Life Lessons from the Art of Fermentation
Recently, I picked up the hobby of fermentation. At the moment several jars of pickles are growing their respective bacterias and a jug of mead(an ancient form of honey wine) is gently bubbling away. The inspiration was a need for a distraction beyond youtube, something both entertaining and creative at the same time. It also has the added benefit of providing probiotics to one’s diet which is very on trend; also, alcohol. However as the fermentation proceeds with the airlock gently bubbling away, this project has become more than a past time. As the sugars in the mead provide food for the yeast the whole process has provided me with food for thought.
Fermentation is one of the oldest food technologies and arts known to man. The principles are simple, yeast and bacteria feed on nutrients and sugars in the food, and by a process called glycolysis give us delightful substances such as lactic acid and alcohol. It is a process that is hard to get wrong, and the story of its beginning suggests that it was in fact discovered by accident, a testament to how simple the undertaking really is. Perhaps an uncovered bucket of old fruit or a jar of honey too long forgotten. Much like fire introduces a level of decay and breakdown to make food more palatable in cooking, fermentation does something similar through a slower and less violent method of destruction.
As one reflects on the possible history of this simple process it can be almost humbling that such a simple thing can be so enormously influential. If we stick with alcohol as an example whole histories of the world can be elaborated through the story of alcohol. There’s no doubt that wars have been influenced, and lives begun through the lubricating influence of alcohol. Every culture has its “drink” that becomes symbolic of merriment and socialization…the Russians their vodka, the Americans their bourbon, and the French their wine.
As one enters into the art of fermenting several things are striking. The first is that the whole process is immune to shortcuts. There’s no shortcut for patience when one is making mead. Fermenting can take as long as a month, and once that is done then you must wait as the product ages. Gaining character, depth, and richness from the products of fermentation is not something you can “lifehack” your way too. The yeast are creatures who abide by their own nature, they work hard, but slow and steady. They need conditions sustainable to their own life…warmth, nutrients, sugar….but once they have that they do they work at their own pace. It goes against everything we want in our production-oriented society. The “more is better” mantra that lies under our current consciousness is not the mantra of yeast. If their little bubbling voices could speak perhaps they would be saying something like “what we do is enough.” If one wants to ferment, nature challenges your patience, which can’t be a bad thing in our burn-out prone culture.
Fermentation also requires a great deal of care. Preparation is of the utmost importance. Before beginning, everything must be thoroughly sanitized, a stray bacteria could ruin six months of patience and work. As one practices care for the process of nature, I truly believe it helps one to learn the art of caring. Which is a deep attentiveness to one’s surroundings including the people around you
Fermentation, much like gardening or animal husbandry is such an important hobby because it is not something we do as much as something we participate in and assist with. It is nature’s work far more then it is our work. We aid in what nature is already at, and because we aid in that we also benefit from and enjoy it. The outcomes of helping fermentation are not dependent on us but are dependent on yeast, sugar, and the deeply important processes of nature. In fermenting we can realize this dependency and turn an attitude of gratefulness towards nature. It also demands an attitude of humility and trust. We are not entitled to the yeasts labour, nor to the beneficence of nature. We are lucky attendants and recipients of nature not its masters.
Perhaps what is most important about fermentation is that it challenges our modern “gods.” The gods of hyperactivity, consumption, efficiency, and increasing control are not at home in the world of fermentation. If one wants to successfully ferment, you must also learn patience, care, and a willingness to linger. Most fundamentally one needs to be willing to assist and not lead, to be dependent on a process older than oneself and that will outlast you. If you enter into this careful trusting relationship the rewards are rich and something you can’t get any other way. And, the very process that took you there will allow you to enjoy the rewards, with your newfound virtues of patience and humility your ability to enjoy your pickles and mead will also have deepened.
Perhaps it is just such an attitude, one of care, patience, attention and humility which can help us turn away from the spirit of domination and consumption which tends to lay to waste nature instead of cultivating and facilitating the value inherent in it. Although fermentation will not solve the world's problems, perhaps it can start to solve you.