In this Olio, we will consider the phenomenon of fermentation.

Fermentation is practiced in every part of the world, and applied to every kind of food. It is a natural phenomenon that cultural traditions everywhere have harnessed to produce alcohol, to safely preserve food for storage, and to make food more delicious, more digestible, more nutritious, and less toxic.

The intentional practice of fermentation predates recorded history. The earliest practitioners did not specifically know about bacteria or other microorganisms, and yet the techniques they developed effectively select for desirable organisms while inhibiting undesirable ones. In our time, after a century of the War on Bacteria, and so many of the processes that produce the food we eat disappearing from our communities into faraway factories, many people project their anxiety about bacteria upon the process of fermentation, when in fact the process has long been associated with food safety.

Now that science and popular culture are increasingly recognizing the importance of bacteria in our bodies to our well-being, and the benefits of eating bacteria-rich foods, there is a revival of interest in fermented foods and beverages and the phenomenon itself. This Olio will address a range of questions: What is fermentation? How does it transform food? Why is it practiced everywhere? We will also explore fundamental concepts that will demystify the process and empower you with simple techniques to get started fermenting in your home kitchen. Be part of the fermentation revival!