Before you try Gill’s recipe on p36, here’s some more info on lacto-fermentation, the process that cold-ferments the pickle. The term refers to a specific type of bacteria (lactobacillus), often found on low-growing plants as well as in dairy and meat products. Unlike potentially harmful bacteria, lactobacillus helps to preserve, rather than spoil, food and can thrive in salty environments without oxygen.
As the lactobacillus bacteria set up camp, they convert lactose and other sugars into lactic acid, a natural preservative that gives fermented foods their distinctive flavour.