Fermenting with wholefood pioneer Holly Davis Saturday 30 September

What does your favourite farmhouse cheese have in common with crusty sourdough bread, a glass of sparkling ginger beer or a bowl of marinated olives? The answer is each is a product of fermentation, a process that harnesses good bacteria in order to preserve ingredients and transform them into uniquely delicious foods with remarkable health benefits.

A natural process through which microorganisms like yeast and bacteria convert carbs — such as starch and sugar — into alcohol or acids. The alcohol or acids act as a natural preservative and give fermented foods a distinct zest and tartness. The class is all about learning how fermentation promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, known as probiotics, which have shown to improve immune function as well as digestive and heart health.

Thanks to an increasing awareness of the crucial role probiotic-rich foods play in our wellbeing, the ancient art of fermentation is experiencing a renaissance. Add to this the joy, ease and economy of making fermented foods at home, and it's no wonder we are scrunching, pickling and bottling our way to better gut health and a deeper connection with our food.

Wholefood pioneer Holly Davis will share with you her familiar and lesser-known recipes, as well as the wisdom and experience accumulated over 40 years of teaching fermentation techniques around the world. Her gentle and thorough guidance guarantees you will find a place in your home for one or more ferments that make your heart and stomach sing.

It's what we care about - our health and wellbeing and the health of our families, communities and planet. 

Join us this Spring to start or enhance your healthy eating regime.

Holly is an inspiring wholefood chef, author and educator. Her first restaurant Manna was inspired by her interest in Macrobiotic philosophy, she then co-founded Sydney’s Iku Wholefoods in 1985. Holly’s aim is to seduce people to better ways of thinking about, sourcing, preparing, and eating balanced wholefood meals. 

She will teach and guide you:

• to make your own raw, wild fermented foods,
• give you the skills to create satisfying ferments and refreshing probiotic sodas, easily digestible and with maximum nutrients. 

This very special class will guide you to not only appreciate the value of seasonal wholefood ingredients and where to source the best quality sustainable wholefood, but it's about making, maintaining and using your own fermented products at home. 

You will be welcomed to the school with a sparkling fermented drink and some treats from Holly's book, Ferment, with some herbal teas. After the class a flavoursome lunch will be offered with some Moonacres bread.

At the end of the class you will take with you a jar of kraut, a brined ferment, a water kefir culture and all the recipes and notes you need to safely make your own fermented foods at home

This class is suited to keen beginners as well as those with some fermenting experience.

The class runs from 10am to 2pm. Holly and the team at Moonacres school look forward to seeing you soon.