My Jungle Journey to Fermenting
There were limitless learning opportunities in the jungle-lined beach village where I lived in Costa Rica. It was filled with travellers, eco-warriors, natives and the indigenous, offering a plentiful range of courses and workshops from medicinal plant teachings, chocolate making, cob house building, aquaponics, massage therapy and energy healing, to vegan cooking, diving and shamanism.
I attended a fermentation workshop back in 2013, during a particularly challenging time due to the flaring symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Living in the jungle, far from doctors who knew anything about inflammatory bowel disease, I became my own expert in managing the debilitating symptoms. I had heard that fermenting was good for gut health, so I thought I’d give it a go!
Fermenting quickly became an obsession and I found my time being taken up with feeding ginger bugs, kefir grains and kombucha mothers. I was burping jars, stirring, straining and bottling. Once you understand the principles of fermenting there are few limits to what you can ferment. Before long, my fermenting prowess attracted much attention, and I was asked to share my products. In April 2014 I founded Jungle Goddess and started selling my wares.
So, what is fermenting?
It is a process by which microorganisms convert the carbohydrates in food into alcohols or acids. These alcohols and acids serve as natural preservatives, which was why fermentation was the method utilised before refrigeration to preserve many vegetables and crops. This practice was particularly beneficial in the northern and southern hemispheres as it meant that humans could enjoy the nutritional benefit of summer crops during winter.
Why ferment?
Fermentation can transform the flavour of food making them tangy, sweet, salty, sour or my favourite, umami. Some popular fermented foods and drinks are cheese, wine, chocolate, coffee vinegar, beer and spirits.
Fermented foods and drinks have made a resurgence in recent years due to the beneficial bacteria they contain, namely probiotics. Our gut flora, the colony of micro-organisms that live in our digestive system is invaluable to our health. It supports our digestive and immune systems, as well as influencing our moods and mental state via the gut-brain connection. The probiotics found in live fermented foods and drinks can help to rebalance the gut flora and promote better health.
My love for the sweet, sour and umami
The German word for ‘sour cabbage’ is sauerkraut, though it is believed to have originated from Mongolia or China. While cabbage is the most traditional, I’ve used many fruits and vegetables in sauerkraut making. Green papaya kraut is my non-traditional favourite containing just green papaya, salt and garlic.
Kimchi originates from Korea and was originally just salt and dried cabbage. Nowadays chili is popular in kimchi and you can find radish, water chestnut, cucumber and even fruit varieties.
Sour pickles can be made with carrot sticks, dilly beans, watermelon rinds and of course pickling cucumbers. I’m currently enjoying some kohlrabi sticks.
I’ve made vinegar from the skins of pineapples and from the excess of bananas you always find in the jungle. When aged, banana vinegar can reach a depth of flavour that easily rivals balsamic.
Condiments can easily be fermented. My favourites are coconut chutney, lime pickle and hot sauces, though I’ve successfully made tomato ketchup, mustard and salsas.
There are many dairy ferments and Greek yogurt was one of my best sellers. A local farmer would bring me fresh raw milk and I would make litres at a time. It took me a while to get used to the sour taste of milk kefir but now I drink it every day, as do my dogs.
Now, let’s not forget the drinks. Kombucha has become one of the most popular fermented beverages in the western world but personally I prefer ginger beer and water kefir as they are less acidic. Water kefir is also really quick to make being ready within 2-3 days. I’ve tried making tepache here, a drink made with the skin of pineapples, but after enjoying native pineapples for many years, the exported variety just doesn’t cut the ‘fermented’ mustard.
Do you ferment? If you do what is your favourite to eat or drink?
If you don’t, why don’t you read my latest blog post and learn how to make kohlrabi kimchi. Let me know how you get on!
