Julie O’Brien and Richard Climenhage run a small company in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle called Firefly Kitchens, devoted to making fermented foods. The company was founded in 2010.
Climenhage, a former high-tech executive, became intrigued with fermented foods about 10 years ago after a nutritionist suggested he consume more fats and fermented food. It cured the chronic heart palpitations that he had endured for two years.
“Six weeks and two days after changing my eating the palpitations were gone, never to return,” Climenhage said. “So I was sold. I started making my own sauerkraut and never looked back.”