Workshops

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We are keeping up-to-date with current COVID-19 guidelines from Yukon Government and are redesigning our workshops accordingly.

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In our workshops you will explore a variety of fermentation methods and learn how to successfully make delicious fermented sides to keep your meals vibrant all year-long. Whether you are working with vegetables, legumes or cereals, in collaboration with lactic-acid bacteria or fungus, you will have a chance to try it yourself and gather information about the right conditions to keep these beneficial micro-organisms thriving. If you are ready to take healthy nutrition to the next level, to treat your taste buds and guts with food that is alive, you are in the right place.

Lacto-fermentation helps regenerate populations of bacteria embedded in our evolution and source of all life. It is the oldest, cheapest and greenest preservation technique. Not only does it pre-digest our food, breaking down compounds that are hard or impossible to assimilate, but it increases nutrient bio-availability, even generating additional nutrients.

What is lacto-fermentation?

All workshops include:
– Handouts on health and practical benefits of fermenting
– Samples of our fermented products
– Step by step demonstration and recipes
– Hands-on experience
– A jar to take home what you make!

INTRODUCTION TO VEGETABLE FERMENTATION

Vegetable lacto-fermentation is a rich, inspiring, worldwide tradition, that dates to at least 160 BC in the Roman written records. It has evolved from a simple, efficient preservation method to a modern-day health food trend. Whether brined whole or shredded and salted, fermented vegetables can be adapted to local ingredients and connect us with culinary traditions. Thanks to the beneficial bacteria responsible for the fermentation process, these living foods contain deep and subtle flavours and increased nutritional value.

In this 3-hour beginner workshop, you will learn the basics of lacto-fermentation, both dry-salting and brining techniques, as well as the health and practical benefits provided by lactic-acid bacteria. You will leave with handouts, a jar of kraut and a jar of pickles ready to ferment at home! Seasoned fermentistas will also get inspired by new tips and recipe ideas, in-depth troubleshooting support and the sharing of experiences. You will have a chance to taste our ferments and try different fermentation tools. Everything is included, we only request that you bring your own knife, an apron and closed toe shoes.

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KIMCHI

Proudly celebrated through Korean family traditions and festivals, kimchi is an integral part of Korean food culture. Trying to make an “authentic kimchi” can be daunting, since it calls for techniques and ingredients that are not always common or readily accessible in North-American culture. After exploring kimchi’s origin and different ways of making it, we propose a vegetarian version that uses some traditional methods while remaining approachable to new fermentistas.

In this 3-hour workshop, you will start with the basics of lacto-fermentation to learn how to make kimchi “beyond the kraut-chi”. You will be introduced to complex fermentation processes involving both dry-salt and brining methods, as well as a fermented paste with raw and cooked ingredients. On top of tasting various kimchi recipes, and the display of different fermentation tools, fermentistas will enjoy a visual presentation of vegetable fermentation traditions from around the world, including kimchi culture. You will leave with handouts and a jar of your own kimchi ready to ferment at home! Everything is included, we only request that you bring you own knife, an apron and closed toe shoes.

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APPLIED FERMENTATION

Fermenting is healthy and fun, and vegetable ferments make great sides to any given meal… but it’s even better when they become the heart of your recipes. You can easily transform your kraut and pickles into bold condiments for further fermentation, and make condiments that are fermented from scratch. From hot sauces to mustard and relish, apple compote, cranberry chutney and preserved lemons, the variations are endless. Moreover, fermented vegetables are just waiting to be the star of a dish, added towards the end of a preparation to preserve their health benefits or cooked in for added tangy flavours. When it comes to applying fermentation knowledge to home-cooking, it is an invitation to the expert fermentista for a fantastic exploration.

In this 4-hour advanced workshop, you will build on the basics of lacto-fermentation to learn how to incorporate ferments into preparations, work with multiple fermentation stages and play with ingredients to build deeper flavours. You will be introduced to complex, months long fermentation processes involving both dry-salt and brining methods, as well as techniques and recipes suited for specific ingredients. We will demonstrate how to make hot pepper sauces and other fermented condiments from scratch and send you home with recipes, handouts, and a jar of your own pepper mash ready to ferment! On top of trying out recipes that include multiple fermented foods, the seasoned fermentistas will receive in-depth troubleshooting support to launch their explorations. Everything is included, we only request that you bring an apron. In order to register, participants must have experience with dry-salt and/or brining methods and know the basics of lacto-fermentation.

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KOMBUCHA & OTHER FERMENTED DRINKS
“After all our research, what we think happened is that centuries ago, someone left out a cup of sweetened tea or sweet wine. An insect or two landed in the cup, leaving behind Acetobacter that colonized with some local yeasts and began the very first kombucha ferment”, write Hannah Crum & Alex LaGory inThe Big Book of Kombucha. Even though the historical records are murky and myths abound, fermentation with mother cultures is at least centuries, if not millennia old. We can enjoy the amazing taste, carbonation and health benefits of kombucha, jun and tibicos thanks to the hard work of their unique Symbiotic Communities of Bacteria and Yeasts (SCOBYs). Since these different cultures have been passed down generation to generation, it is a pleasure to connect with tradition by keeping and nurturing a “mother” at home! Whether one is using a SCOBY to transform sweet black tea to kombucha, sweet water to Tibicos, or sweet green tea to Jun, these amazing micro-organisms will provide delicious effervescent brews bubbling with healthy acids, enzymes and nutrients.

