Fermenting foods

I don’t even know how long I have been fermenting food. It sort of crept up on me. I suppose having a live sourdough starter, which I’ve had for over 20 years now, was the beginning (bread is after all, a fermented food too). Then my brother gave me some kefir grains to help with psoriasis (it did help!), and then at some point after that I started making sauerkraut and its many variations. For years now it is rare that I go a day without consuming something fermented at home – kraut, kefir, garlic in honey, hot sauce, lemons, …the list goes on.

A selection of ferments from our kitchen

We started running workshops in 2019 but they soon stopped for COVID and we never restarted them, and more recently we have concentrated on our gluten free sourdough workshops.

Fermenting is really a kind of slow cooking – it helps to make otherwise indigestible foods suitable for our consumption, but using process of controlled rotting instead of heat.

For lacto-fermentation we use salt and restrict exposure to oxygen to ensure that the right kind of bacteria thrive and pathogenic microbes are kept at bay. The result is food

that tastes amazing and actively benefits our health in many ways via the actions of the live bacteria, including:

• immune system regulation

• gut lining support and balanced inflammation (via production of short chain fatty acids)

• liver function support

• break down of uric acid

• production of vitamin K (supporting blood clotting and strong bones)

• absorption of serotonin – supporting mood and a feeling of wellbeing

This is all a long way round of say that it is time to start up our fermentation workshops again. If you would be interested in coming along, please get in touch.