I shared our secret kimchi recipe and my mom is furious | Fermentation Station

Kevin Ross · 2026-02-27T20:50:44.256508+00:00

I got too excited about my fermentation project and put the family kimchi recipe on my blog. Now my mom says I broke trust by sharing something that was only for us. Is it ever right to share private fermentation methods with everyone?

norag386mo ago

Yeah I used to think recipes should be free for everyone, but my grandma's mole incident changed my mind completely. Watching her face fall when she saw her sauce in some grocery store... it wasn't about food anymore, it was about taking a piece of our family story and selling it. Some things are just supposed to stay in the kitchen, passed down with the stories that go with them. Your mom's hurt makes sense, that recipe was a part of your family's private world.

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rosee826mo ago

My friend in Portland had this amazing blackberry pie recipe from her aunt, written on a card that was stained with berry juice. She let a local bakery try it once, and next thing you know they were selling their version as "classic northwest blackberry pie." It wasn't about money, it was like they took a memory that wasn't theirs. Recipes can feel like handing someone a photo from your family album without asking first.

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mary_wells6mo ago

Putting the family kimchi recipe online is like handing out keys to your house. Some doors should stay locked. rosee82's blackberry pie story shows how recipes hold memories, not just steps. When my aunt's soup recipe got copied by a neighbor, it felt cheap, like they took the story without living it. Your mom trusted you with a piece of your family's history, and now it's just another blog post. Respect that anger, it comes from a real place.

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