Fermentation is DIY
This has finally become a series. I feel the need to explain (even to myself) why I am so hooked up to fermentation. Even the definition of the word is confused and heterogeneous. For this reason, I will collect some posts tackling the subject from various perspectives. I will try to explain what fermentation is and why it is so important to me. The format, as you guessed it, will be called Fermentation is …
I’ve always had a fascination towards DIY. However I never surpassed the obastacle of starting off. All classical DIY activities require some kind of tool, more or less expensive, more or less cumbersome. Arduinos, 3D printers, soldering tools, woodworking tools. This has never been compatible with my (student first and big city then) lifestyles.
Once I started playing around with microbes and vegetables, it soon became clear that I was creating something that I was used to buy at the supermarket. Yogurt, vinegar, tempeh, sourdough bread are all shelf products that can be done at home, with several advantages.
they taste better (or at least they taste more personal)
Industrial processes are very optimised, of course. They will study every detail of the production and improve it as much as possible. However the stakes are never just quality, but also profitability, ease of production and distribution, shelf life, food safety laws, etc. All these constraints make it easy for home producers, to do obtain a better result with lesser means. For instance, if you care for quality, the best temperature for making yogurt is 35 degrees celsius. Most of the yogurt we find in the supermarket is produced at 42 degrees, because it takes less time. Refrigeration is also a reason why industrial products are less good. Fresh tempeh is like fresh bread, it is so fragrant compared to sous vide refrigerated one.
you get to know how things are made
Along my journey I discovered so many thing about food, that I didn’t even know I didn’t. (weird sentence) it’s impossible to make an example because, I wasn’t aware at all of the relation between microbes and food conservation. The biggest realisation I had, however was that no matter what we think or like, most of the food we eat is actually fermented at some point of its production. From chocolate to cured meat, beer to cheese, I could go on and make it a very long list, but I will control this urge.
sometimes it’s even cheaper
This is the case for food artisanal food. If we care about quality we’ll have to move from industrial to artisanal products, but of corse they will be more expensive. If we compare to the prices of industrial product, they are hard to beat with homemade ones. Although some case they are easy to be beaten, like yogurt and kefir. However if we compare with artisanal ones, it becomes convenient to make also bread, kombucha and many other stuff.
you’re less reliant on industrial processes
I cannot overstate the satisfaction of buying at the store the raw products, like milk, sugar, beans, instead of packaged or bottles transformed products. As a direct consequence I also buy way less junk in form of packaging.
If you think about it, these are all aspects that define the DIY movement. I found myself into it without knowing it. I just entered by the back door.
