Project updates, round like, 7th or whatever

 So yeah lets do a quick roundup of all the projects I'm working on and will look into in the foreseeable future.

I got a block of shiitake mushrooms, hadn't intended on growing them out right away but they had other plans and started popping small fruits out right away, so the block now sits on a dish on my kitchen counter, covered by bubble wraps and I'm watering it twice daily.

The other kind of mushrooms, the fun ones, I haven't looked at since early last year. The weather's getting better and my weather control technologies are getting better too, very soon when I have some spare time that's what I will be looking at.

Kombucha goes suspiciously slowly, the pellicle hasn't come up in any of the three separate samples I've been working on. The good news is the flavor is there, and I think I know where I messed things up (too strong tea, not the right kind of sugar, step feeding, not enough oxygen), so any 1-hour block is enough for me to get back on the train. I'm not worried about that.

Milk kefir has worked swimmingly well, even the milk separations have gone down, the final products have been widely appreciated, that's as good as I can get, should start looking into flavorings, fixins and carbonating soon enough. Lots of activities there.

Water kefir situation is a bit more mixed. Not enough carbonation, but the sugar has definitely turned sour. I've tried the first few batches and didn't 'get it'. The wrong kind of sugar (I was using powdered) may have been leading me astray, so two days from now I'll know exactly where I lie. Also started the first batch of carbonated fruit juice water kefir so that's something to look forward to.

Rice wine has progressed the furthest it has ever, got the right kind of rice, figured out steaming situation, and have the enzyme, yeasts, and the jars. The only wait is to get in the right 'mindset' hahah. Maybe this weekend, or the upcoming week, we'll see.

I bought a small block of tempeh from TJ's to use as a starter. I'm afraid it's been pasteurised and won't be able to complete the job I assign it, but since I don't intend on a big bean round, it won't be a massive loss. Maybe better ones from the Indonesian store will make the progress easier. Regardless, I need to get beans for that. Maybe I'll use the nasty canned beans I got.

Natto, thinking of buying natto from a japanese store and using that as a starter.

My kimchi gallon jar is finishing soon, looking into making some myself. As well as fermented veggies (sauerkraut or what have you) because why not.

Really want to do Kanji but there's always competing instructions online, dunno if it'll be worth it.

For flavorings, the dried orange peels might be good. Thinking of getting myself some chinese roses or dried gurans to flavor my drinks and projects, that should be going well. Of course, actual fruit juices and frozen fruits are always an option.

Millet wine (Tongba) is on the scope too, if anybody will buy me millet grains. And the containers related, that seems like a lot of investment, tbqh. Dunno if I'm ready yet.

Got my eyes on beet kvass too, been seeing some solid beets at the farmer's market, gotta get on that train sooner than later, I'm thinking, with so many empty jars.