Gut Health, Culture, and Community: The Power of Fermented Foods
Preserving and fermenting food is an ancient practice across all world cultures
Fermentation has taken centre stage in the culinary world of late. From sourdough bread to kimchi and kombucha, it seems everyone is talking about fermented foods. Yet, far from being a new trend, fermentation has been part of human culture for thousands of years.
What's it all about?
At its core, fermentation is the chemical breakdown of substances by bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms. This natural process is used in food preservation, like sauerkraut, and in the production of everyday items like wine, beer, and yoghurt. Monks in ancient times brewed ale and crafted wine long before it was fashionable, while ancient herders likely discovered yoghurt by storing milk in goatskin bags as they travelled across the desert.
The rise in interest today isn't so much about discovery, but rediscovery. Food preservation techniques like fermentation were once a necessity, especially during times of scarcity. Our ancestors used natural fermentation to make the most of abundant produce and ensure they had something nutritious to eat when fresh food wasn't available. Smoking, curing, and drying were also common preservation methods, but fermentation held a unique place in the kitchen because of its ability to enhance flavours and create entirely new culinary experiences..
So what's the story on the health benefits?
Fermentation is also deeply entwined with health. In the early 20th century, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Elie Metchnikoff made a groundbreaking connection between fermented foods and gut health. He observed that people in Bulgaria, who regularly consumed fermented dairy products, lived longer and seemed healthier. Modern research supports his findings, showing that probiotics and beneficial bacteria in fermented foods can boost our immune systems and improve digestion.
But fermentation isn't just about what happens in our guts. It offers a rich cultural history and an opportunity to explore traditional foodways that have shaped communities for generations. The fermentation revival today represents a return to slow food, to heritage, and to a closer relationship with the earth. Fermenting food also reduces waste, allowing us to make the most of what we grow and harvest.
Preserving the harvest is the best way to make sure your stores are stocked for the upcoming Winter months
Preservation of food in Ireland
We’ve a rich history of food preservation here in Ireland which was rooted in both necessity and tradition. Long before refrigeration, people relied on time-tested methods like salting, smoking, and drying to keep food from spoiling. Fish and meat were salted or smoked to preserve them through harsh winters, while dairy was transformed into butter and cheese for longer storage. Ireland's wet climate made drying trickier, but hardy coastal communities perfected the art of air-drying seaweed and fish. Fermentation, too, played a key role, with locals crafting fermented dairy products and preserving vegetables in brine, long before these methods became fashionable again. This age-old knowledge not only ensured survival but also shaped the distinctive flavours and culinary culture we celebrate today
Learn how to pickle and ferment your way through Autumn
Upcoming Fermentation Course with llewyn máire
If you've ever wanted to explore the fascinating world of fermentation for yourself, there's an exciting opportunity on the horizon. Llewyn Máire is hosting a full-day workshop that will introduce you to the art and science of fermentation, and help you integrate it into your daily life. This hands-on course will take you into the realm of plant and fungi-based knowledge, delving into the queer ecology of microbes and exploring how fermentation connects us to the land, our ancestors, and each other. Along the way, you'll discover how fermented foods can be a powerful tool in reducing food waste, promoting gut health, and creating community.
What you’ll learn
You'll leave this workshop with a deeper understanding of fermentation, from the science behind it to the cultural traditions that have informed it over centuries. Llewyn will show you how to preserve fresh vegetables and turn them into delicious, tangy ferments that can be enjoyed for weeks. You’ll explore the role fermented foods play in a healthy gut biome, and learn how to create your own fermented sodas and mocktails using wild yeasts – a playful way to experiment with flavours. But it’s not just about food – this workshop will also encourage you to think about fermentation as a metaphor for how we engage with the world. How can we, like microbes, transform our communities? How can we reconnect with the earth and work together in mutual aid, sharing knowledge and resources to create a more sustainable future? By the end of the day, you’ll take home not only your ferments but also a new appreciation for the relationships between humans, plants, and the microbial world.
llewyn máire, of Savage Craic,
Our Common Knowledge Fermentation course is run by llewyn máire, of Savage Craic, who's been fermenting on the Burren since 2015. We asked them a few questions about how they got in to it all and what you’ll get when you come to one of their sessions.
What got you interested in fermentation, and how did you begin your journey with it?
My journey with fermentation began with my mother sowing the seeds of plant medicine and shared nourishment, it grew through years in professional and community kitchens, and truly began to flower over 20 years ago when a zine by Sandor Katz sparked a queer joy in me that has bloomed into this generative time teaching at Common Knowledge.
What’s your favourite fermented food or drink, and why?
There are many traditions across the world where fermenting is an aspect of community care, cultural resistance, and/ or seasonal celebration with kith and kin — these are truly my favourite ferments, the ones we make and share together.
Why do you think folks should come on the one day workshops and learn this valuable skill with you at Common Knowledge?
I am so excited to have the opportunity to share this day together. We will have the opportunity to go deeper into the methods and traditions of fermentation, explore nutrition and the microbiome, talk about stewardship and the environmental impact of a fermentation practice, as well as, spend time foraging, making mocktails, a custom kraut, and other ferments — ultimately, you'll be going home with new skills, a wealth of information, and several jars of effervescent goodness.
