Photos by Linda Campos

Kraut, kimchi and kombucha—they’re all related. Consider them close cousins in the fermented foods family. At Pigeon Cove Ferments of Gloucester, husband-and-wife team Dylan and Kristen L’Abbe-Lindquist make all three products, which contain natural probiotics beneficial to your digestive health. Four years ago the couple started experimenting with different sauerkrauts and kimchi, then about two years later they began making the fermented tea called kombucha.

Sauerkraut, or simply kraut, is naturally fermented cabbage. Pigeon Cove makes seven varieties, including plain, garlic dill, turmeric ginger and peppered caraway. “Kimchi is simply Korean sauerkraut,” says Dylan. His version of the popular Asian condiment, made with Napa cabbage, Daikon radish, carrots, scallions and spices, is vegan, made without the traditional fish sauce.

Fermentation may sound complicated and possibly off-putting, but the age-old process is simple, as time and natural bacteria do their part. To make sauerkraut, the couple mixes shredded cabbage and salt, packs it into large fermentation vessels and starts checking it after one month. The product is then refrigerated and ferments for one to two months more. The result is crunchy, sour cabbage. “There is no vinegar added,” says Kristen. “They’re not pickled products.” Rather it’s lactobacillus, a bacterium that occurs naturally and causes the fermentation. Lacto-fermentation is the process where the combination of fresh vegetables and salt creates an environment hospitable to the bacteria you want and keeps out bad bacteria, explains Dylan. The lactic acid produced in the process helps preserve the vegetable and is what makes it taste sour.

Pigeon Cove’s krauts and kimchi are packed into jars and stamped with a use-by date six months from the packaging date. Even after the jar is opened, the product will keep (tightly sealed and refrigerated) for the same period of time. “These fermented products are full of probiotics,” says Dylan. “And it’s better to get them from food than a pill.” Kristen adds, “It’s the healthy bacteria that create a healthy environment for your gut.”

The company buys all of its vegetables from local sources. Green cabbage comes from Alprilla Farm in Essex. Napa cabbage, Daikon radish and other items for making kimchi come primarily from Ipswich’s Appleton Farms. Cedar Rock Gardens in Gloucester and Iron Ox Farm in Topsfield are two other sources for ingredients.

If you’re wondering how best to enjoy sauerkraut and kimchi, the L’Abbe-Lindquists have suggestions: Pile some onto chicken or turkey sandwiches; serve it alongside fish dishes or scrambled eggs; mix it into salads. Add sauerkraut to a bagel with cream cheese, with or without the lox. Try a grilled cheese sandwich with a heaping portion of kraut—the sour, crunchy cabbage makes a nice contrast to rich, melty cheese—tucked between the bread slices. You can keep with tradition and spoon sauerkraut on top of a hot dog or bratwurst, or simply place some kraut in a bowl and serve it as a side dish.

Kombucha is also full of probiotics and antioxidants. It tastes slightly sweet, a little sour and is fizzy from the fermentation. Pigeon Cove uses a blend of green and black teas, sugar for the fermentation action, natural flavorings and kombucha culture to start the fermentation process.

“We have fun experimenting with different seasonal flavors,” says Kristen. The company’s year-round options include jasmine lavender, hibiscus ginger, pineapple chamomile and blueberry cinnamon.

Whichever member of the family you enjoy—kraut or kimchi or kombucha, or all three—these fermented products are easy to add to your repertoire of good-for-you foods.

pigeoncoveferments.com

This story appeared in the Winter 2021 issue.