In a kitchen across the ocean, seeking the flavours of home through fermentation | Food Talk Vol.24

Perhaps you have already heard of homemade pickles, kimchi, or kombucha; they seem to have become the latest craze among young people. In reality, you may never have considered that fermented foods are actually staples in our kitchens—be it 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 encountered a problem common to small-scale farmers: the kale she worked so hard to grow was admired by many but bought by few, facing fierce competition at farmers’ markets. On a whim, she began using the kale to make Korean-style kimchi, which was a hit at the market. From there, she established her own fermentation kitchen on the farm.

In fact, the English term for the “starter” used in fermented foods is “culture”—the same word used to describe the shared customs of a people. Many cultures have their own fermented staples, such as French cheeses and wines, or Japanese miso and rice vinegar. When Chinese people speak of the “taste of home”, a few fermented foods almost always spring to mind.

Recent scientific research suggests that fermented foods can subtly influence our physical and mental well-being by altering the gut microbiota. Sun Shan discovered that at farmers’ markets in Canada, the most spirited discussions aren’t about the buying and selling of produce, but about fermented vegetables.

For those new to fermentation, Sun Shan shares her insights: from the simple joy of creating a delicious chilli sauce using basic techniques and humble ingredients, to the hard-won success of replicating mountain-style fermented flavours after hundreds of failures. By tracing the fermented foods of childhood memories, perhaps we can find our own ultimate flavours, uncover our family and cultural roots, and share the joy of fermentation with others. Whether it is sauerkraut or sourdough, choose your favourite fermented foods and dive in!

This episode is the first podcast in Foodthink’s fermentation series. Stay tuned for more updates and content related to fermentation!

Hosts

Wang Hao

Editor at Foodthink. A fermentation novice who often gives up halfway.

Xiao Chao

A Foodthink project officer preparing to move on and a fermentation enthusiast; their experiments include kombucha, sauerkraut, Sichuan pickles, yoghurt, and bread, among others.

02:13 Mysterious and surprising, fermentation is a staple of Asian kitchens, even if you’ve never realised it: from soy sauce and vinegar to cheese and tofu, fermented foods are everywhere.

02:44 Sun Shan’s connection to fermented foods: faced with kale that was painstakingly grown and well-regarded but unpopular, why not turn it into Korean kimchi?

06:35 Is kimchi actually healthy? How the gut microbiome may influence our physical and mental wellbeing.

13:03 Fermentation is culture, and a “starter” is a “culture”: France has its cheeses and wines, Japan has its miso and rice vinegar—but what fermented foods does China have?

14:54 While industrially standardised fermented foods are safe, local, artisanal varieties offer a far richer flavour.

21:37 What do we really mean when we talk about “the taste of home”? Does your own memory of home include a few fermented foods?

22:48 Isn’t eating fresh vegetables better than eating fermented ones? In an age of super-abundance, where tomatoes are available even in winter, why do we still need fermented foods?

26:38 The daily life of a fermenter: after a hundred failures, finally using Canadian kale to create Yunnan-style sour pickled vegetables.

32:16 From trendy, high-priced “natural wines” to crude, unhygienic, low-quality “pit-fermented sauerkraut”, both are fermented foods. From the home kitchen to three Michelin stars, what kind of craft does “fermentation” actually represent?

40:42 Bonding through fermentation—where relationships spread as quickly as a bacterial colony: Sun Shan’s fermentation kitchen in Canada serves as a small community for social connection.

46:14 What should beginner fermenters try making first?

49:15 Different fermented foods suit different people. Whether it’s kimchi or sourdough, be bold and try the one you love, or the one from your memories.