In times when restaurateurs and hoteliers are increasingly growing their own vegetables, old-school preservation is just the thing. Fermentation has several advantages: The food is preserved in a natural way, it does not require electricity for storage and the flavors released during fermentation are exceptional. What’s more, the process is very simple and can be used in any type of business, from a la carte restaurants to system caterers – the use of fermented products is unlimited in terms of quality and quantity. It is important to be careful with salt, which is the basis of every fermentation – in granular form or as brine. Too little promotes spoilage, too much makes the product difficult to use.
Vegetables as the perfect base
The most famous of all fermented foods in this country is sauerkraut. But chocolate, kefir, cocoa, beer, cheese and sourdough bread are also produced by fermentation. Many fermented foods can be found in Asian cuisine in particular. Such as the Korean classic kimchi - spicy pickled white cabbage. Or tempeh, which is made from fermented soybeans and is a popular vegan meat substitute. Miso has also undergone a fermentation process before it ends up on your plate.
In principle, all vegetables are suitable, but it works particularly well with vegetables that are not too soft, such as cabbage, root vegetables, beans, beet, pumpkin or peppers.