In this 2 hour workshop, you will first and foremost learn the basics of kombucha brewing, including guidelines for successful second fermentation, during which the fermented liquid is flavored and carbonated. We will then introduce other mother cultures, jun and tibicos, and discuss their specificities. On top of drinks sampling, and the display of different beverage-fermentation tools, participants will learn the health and practical benefits provided by the various communities of wild yeasts and bacteria. In-depth discussion on ratios, temperature and ingredients will spark the interest of both beginner and seasoned fermentistas. You will leave with handouts and your own mother cultures ready to ferment at home!

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GINGER BEER & OTHER FERMENTED DRINKS
“Considering that the simple action of mixing raw honey (which contains a lot of wild yeasts) with water can create a natural fermentation within 3 or 4 days, it’s highly likely that fermented drinks existed long ago in prehistoric times”, writes Pascal Baudar in the Wildcrafting Brewer. Fizzy beverages exist thanks to an array of beneficial micro-organisms, with archeological evidence of human use dating back to 7000 BC. Shining the light on the wealth of worldwide traditions of non-alcoholic fermented drinks is enough to make our modern sugar-laden and industrially-processed pops blush. Good news is that one can enjoy homemade fizzy beverages by resorting to these ancient practices of wild fermentation. Whether one is using wild yeasts to create ginger beer and healthy sodas or lactic-acid bacteria to ferment a vegetable juice, amazing micro-organisms will provide delicious effervescent brews bubbling with healthy acids, enzymes and nutrients.

In this 2 hour workshop, you will be introduced to the principles of inoculation, and learn how to build and maintain wild yeasts cultures to use as a base for fermented drinks. Apart from the popular ginger beer, you will discover how to make wild sodas as well as zingy and savory lacto-fermented beverages, like beet kvass and “gut shots”. We will provide guidelines for successful second fermentation, during which the fermented liquid is bottled and carbonated. On top of drinks sampling, and the display of different beverage-fermentation tools, participants will learn the health and practical benefits given by the various communities of wild yeasts and bacteria. In-depth discussion on ratios, temperature and ingredients will spark the interest of both beginner and seasoned fermentistas. You will leave with handouts and your own ginger bug ready to make ginger beer at home!

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TEMPEH
Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake originating from Indonesia, where it is still a staple food. Some speculate that the first tempeh was made when “okara”, the leftover pressings from making tofu, was colonized by Rhizopus molds after being wrapped in a hibiscus leaf, where the mold naturally grows. Today, most tempeh is made with cooked whole soybeans, but any type of legume, seed and grain can be used in place of soy. Tempeh is a great way to consume these hard-to digest high-protein foods, their nutrients increased and readily available after fermentation.

In this fairly technical workshop, you will learn how to make tempeh at home, as well as the health and practical benefits given by the Rhizopus molds. You will be introduced to the principles of inoculation, and learn tips on how to maintain a “tropical-like” habitat to ferment legumes, as well as cereals and seeds. In-depth discussion on ratios, temperature and humidity will spark the interest of both beginner and seasoned fermentistas. We will demonstrate all the steps required to prepare tempeh, ideas for tempeh-making set-ups, samples of tempeh made with a variety of ingredients, as well as different stages of mycelium growth. On top of tasting freshly-made tempeh cooked in various ways, participants will leave with handouts and a sample of Rhizopus spores to make tempeh at home! Everything is included, only bring your apron and enthusiasm!

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SOURDOUGH
Sourdough baking is a practice thousands of years old, dating back at least to ancient Egypt, and by now spread around the world. Rather than using a single industrially-produced yeast, a “sourdough starter” is made with a mixed community of microorganisms. Bacteria, yeasts and enzymes active in long sourdough fermentation transform complex molecules into simpler forms, rendering them more digestible. Proteins, including gluten, are broken down into peptides and amino acids. As a result, many people with gluten sensitivities find that sourdough breads cause less or no inflammation. Indeed the widespread consumption of industrially-produced breads and unfermented wheat products has been linked to the recent rise in wheat allergies.

In this 3 hour-long workshop, you will learn the basics of sourdough fermentation, as well as the health and practical benefits given by wild yeasts and bacteria. You will be introduced to the principles of inoculation, and learn how to build and maintain an ongoing fermented culture. In- depth discussion on ratios, temperature and humidity will spark the interest of both beginner and seasoned bakers. On top of ferments tasting, and the display of different bread-making tools, participants will learn the technique and recipe for a no-knead bread baked in cast iron pot. We will demonstrate the easy 48 hour steps required to prepare bread and bring all the ingredients ready for making a fresh loaf together. You will leave with handouts and a jar of your own thriving sourdough starter ready to make bread at home! Everything is included, only bring your apron and enthusiasm!

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Interested? Contact us at harvester@nomadicharvests.com

We also put on private workshops upon request (minimum of 6 participants) and tailor demonstrations for non-profit organizations.

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