Ferment karaoke, augmentation and sourdough

Curiosity and a sense of adventure will take you far.

Ferment karaoke

Have you started eating or drinking a ferment or ferments on a regular basis? What are the challenges? What are the positives? The truth is, we are all different in terms of our enthusiasm, our reservations, our home environment and the barriers to and motivations for doing so. I recently taught at a fabulous ferment intensive in Portugal, run by Ferment Academia. Lack of enthusiasm for ferments was not an issue among us, and this was clearly demonstrated when we played a game I created with Mara King a number of years ago called Ferment Karaoke. For this “game”, attendees and knowledge sharers, alike, bring any kind of ferment with them and take their turn to talk about it. Then we all get to try a little of each of the ferments presented. It was quite an incredible session because the variety of ferments was simply staggering. And I got to taste nearly all of them! People had attended the intensive from all over the world and what really struck me was the wide variety of lived experiences, home environments and climates in which people ferment. This immense diversity was reflected in what people chose to ferment and how they did it. Fermenters and their practices are grounded in place and context and this means that hanging out with people from different regions and cultures immediately and exponentially extends one’s ferment horizon in the most brilliant of ways.

There really is a beloved ferment for EVERYONE if the impetus for curiosity and experimentation can override stasis. Maybe there is room for ferment karaoke in your home? Simply being prepared to try different ferments in curiosity and with a spirit of adventure? Microphone not required!

Building a regular ferment habit, like any kind of behaviour change, takes time. The most important thing in my mind, is that you start somewhere. And that, ideally, you do so sooner rather than later. Have a look at the updated World Ferment Day web pages on my website for inspiration.

I have created a “New to ferments” page, which I hope might be a helpful starting place. There are all sorts of practical resources for you there.

If ferments already have hold of you, in what ways might you spread the microbial love? In your work life? In your home life? In both? Could World Ferment Day provide the impetus? Do also have a read about our fabulous World Ferment Day ambassadors – each of them experienced fermenters who walk the ferment walk rather than just talking the talk.

And if you know and love a ferment from your part of the world or your culture that you want us to add to our brand new World Ferment Day recipe repository, get in touch. Between us we are going to build our own online world ferment karaoke!

For paid subscribers, consuming ferments is the coolest form of augmentation and find out about my latest sourdough adventure.