The workshop will explore how fermentation (that is, most simply, "cooking with microbes"!)  in its various guises, ancient and modern, can help reduce food waste, support sustainable food systems, nourish beneficial habits and provide delicious bounty for your plates and glasses.

In a world in which current food systems are highly wasteful and damaging to the planet, fermentation provides one route towards a tastier, healthier and more resilient future.

The course will teach fermentation principles and techniques from around the world. From kimchi to kvass, and chichas to cultured butter. From vinegars to kombuchas, and misos and soy sauces to dairy products. But beyond just recipes, it will teach a framework for you to apply such techniques to foodstuffs that may be local to you or that you may encounter a surplus of. We will also explore the history and future of fermentation.

The workshop will encourage input from you, the participants, and your particular interests and backgrounds. It will involve us working closely with producers local to Boisbuchet, in terms of what produce we use and, where possible, what by-products, food waste and foraged ingredients we use.

The sessions will be very hands-on and creative, but with a decent dose of the science that underpins fermentations (what are microbes? how do we use bacteria, yeasts and molds in different ferments? what do my microbes need to thrive?) and best practices for fermenting safely.

Best of all, we will eat what we make!

By the end of the week, participants will leave with an arsenal of recipes and ideas and be confident of setting up ferments safely and effectively, troubleshooting common problems, and understanding what techniques can be applied to what sorts of ingredients.

This workshop is for people of all abilities. No prior experience is expected or necessary. Merely curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.