02301 Design a fermentation station for your kitchen
The process of fermentation offers other benefits beyond preservation. Fermented foods are easier to digest, have natural preservation properties and more available vitamins and minerals. The foods still contain live cultures that offer a boost to both the digestive tract and the immune system. — Sarah Flessner, BS, dietetic student and Mark Kestin, PhD, MP, dean of the School of Nutrition and Exercise Science Bastyr University Natural Medicine, Fermented Food for Health
Fermentation is an ancient method of food preservation that remains important in our present era.
Fermented foods are great tasting table pleasers. They provide taste and nutrition.
Fermenting is one of the easiest methods of food preparation and preservation that can be done in the home. You can make as little, or as much, as you want. In other words, make one pint or a half dozen gallons, whatever scale is appropriate to your situation.
The purpose of this assignment is to design a fermentation station for your kitchen. If you don’t have a kitchen, use this assignment to work on your general design skills. If you think you would never ever try fermenting foods, then design something else useful for your home food system.
The book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon is one of the best introductions and recipe collections for fermented foods.
To learn more about fermenting foods, consult these websites.
http://www.nourishingdays.com/2009/07/the-benefits-of-fermented-food-lacto-fermented-vegetables/
http://nourishedkitchen.com/recipe-index/ferments-cultured-food/
Fermentation Wiki http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Fermentation
http://sustainjefferson.org/files/Shivani%20Arjuna%20Fermentation%20Class.pdf
http://www.wildfermentation.com/
Observe.
What are your goals concerning this project? What do you want — and need — to accomplish? What priorities do you discern among your goals? If you have never done fermentation, one of your first steps must be to start fermenting foods. That way you get a feel for what to do, how to do it, and the stuff you need.
What do you need to do fermentation in your kitchen? That list includes ingredients, cooking equipment, pans, measuring cups and spoons, maybe a food processor or stand mixer. Make a list, including the most common ingredients, and include it as part of your report.
What do you do when you ferment foods? What are the motions, tasks, and etc. that baking involves? Do any of these motions or tasks fall into reasonably discrete categories? (Hint: don’t forget “Clean up when finished.”)
Who does this work? One person by himself or herself? The whole family? Rotating jobs?
What energy does fermenting require? Where do you get your ingredients and supplies?
If you already make fermented foods, where do you do this at present? How much space do you need? How often do you ferment foods?
Where are fermented foods stored? If you expand your production, do you have enough storage space?
Is this primarily a seasonal activity, or does it go on all year?
Study and Evaluate.
Do you have the right equipment?
Do you have the necessary skills?
Do others need to learn these skills?
Do you have enough space? Need more?
How often do you ferment foods? Do you want to do this more often?
What do you like the most about this kitchen task? What do you like the least?
Are your ingredient sources primarily world food shed or local/regional? What about supplies and equipment? (Jars, lids, crocks, pickling salt, spices, etc.)
Can you do this with less fossil energy?
What connections does fermenting have with other elements of your site? What functions are/can be stacked on this activity? Does fermenting serve more than one function in your design?
Design.
Make your design decisions based on your observation and evaluation. During this design work, use three of the methods identified in 00381 that you haven’t used in any of the previous design challenges. If you have already used them all, pick three at random and work with them.
Will you design a temporary station, to be set up for each fermentation session and then take it down after clean up? Or will it be a permanent place in your kitchen?
Where? When? What? How?
Any changes you want to make to the sources of your ingredients? Anything you can move down the Local Food Pyramid? What connections does the fermentation station have with other elements of your design?
Stage your decisions.
What comes first? Middle? Last? Never mind the fact that this is a small design, put first things first and second things second and third things third, so you get a feeling of what it is like to organize a set of tasks such as this.
Budget.
If any of this will cost money, get some estimates and develop a budget. Decide on a source of funds.
Write the report.
Write the report and add it your lifestyle design.