Have you thought about fermenting but aren’t quite sure where to start? Are you worried that you’ll need all kinds of fancy and expensive equipment? If so, this is the workshop for you!

Find out how simple (and inexpensive!) it is to make delicious fermented foods. Local chefs Tracy and Soane will guide you to gain the skills, confidence and know-how to make a variety of nutritious and delicious ferments at home on your own using equipment you already have in your kitchen!

Learn the basics for making simple ferments by getting hands-on to make your own sauerkraut from scratch! Check out how to cultivate your own active whey starter (or as Tracy calls it “liquid fermenting gold”), then learn how to put it to good use to ferment seasonal fruits and vegetables.

You’ll help Tracy and Soane make fermented green beans, seasonal achar (a spicy relish), salsa and even some fermented seasonal fruit.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll be able to say that you are a fermenter. But that’s not all! Not only will you be taking home your own sauerkraut, you’ll take away samples of the other ferments that were made on the day. We’ll finish the workshop by sharing a light snack (with plenty of fermented foods of course!).

Watch, learn, and practice processing seasonal fruits and vegetables to come away with the know-how and confidence to make a variety of nutritious and delicious ferments on your own.

The workshop includes multiple recipes and snackable samples of each so you can experience the process and the finished products. Please bring at least one 500ml glass jar (or firmly sealable container) to take home your sauerkraut, as well as at least 3 other small jars (or firmly sealable containers) to take home samples of the other ferments and potentially any left over whey!

This is the first installment of a 3-part workshop series, and the techniques and recipes in this session will set the foundations for taking things even further in the next session - Part 2: Advanced Fermenting, with Tracy & Soane.

Full 3-Part Fermenting Course tickets as well as Single Session tickets available now!

Important: Food prepared in this culinary workshop includes potential allergens such as tree nuts, seeds, and dairy. All recipes are gluten free friendly, however they may contain traces of gluten.

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Dr Tracy Berno is a lecturer in food studies at AUT. She is passionate about resilient food systems and helping connect people to the sources of their food through cooking. She is also a keen preserver who will try her hand at fermenting absolutely any fresh ingredients!

Soane Pasi is a Tongan-born, French-trained chef who loves to share his knowledge and experiences of foraging, cooking, food stories, and preserving. He enjoys connecting people with each other through the rich culture, traditions, and flavours that surround our food.

Soane and Tracy work together as part of the New Caledonia-based Pacific Food Lab. They each love to spend time in the kitchen and cooking together, having a laugh, and sharing their enthusiasm for all things food!

Check out their latest project 'Cooking and Fermenting with Tracy and Soane' on Facebook for fun videos of their recent culinary adventures, and learn more about Pacific Food Lab on their website pacificfoodlab.org and Facebook page.

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Banner photos by Jason Burgess