Fermenting workshops
Empower yourself to improve your gut health by learning to make your own probiotic drinks and sauerkraut! Learn the art of fermenting in our tropical climate, the advantages of fermenting for food medicine, and how to integrate ferments into your diet to improve your health and well-being.
Bronwyn Clee and Rena Walker offer workshops on how to make sauerkraut, milk kefir, water kefir and kombucha. Bronwyn is passionate about fermenting and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the practice, which she has gathered over many years of trial and error. Rena has been fermenting for the past few years and has reaped the rewards of Bron’s guidance and advice, both with yummy ferments and improved health.
How’s your gut?
Yes I know that may be a somewhat personal question, but if you are regularly experiencing gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea etc your gut health may need to be addressed. Fermented foods and drinks are abundant in probiotics and other health promoting substances and including them in your daily diet can be a great way to empower yourself to improve your gut health.
Other health benefits of consuming ferments are many and varied, including but not limited to; boosting your immunity, reducing inflammation, assisting detoxification and reducing the risk of cancers such as colon cancer.
Milk kefir
Ok, so I’m starting with my favourite ferment – milk kefir is the end product of the combination of a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast (or SCOBY) and milk. Its consistency can vary from a drinking yogurt to a thick Greek yogurt. It can be made from any type of milk: cow, goat, almond, soy, rice and coconut.
Benefits include:
Fights cancer – The Journal of Dairy Science, for example, published a study that evaluated the immune cells in mice and discovered the regular consumption of kefir helped stop breast cancer growth.
Boosts immunity – Probiotics have proven to be as good as or better than antibiotics in not only eliminating the infectious agent but in resolving the symptoms.
Heals IBS and IBD – consuming probiotic foods have been shown to heal IBS and reduce bowel inflammation.
Improves Lactose intolerance – This may sound crazy but fermentation changes the chemical make up of foods and in the case of kefir it is relatively low in lactose.
Supports detoxification – Being rich in lactic acid bacteria, kefir can bind (kill) toxins and funguses to support health.
Builds bone density – researchers found kefir works by increasing the absorption of bone building minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
Positive effect on allergies and asthma – Kefir has strong anti-inflammatory properties that have proved useful in suppressing inflammatory markers.
Kombucha
I must confess I love kombucha – a fermented tea.
The SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) and starter tea is combined with a sugary tea mixture and the SCOBY goes to work to consume the sugar to produce a powerful probiotic drink. Kombucha has been credited with benefits such as; boosting immunity, lowering blood pressure, fighting cancer, improving brain function, detoxification and removing heavy metals.
It contains high levels of glucuronic acid. In your body glucuronic acid binds up poisons and toxins which are then excreted. Once toxins are bound by glucuronic acid they cannot be reabsorbed.
Fermented drinks workshop
This workshop will show you how to make and manage kombucha, milk kefir and water kefir in our tropical climate. We will cover basic tips and techniques as well as offer samples of fermented drinks. You will take home the starters and ingredients you need to start fermenting your own drinks straight away as well as a workbook containing recipes and tips to help ensure your success.
Host: Rena Walker
Venue: Gallery Two Six – 2/6 Catterthun Street Winnellie
When: TBA
Cost: $150 full price ($125 if booked and paid by March 26th)
Please contact me if you would like to be informed about future workshops
Sauerkraut
Directly translated sauerkraut means “sour cabbage”. It is finely cut cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It is the lactic acid present in the process that naturally preserves the vegetable. These days we see various products that follow the same fermenting principles still called “kraut” even though they don’t contain cabbage.
Sauerkraut benefits include:
- A powerful probiotic food that is also a good source of Vitamin C
- Boosts the immune system
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Aids energy production
- Helps to maintain a healthy heart
- Prevents gastric ulcers and colon cancer
- Slows the appearance of wrinkles and age spots
- Helps regulate digestive and excretory system
- Reduces pain and discomfort of joints and muscles
- Helps build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis
- Reduces the risk of macular degeneration and development of cataracts
Sauerkraut workshop
This hands on workshop will show you how to make and manage sauerkraut in the tropics. We will offer tasting samples of fermented foods, then you will make 2 ferments of your own to take home. You will also take home a workbook containing recipes and tips to help ensure your success..
Host: Rena Walker
Venue: Gallery Two Six – 2/6 Catterthun Street Winnellie
When: TBA
Cost: $135 full price ($105 Early bird)
Please contact me if you would like to be informed about future workshops
References:
A beginner’s fermenting workbook by Bronwyn Clee
www.organicfarms.net
Joybileefarm.com
Food is medicine by Dr Axe
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