Honey Fermented Strawberries

This is an easy recipe for summer because it uses only fruit and honey and does not require high heat! I like to make small batch fermentation recipes, so I can test, adjust and scale at another time. This is also a short fermentation method, lasting only a couple of days. You can start and end this before you head on your next trip!

While the thought of preserving food with honey may seem a little unorthodox, it's actually one of the oldest methods in existence. In fact, some historians claim that 10% of all preserved foods were fermented with honey during ancient times. Honey fermentation is a great way to preserve fruit without adding other ingredients.

Honey, like sugar, is naturally acidic and does not support bacterial growth. However, unlike sugar, it also contains antibacterial properties, which help keep your fruit ferments safe from spoilage.

In this fermentation method, the wild yeasts (good bacteria) feed on sugar molecules such as glucose or fructose from fruits, vegetables, or honey (for example) and convert them into carbon dioxide gas and ethanol alcohol—which makes wine alcoholic! The fermentation will go faster in warmer weather, so keep this in mind! Check out this recipe for lavender-infused honey to see another example.

• Mason Jars: some folks will reuse a jam jar or use their own pint jars or containers, but I tend to use a glass mason jar that has been thoroughly cleaned and hot water or sanitized
• Fermentation weight: the key with this kind of fermentation is that the food remains below the line of honey creating a good environment for fermentation to occur.
• Wooden Spoon: When working with raw honey and fermented food, it's a good idea to start with a clean spoon usually a wooden spoon but it is disputed as to whether using metal spoons will impact the fermentation process.

• Strawberries - getting fresh berries from the garden or farmstand is a good idea, but grabbing a pint of strawberries from your local market or will probably be the easiest move, especially if they are on sale!
• Raw honey - ⅔ cup I using raw honey is important in order for the natural yeasts to ferment the strawberries.

In a clean jar, add your fresh fruit

Top with 1 cup of raw honey (or more if you like it sweeter)

Cover with a lid and leave to ferment at room temperature for 3 days. Stir every day. If you see bubbles along the top and sides, you know it's working!

Move to the refrigerator after three days.

How to serve your preserved strawberries? The options are endless! h

• Mix them in a fruit salad or use them in place of fresh strawberries in a recipe.
• Try it as a sweetener like in this strawberry lemonade.
• Use the syrup as a base for homemade sodas, or add it to sparkling water for an easy summer drink.
• Add the berries to plain yogurt and some granola, then top with seeds from a vanilla bean pod (or make your own vanilla extract).
• You could also try serving them alongside cheese on a cheese board.

• The most important thing about any fermented food is cleanliness. Make sure that every single ingredient is clean and free from dirt, mold, and bacteria before you begin making this recipe.
• Honey fermented strawberries are best stored in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to three weeks. After that, if you notice any signs of mold, discard them immediately.

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