Dining and Opining

We're now well on our way to creating our first fermented beverage, which we will have taken from tree to bottle from start to finish! And in keeping with the seasonal theme, we've focused on sweet, rich, caramel-colored hard apple cider! The inspiration for this project (especially on Justin's part) was twofold: (1) A professor in Justin's department (for whom we farm-sat last month) makes delicious hard cider that we've often enjoyed, and (2) Our friend MH organized a cider pressing event for the Madison Fruits and Nuts group, where we'd have access to local organic apples, a cool hydraulic apple press, and expertise. The pressing took place at this new community workshop called Sector67 , which is really impressive space with all kinds of equipment and tools that would be too expensive for an individual to own, but which work really well when used on a cooperative basis. Check out the organization's website to learn more. So, Sector67 loane...

With all the recent talk of the Reedsburg Fermentation Fest and Justin's current adventures in beer brewing (where's that long promised post, JH?!), I got to thinking about how my knowledge of fermentation is actually pretty rudimentary.  I mean, I know that it has something to do with microorganisms changing food in ways we want (as opposed to ways we don't want, as with decomposition), but what do all those different products--yogurt, pickles, beer, wine, cheese, bread--really have in common? I know enough to know that the best guide to all this is Wild Fermentation , by Sandor Ellix Katz, also known as Sandorkraut, the self-proclaimed "fermentation fetishist." But since I haven't read that book (shame on me!), here's the bits and pieces I've thus far been able to glean from various sources. Scientifically, the process looks like this: Some kind of carbohydrate turns into some kind of acid or alcohol (or carbon dioxide, I think). With wine ...

Although writing about it gives me feelings of regret* because I won't be able to go, I should share with all of you that this weekend marks the beginning of the Reedsburg Fermentation Fest . That's right, an entire week-long festival devoted to fermented food and drink! The website gives this enticing list: "From sourdough bread to home-crafted beer, pickles to soy sauce, chocolate to cheese, compost to silage, the Live Culture Convergence has it all." How I wish I could learn to make them all! You can see the whole schedule here. If I were going, I'd totally hit up at least the following events: The Secret Life of Chocolate   Saturday, Oct. 8 , 1 - 3 pm Believe it or not, chocolate is a fermented food. Learn all about the chocolate fermentation process and taste samples during this especially tasty class led by Gail Ambrosius. Whole Wheat Baking   Saturday, Oct. 8 , 2 - 4 pm  Learn to bake whole wheat baked goods usin...