Could Kimchi Be The Next Salsa?

Here's to hoping: "Kimchi is on the verge of becoming the next salsa ... it's great on hot dogs," according to one Food Arts magazine editor Jim Poris in the Chronicle's loving how-to homage to the fermented cabbage that is Korea's best export and cultural liaison. And for anyone (myself included) who has ever wondered exactly what kimchi is, the fermenting process is broken down nicely:

"Given enough time and the proper conditions, airborne bacteria will convert a raw vegetable's carbohydrates, or sugars, into lactic acid, thereby lowering the pH - a measure of acidity - enough to keep the vegetable safe to eat for months."

Photo courtesy/Wikipedia

-- Brian Bernbaum