#fermentation

#fermentation

Start by slicing carrots (the thinner or smaller the pieces, the quicker they'll ferment), then make a brine by mixing 35g rock or sea salt (don't use table salt) with a litre of water (tap is fine, filtered is better), and making sure the salt dissolves. You can then go as fancy or simple as you like: Drop in some peppercorns, allspice berries, coriander seeds, fennel seeds or anything else you think might go, bring the brine mix up to a simmer, then take off the heat and leave to infuse and cool to room temperature.

Husband and wife team have brought traditional flavour of Romania to their Dublin cafe Stepping into Fairmental, it's impossible not to notice the vibrancy as bright jars of fermented vegetables, kombucha, kefir and hot sauces line the shelves like an edible rainbow to greet you. The aroma of coffee and breakfast fills the air, and two long shared tables are alive with chatter.

Whether it is kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, or sourdough, today's foodies are not short of fermented treats to tantalise their tastebuds. But for the adventurous, the menu may be about to get wilder. How about a spoonful of ant yoghurt? Making it does not involve milking any ants. Instead, the unfortunate insects are dropped into a jar of warm milk, which is tucked into an ant mound and left to ferment overnight.

Yet, in Hamburg, a burgeoning movement is bringing responsible eating to the masses, without compromising on the quality of the food it is serving. Klinker, a predominantly vegetarian restaurant featured in the Michelin guide, is one of those at the forefront of this movement. We caught up with chef Aaron Hasenpusch and his kitchen staff, who spend each day putting that ethos into practice, and they explained how they do it and how Hamburg is staking its claim as part of Germany's sustainable cuisine revolution.

Phelps, New York, known as the 'Sauerkraut Capital of the World,' was once the largest sauerkraut producer globally, thanks to its fermentation factories established in the early 1900s.

Fresh sardines are typically grilled over an open fire and served with lemon, local olive oil, and blitva, a mix of Swiss chard, potato, and garlic.

Umeboshi, a Japanese condiment made from ume fruit, exemplifies the benefits of shorter food chains and local sourcing for flavor and nutrition.

Fungu'it aims to transform agricultural by-products into high-value natural flavourings through solid-state fungi fermentation, significantly reducing environmental impact and costs.