancy diets as well as appropriate diets
for babies and young children. Filippa became Gold Coast chapter leader for the WAPF in
2007. She can be contacted at filippa91@yahoo.com.au PO Box 349, Tugun, Qld, Australia.
(10/06/2007)
Emily Stokes is a writer/editor living with her family on top of a huge sand dune on the deserted
beach of Broadwater in Northern NSW. She has five years experience as a copywriter in the
advertising industry, and nearly two years experience as a full time mum – the most challenging
and fulfilling thing she has done to date. Emily is currently returning to writing and editing
work, and is also producing an online magazine that gives practical tips for conscious living,
centred around the topics of nutrition, parenting, healing, and green living. For more details
email thewordgarden@hotmail.com (23/06/2007)
Kyle Grimshaw-Jones: At the age of 13 I had a health crisis in which I was taken out of
school for several months. I studied and used alternative health disciplines to heal myself. I
then decided to study them formally, informally, and eventually in a post-graduate setting.
My main qualifications are Bachelor of Applied Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Diploma of Applied Science in Naturopathy, Naturopathic Physician, and Remedial Therapist.
Having experimented with many different cleanses and diets for quite a while (fruitarian,
vegan, vegetarian, etc.) I am now content to model the diets that humans have been compelled
by nature to eat for thousands of years, which preserved them in good health, and produced
healthy fully-formed offspring. In 100 years time, the collective influence of diet on the human
species will have had a certain result. If the dangerous trends of compulsive vegetarianism
and veganism were allowed to transform the diets of everyone on the earth, I think in 100 years
time the humans that then existed will be a stage further in the process of degeneration than we
are now.
I used to believe the ‘best’ diet was either or combinations of the following: the most
cleansing diet; the diet that removed all of the symptoms; the diet that gave best results in the
short term; the diet that supported intensive meditation the most; the diet that stopped the need
for killing animals, etc. Whilst I still respect the sentiments of these and other belief systems,
I can no longer support them as the best diet for eliminating long-term suffering from our
human species, particularly when I see child after child being born which, according to Dr
Weston Price’s observations, are showing the signs that he associated with a lack of certain vital

APPENDICES 145
nutrients resulting in a generalised narrowing of the middle third of the face, shoulders, pelvis,
nostrils, etc. and the lack of room for all of the teeth (including the wisdom teeth) from lack
of width of the associated cranial structures. I see this all around me, every day, from sincere
people who thought they were doing the right thing. In the name of ‘non-violence’, violence
is perpetrated on the unknowing offspring, robbing them of their birthright.
In 100 years, the only diet that will have improved the health of humans on this planet, is the
diet that leads to the restoration of proper nutrition resulting in a properly formed dentition,
and cranial and physical structures, and freedom from degenerative disease in the offspring
we are producing right now. Many of the current trends in diet have a very short-term view
of health, and are missing this incredibly important focus for the future generations to come,
resulting in deficiencies of vitamin A (true retinol, not beta-carotene), vitamin D (in amounts
that cannot be produced in the skin at certain latitudes), vitamin K2 (NOT the K1 form that
occurs in vegetables), vitamin B12 (the requirement of which is drastically elevated for in
pregnancy, and deficiencies of which can affect the brain and central nervous system while
blood indicators for it are completely normal), Zinc, Selenium, and also having potential for
considerable imbalances/deficiencies of other nutrients also.
Sometime around 2002 I formed the first Australian chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation
(www.westonaprice.org and www.westonapriceaus.org.au) and my heart feels good knowing
that it has spread, and that now many local chapters exist. Please repeat after me “The health
of the next generation depends on what I and We do now. Their bodies will be formed with
the nutrient balance and availability that I and We eat today. In 100 years, that will show the
influence of our diets on the next generation, and the future health of humanity.”
Please learn everything you can about this and help your friends to do likewise. Please learn
to think ahead. Physical bodies are made out of physical food. If you want to make a child
in a year’s time (which will be born about 9 months after that!), then change your diet NOW,
whether you’ll be the father or the mother. And even if you aren’t planning on it, change it
anyway - life is full of surprises! If you want to have another child, then wait three or four
years since the last one, and build up your nutrition in between.
The biodiversity of our food sources is reducing greatly. Many rare breeds are becoming
extinct from lack of consumer demand. Buy food with the farmer’s face on it!, and support
small-scale local producers who keep these breeds alive. Simply not eating animals doesn’t
help these breeds survive. If you don’t give money to the farmer, he can’t afford to keep these
breeds alive, and the gene pool becomes narrower, and more fragile.
If you have a spiritual belief that you shouldn’t eat anything from animals that is fine and
I would never ask you to change it. Just make absolutely certain that you don’t breed, and
become completely willing to accept the consequences of this choice on your own body. There
are too many humans on this planet, and we have grossly disrupted the natural balance of
things. The solution to this is not for us all to become vegetarian (to decrease our environmental
impact). The solution is to make less people. Regards, Kyle Grimshaw-Jones ND, RT. www.
conscioushealing.com.au. (11/06/2007)

