a couple of thoughts about fermenting and cooking containers

 Just what I learnt thru trial and error...

- wide mouth containers are the easiest to use when placing or removing stuff inside, and when cleaning. These are four Horlicks bottles in front are ones that I use most often. The one on the right is clear like the rest. It just looks black coz there is a dark purple floral vinegar fermenting inside. The left one is the only one I can fit my hand into...

- for containers my preference is glass. Only if I dont have glass I use plastic. I dont use metal containers. The main reason I prefer glass is coz I can bake it as an extra step after cleaning with soap and water. Also I am more confident whatever is sitting in the container, no matter how hot, or how low the pH, or how salty, is going to react with glass less than plastic or metal. 

- Plastic and melamine is easier when it comes to handling bigger volumes, and safer if you drop it!!

- for covers I prefer plastic over metal. Plastic doesnt react to salt. I learnt this from putting cooking salt in a plastic container with a metal cover. The inside of the cover was coated with plastic. But over time, due to handling or salt abrasion, the inner lining was breached and the exposed metal began to rust. Plus it rusted faster due to salt (ask any car owner who lives or works by the beach). In the earlier picture, the 2 on the left have fully metal covers. They are also old and rusted. So they are of no use if I want to seal it for storage, or for shaking up the contents. 

- For utensils, my preference is wood. Only if I dont have wooden utensils, I use plastic. The problem with wood is that it does leach something into hot liquids. All the ones I own I have placed in boiling water and soaked them till the water has cooled. All have coloured the water. Could be tannins, or whatever curry we used it to cook with. The pores do hold some residue. But plastic is worse coz whatever that leaches is invisible. 

- clear glass is better than translucent coz I like to see whats happening inside. This is an example where I cannot see clearly the movement of the fermenting ginger beer due to using a translucent vodka bottle...

 I try to stay away from opaque glass or ceramics if it has a small mouth coz I dont know if there is any old residue stuck to the walls.