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| Moat |
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| Crock base |
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| Lid |
Many months ago I was asked by a local friend and farmer to make a German fermentation crock. I had no idea what she was talking about. She started describing a large gallon-sized crock with a moat around the top for water to make a seal that would keep out the mold and bacteria. She sent me some pictures to clarify my fuzzy understanding. It wasn't entirely clear to me how I would make this work, so it went on the back burner. The holidays came and went, personal grief entered my life, and I wasn't in the studio much. As I was getting back to work after all of this, I had a second person ask me to make one. I gave it some more thought, and the solution finally hit me. I'm not sure why it took so long, but it did and I've finally taken on both commissions. I made the moat separately and adhered it to the top of the large crock with some coils once it was leather-hard. I am very pleased with the final result. Considering they are made in three pieces, you have to add a knob, and they are quite large, it is a lot of work to make these. However, I do plan on making many more of these to sell out of my studio and possibly online. I personally find them interesting, and I believe there is a market for them.
Fermented foods are certainly recognized as healthy. Several years ago I read the book
Wild Fermentation and was intrigued. My husband went right after the sauerkraut, but I remember feeling like I wish that we had a good vessel for making it in. I am making inserts to go along with these crocks so that will weigh down the vegetables to submerge them in the liquid. I think that is one of the places where we went wrong, but it is the water seal that I believe will make the biggest difference. Eventually I will make one of these that is sub-par, and it will find its way into my own kitchen alongside all of the other mediocre things that I've made that aren't fit for selling. It's sad but true; however, I do look forward to giving this fermentation thing a go in a proper crock.
