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FarmgirlGen
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Genevieve
Chicago
IL
USA
7 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 11:21:36 AM
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Hi, MamaCrunch,
Good question! I write MaryJanesFarm's Urban Homesteading column, and I'll be teaching Pickling and Lacto-Fermenting classes for MaryJanesFarm Day at the Creative Connection event in St. Paul this September (www.thecreativeconnectionevent.com). You should come! But let me see if I can answer your question...
From what I understand, Ball has discontinued Pickle Crisp, and it contained only Calcium Chloride. As you've probably discovered, most lacto-fermenters use oak leaves, grape leaves, or horseradish leaves to crisp their pickles, though I wouldn't say you've ruined yours.
A lot depends on quantity. Calcium Chloride is a salt that can lower the pH of the solution (make it more acidic), which is a generally favorable environment for lacto-fermentation. It will also make the water "harder." However, depending on the quantity and concentration used, it can make conditions unfavorable for fermentation. I wouldn't panic about the results. Natural fermentation is a remarkably resilient process, so just continue to monitor the pickles. In particular, keep checking for unusual smells.
I hope that helps! It would be fun to have you in the class, so consider signing up, and let me know if you have any other questions.
Gen
Genevieve
http://thealchemistblog.wordpress.com
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Lacto-fermented pickles
