Page 19 - Valley Table - Spring 2022

Some Like It Hot
Spicy, flavor-packed, and uber healthy thanks to probiotics from fermentation, kimchi is a superfood trend (thanks to its probiotic benefits) that shows no sign of slowing down.
BY MEGAN WILSON
IF YOU’VE NEVER TRIED KIMCHI, WE FORGIVE you for being wary. Spicy, sour, pickled veggies isn’t what most Americans crave. But if you like sauerkraut you will probably like kimchi, and if you care about your health you should definitely give it a try: this anti- inflammatory, immune-boosting Korean staple is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics, which are highly beneficial for the gut. Here are three authentic brands worth checking out.
FORWARD ROOTS
SuIn Park knows her way around a kitchen. Ever since
she was young, she has been fermenting with her mother who, as someone who ran a business seven days a week, appreciated the ease of throwing ingredients in a jar and letting the fermentation process take care of the rest. Park describes these experiences with her late mother as her roots (which contribute to her brand’s name), and are the base of her philosophy toward her ferments. “Food is our common humanity. Feeding each other is a way to learn and appreciate one another, cultivate relationships; [food] opens the door to welcome others in,” she says. A jar of
her original kimchi sauce (which won the Specialty Food Association’s sofi Award for best sauce in 2020) contains onion, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and salted shrimp,
all traditional ingredients in Korean kimchi paste. Park recommends adding a spoonful atop seafood, ramen, salads and more, or using it to make kimchi with your choice of vegetables. Other products in her line include cabbage kimchi kraut, kimchi olive oil, and sweet and mildly spicy kimchi almonds. Find Park at your local farmers market
to stock up on some of her fresh kimchi—made with cabbage, carrots, scallions, and of course, the kimchi sauce. forwardroots.com
WHERE TO BUY: Online; Pleasantville Farmers Market; Hastings Farmers Market; Irvington Farmers Market; Beacon Farmers Market; Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Farmers Market; Chappaqua Farmers Market; Hemlock Hill Farm, Cortlandt; Taste NY at Todd Hill, Lagrangeville
SMALL TOWN CULTURES
Nearly a decade ago, Cori Deans found herself diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease: Crohn’s. Even with elective surgeries and medication, she still felt constantly
18 THE VALLEY TABLE
MARCH – MAY 2022
PHOTOS (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) COURTESY OF SMALL TOWN CULTURES; FORWARD ROOTS