Kimichi and Kraut to open the new year

(right before arrivals)

This past Sat, i had my first class of the year: Kimichi and Kraut: Makin' Old-School Foods. i was a little nervous about my first class after a crazy 2 weeks of being ill and another week of playing catch-up with life in general, but we had a great turn-out of people wanting to learn how to make fermented goodies. PLUS this was my first fermentation class...go away nerves!!!
2 students were familiar faces from my Laguna Beach class...(PS a GREAT gift is spending time together). i also happened by strange chance to meet Blair and Ando who live in Idaho (their last day in OC was taking my class!). Blair is studying sustainable food with an emphasis on preservation and knew more than i did....great for the nerves right!
This was an incredible group of people-all around a table filled with cabbage, radish, salt and ginger (the smell lasted the whole day!) and more than that...i have to say i was inspired by everyone there...washing and drying dishes was actually a ton of fun!...if only every day could be like this.

the next Kimichi and Kraut: Makin' Old-School Foods will me close to st. patties at the store, but there should be a few more classes popping up elsewhere...more to come!
here are some photos of the workshop:

(purple cabbage kraut-a little tough to work with!)

(Blair showing her Kimichi that she will finish later that day)

(the rest of the group making kimichi-yum!)

(preparing napa cabbage for kimchi)