It's time to make fermented foods when we felt mild air. In addition to my Georgian yoghurt which was continued home fermentation for these 14 years, I started making sauerkraut of German food recently.
I added dried chili, black peppercorns, and bay leaves for the flavour.
お好みで香辛料など加えて （唐辛子やブラックペッパーなど） （風味付けにベイリーフ）
Shake the bag to let the inside combine well. Release excess air from the bag, then leave it in the room temperature until it starts to ferment. (around 3～6 days, depends on the temperature)
When the color of cabbage green changed to yellowish, and when it began to show some little bubbles in the bag, that means it fermented.
Try to taste, acidity is slightly felt. Yay, it did !!! It can be stored in the fridge for 3～4 weeks. We can enjoy it with our everyday meal, while the fermentation gradually advances and the taste deeper day by day.
Homemade sauerkraut always ready in the fridge! It becomes handy addition to salad, to make the looks colourful and attractive, to make the taste delicious, also we can get great benefit for our healthy gut. Sauerkraut helps to increase the number of desirable bacteria and to restore the correct balance beneficially in our gut.
TOFU DRESSING : Mash soft type of tofu (100g), mix with Kombu-kelp dashi-stock powder (or Kombu-cha), Sushi-vinegar mixture, olive oil, and a little of sweetener if you like. Then squeeze lemon.
Originally, the fermented food, which the microbe which was in the natural world attached to the food, were created accidentally. We thank for the benefit and would love to use it deliciously.
The guests who came last week were a Japanese couple who lived in Auckland. The husband (Tatsuru) was a senior student of the same high school (Niigata, Japan) of my husband, so we enjoyed talking about their school days! And, surprisingly he participated in the "Ultra Easy 100km marathon". But it's not easy at all !!! It's crazy 100km with mountain runs in the hottest weather over 35 degrees.
Jan. 25th （Thu) : The couple (Tatsuru & Karino) arrived, had a rent-a-car, then went out for the inspection of the course with some exercise lightly. ちょっとしたハプニングで、クイーンズタウン空港で予定していたレンタカーが借りられず、バスにてワナカ入り。 (その後、ワナカでレンタカーを借りることに。） 到着早々に、コースの下見と軽く足慣らしとのことでお出かけ。
Jan. 26th （Fri) : The day before of the race. There was an explanatory meeting in town. ゆっくり体力温存。 町で行われたレースの説明会に参加。 出場者への激励メッセージは・・・「がんばらないでください！」 だったそうです。 というのは、この地域全体が、この夏は既に記録的な猛暑であり、この耐久マラソンの日は、過去最高気温を更新する予報が出ていたからです。 死人が出てはたいへん！ 翌早朝（午前2時）出発に備えて、建さんは明るいうちにお休みになられました。
Jan.27th (Sat) : They went for Luggate at 2am, to be at the start point. At 3am, the race was started in the dark! After Karino sent her husband into the race, she came back here for another sleep. When 7 hours passed since the race was started, we went for his support together. 27日（当日）午前10時半頃になって、かりのさんのサポートに、私たちも加わって応援に駆けつけました。
We waited Tatsuru at the one of the station point on the Cardrona road, where was the 51km spot (at the middle of the whole distance).
レースの約半分の地点 にある本部付近 カードローナ・ロード沿い で建さんを待ちました。
While seeing off runner one by one, we finally found him in the distance. ポツリ・ポツリとランナーを見送る中、 ようやく建さんの姿！ （この時点で すでに山岳51kmを走っての到着）
He was supplied drink and food here. However, there was no banana which was important food. He looked a bit disappointed not to get it which he expected
Then begun to run again..... 建さんは後半50kmに向けて、また雄大な景色の中に小さくなってゆきました。 We knew the uphill slope to Snow farm waits soon ahead. The temperature was 35.2 degrees, which was recorded the highest one of Wanaka anew on that day.
After around 5 hours in the late afternoon, we got a contact from him that he decided to finish. That was great decision! So relieved that he was able to get back safely. Well done in such a hard condition of heat wave.
Jan.28th (Sun）： Rest day! There was a prize giving at Albert town tavern. 午前中にプライズ・ギビング（表彰式）があるとのことで、アルバートタウンにお出かけ。 その後予約しておいたスポーツ・マッサージを受けて・・・
夜は我が家でお疲れ様ディナー
Then we enjoyed dinner together.
Jan.29th (Mon) : They left Wanaka in the fresh morniing. ワナカ滞在の目的を果たしながらも、「そういえば観光は何もしなかったね」と、 バスの出発間際に、レイクフロントの桟橋で記念撮影。 清清しい朝、素敵なご夫婦を見送りました。 Thanks for the visit, will see you again.
Afterwards, an article about the heat wave and the marathon was in the newspaper.
By the way, the change of temperature! It is unbelievable that snow capped mountains were appeared suddenly last week, and now the feeling is autumn...
Alanta passed away 3 days ago. It was 6 years ago, a turning point came to her who prepared for death once. She decided to come to Wanaka to became our family member. Obedient Alanta was always behind BJ. She loved to lie in my vege garden box (I know it was nice and comfortable to lie on soft fluffy soil). She smashed the buds of vegetables often and was got angry by me!
In the early summer, she enjoyed walking around in the beautiful path of lupine in full glory.
Playing in the water with BJ on the hot day of midsummer.
真夏の水遊び
Unusual scene of walking side by side together.
性格も運動能力も違うBJとアランタ、ウォーキング･スタイルもそれぞれ 勝手に思い思いに。
こんなふうに一緒に並んで歩く ことはめずらしいのです。
We all were healed by the quietness at the lakeside.
湖畔の静けさに 癒される・・・
4月、黄葉に包まれた 秋の散歩道
In the gold of autumn leaves
Alanta had a cataract. She was given eye drop and tablet not to progress it. To prevent from putting a burden on her body, we gave special homemade food to her instead of dog food for a while.
Finally she lost her sight and hit her face around for these months, but she had still good appetites until the day before. The next morning, her breath was gone quietly with very calm face. Her happy life of 11 years came to a close, and she left for another world.
ひさこさんにお願いして届けてもらった
Spring is in full bloom !
Just chop cabbage (1kg) thinly
Shake the bag to let the inside combine well. Release excess air from the bag, then 
Beautiful colour inside!
It becomes handy addition to 
One of the filling for the sandwich, 
Cut fresh vegetables 
We waited Tatsuru at 
夜は我が家でお疲れ様ディナー
In the gold of autumn leaves
Alanta had a cataract. She was given eye drop 
勉強は遅れてるけど料理は得意！