Appendix J
Conversion tables
1 teaspoon = 5 ml / 5 gm.
1 tablespoon = 15 ml / 15 gm.
15 tablespoons = 1 cup / 225 ml.
1 cup = 8 fluid oz / 225 ml.
1 US gallon = 3.6 litres.
1 lb = 16 oz / 454 gm.
Temperature 20°C = 68°F.
Conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius: °C = (°F - 32) / 1.8.
Conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit: °F = °C × 1.8 + 32
One teaspoon of sugar weighs approximately 2.5gm.
YOUR FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS ARE

WELCOME
Feel free to send your comments, either by email or post, to Abby

Eagle including your full name and contact details.
Email: abbyeagle@rejoiceinlife.com
Post: PO 902 Palm Beach Qld 4221 Australia
www.abbyeagle.com

Aprende A Cocinar Con Lo Hacia Tu Abuela

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LEARN HOW TO

COOK THE WAY

Abby Eagle Dip App Sc (Biol)

A NOTE TO THE READER

Rcc1.doc grandma book.indb

Work in progress. Edition 1.7

Gold Coast Australia

The recipe site is at:

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

The author at O’Rev in West Burleigh.

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

Why is traditional nutrition

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

CULTURED DAIRY PRODUCTS

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

SPROUTED GRAINS, NUTS AND SEEDS

To remove the antinutrients from almonds soak

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

How to culture food with

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

USES FOR KEFIR GRAINS AND KEFIR

HOW TO CULTURE KEFIR

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

As fermentation is dependent on a number of variables: temperature, time, quantity, activity of

HOW TO MAKE KEFIR CREAM

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

HOW TO MAKE A LIGHT CREAM CHEESE

HOW TO MAKE KEFIR WHEY

HOW TO MAKE A RICHER CREAM CHEESE

HOW TO MAKE A KEFIR BUTTER

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

HOW TO MAKE GINGER BEER TYPE BEVERAGES WITH WATER KEFIR

Image (c) Dan Shirley

Raw milk from cow, goat, yak, buffalo and sheep

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

Image (c) Sean Nel Dreamstime.com

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

How to make a sourdough

1. Bacteria: Lactobacilli and other bacteria.

To make a sourdough starter you need only four things:

1. A Container: Glass, Ceramic or Wooden.

− Kefir whey or kefir grains.

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

PROCEDURE FOR MAKING A SOURDOUGH STARTER

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

PROBLEMS WITH A SOURDOUGH STARTER

Because every locality has its own unique

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

A simple flat bread recipe

Types of flour that can be used for flat breads.

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OVEN BAKE METHOD

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAN FRIED METHOD

The above flat breads were photographed at an Arab bakery

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

Make the Sponge

Make the Dough

 Abby Eagle School of Meditation 

SOME GOOD REASONS FOR MAKING A SLOW-RISE SOURDOUGH BREAD