In Kitchens Across the Ocean, Finding the Flavours of Home Through Fermentation | Food Talk Vol. 24

You may have heard of homemade pickles, kimchi or kombucha, which seem to have become the latest craze among young people. In truth, you might never have considered that fermented foods are actually a staple in our kitchens. Whether it is soy sauce, vinegar, wine, cheese, miso or fermented bean curd, they are all masterpieces of fermentation.

In this episode, the Food Talk host and guest Sun Shan will take you on a journey to explore the mysterious and surprising world of fermented foods.

As a fermentation enthusiast running a farm in Canada, Sun Shan has also encountered the universal dilemma faced by small-scale farmers: despite the hard graft she puts into growing her kale, it wins praise but fails to sell, while facing fierce competition at farmers’ markets. She had a flash of inspiration and decided to try making Korean-style kimchi using kale instead. The result was met with acclaim at the market, and since then she has set up her own fermentation kitchen on the farm.

In fact, the English term for the microbial ‘cultures’ in fermented foods is ‘culture’—the very same word we use to describe human traditions and ways of life. Many cultures have their own fermented foods, such as French cheese and red wine, or Japanese miso and rice vinegar. When Chinese people speak of their ‘taste of home’, their memories invariably conjure up one or two fermented dishes.

Recent scientific research suggests that fermented foods can subtly influence our physical and mental well-being by modulating the gut microbiome. Sun Shan has observed that at farmers’ markets in Canada, the liveliest discussions are rarely about buying or selling produce; they’re about fermented vegetables.

For those new to fermentation, Sun Shan shares her own experiences. These range from the simple satisfaction of crafting a delicious chilli sauce using basic techniques and everyday ingredients, to the hard-won triumph of faithfully recreating the fermented flavours of the mountains after hundreds of failed attempts. By tracing the fermented foods of our childhood, we may well discover our own ultimate culinary pleasure, gain a deeper understanding of our family and cultural roots, and share the joy of fermentation with others. Pick your favourite fermented food—whether it’s pickles or sourdough—and don’t be afraid to give it a go!

This episode marks the first podcast in Foodthink’s fermentation series. Keep an eye out for our continued updates for more content on all things fermentation!

Host

Wang Hao

Editor at Foodthink. A fermentation beginner who often gives up halfway through.

Xiao Chao

Foodthink Project Officer preparing to step down, fermentation enthusiast. Fermented foods he has experimented with include kombucha, German sauerkraut, Sichuan pickles, yoghurt, bread, and more.

02:13 Fermentation is a mysterious yet wondrous staple of the Asian kitchen, even if you’ve never consciously noticed it: from soy sauce and vinegar to cheese and tofu, fermented foods are everywhere.

02:44 Sun Shan’s deep connection with fermented foods: when faced with kale that takes all that effort to grow but struggles to sell, why not turn it into Korean kimchi?

06:35 Is kimchi good for your health? How your gut microbiome might influence both physical and mental well-being.

13:03 Fermentation is culture, and ‘microbes’ literally translate to ‘culture’: France boasts cheese and red wine, Japan has miso and rice vinegar, but what fermented foods call China home?

14:54 Fermented foods produced under strict industrial standards are perfectly safe, yet locally crafted ferments offer their own distinctive character and depth of flavour.

21:37 What do we really mean when we talk about the ‘taste of home’? Do a few fermented foods also feature prominently in your own nostalgic memories?

22:48 Isn’t eating fresh vegetables better than fermented foods? In an age of abundant variety and winter tomatoes, why do we still need fermented foods?

26:38 A day in the life of a fermenter: after a hundred failures, finally crafting Yunnan-style pickled vegetables using Canadian kale.

32:16 Trendy, expensive ‘natural wine’ and rustic, unhygienic, low-quality ‘pit-pickled mustard greens’ are both fermented foods. From home kitchens to Michelin three-star restaurants, what exactly does the art of fermentation represent?

40:42 Forging friendships through fermentation, with connections spreading as rapidly as microbes: Sun Shan’s fermentation kitchen in Canada serves as a close-knit community for human connection.

46:14 Where should beginner fermenters start?

49:15 Different fermented foods resonate with different people. Whether it’s kimchi or sourdough, choose the style that speaks to you—or to your memories—and dive in fearlessly.