Hello! My name is William, I’m 25 years old and I’m currently living in Bergen, Norway. And since 2018 I’ve become a fermentation enthusiast. It is thanks to the book called The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz that got me hooked on fermentation. The book details out the process of fermentation throughout history and different cultures. It’s quiet incredible the amount of recipes Sandor has tried and shares. At home I’ve always got multiple mason jars full of different mixtures bubbling away. Some need just a couple of days to ferment others ferment for months.
From a young age I would love the taste of sour gherkins but I never thought that through fermentation you get that delicious sour tang! Or how surprisingly simple and infinitely better it is to make your own gherkins. I’ve also grown up loving that sour taste through eating my Dad’s seed rich sourdough bread. He originally got the starter from a friend in Denmark 25 years ago. I’ve adopted the same starter now, likewise has many others friends and family members. This starter has grown a large international family tree. I’ve previously had a bottle of elderflower juice in the fridge for too long resulting in spontaneous fermentation. I’ve always thought that it’s a sign of going bad and ended up throwing it away. Little did I know that it was full of good lactic acid bacteria and yeasts and had developed a new depth of taste. I also remember as a kid my parents keeping a bottle of home made elderflower cordial outside the fridge causing it to explode due to over carbonation. Quite a shock and what a waste! That carbonation is a sign of yeasts and bacteria vigorously fermentating.
I’ve studied environmental science at the university of Bergen and I have a big interest in sustainable living and how to live a life that is more in tune with natural systems. I find that fermentation fits nicely into this ethos as it’s such a great way to preserve food. It allows me to live more seasonally meaning I don’t need to buy as much food flown in from abroad. This is especially the case here in Bergen were growing seasons are short and it gets cold quickly. I love bringing a new ferment to my family to try and to hear their rating. Not every ferment is quiet as successful of course but that’s part of the fun! One learns so much through experimenting. I try to eat some fermented food at least once a day and my favourite combination to start the day is a slice homemade sourdough bread, a fried egg and some sauerkraut. Give it a try!
Creative Fermentation 