For thousands of years, fermentation has been used to preserve and enhance the flavour of vegetables, fruits, grains, milk, and meats through the use of bacteria and yeasts. Well-known examples of fermented products include sauerkraut, kimchi, cheese, yogurt, beer, bread, and soy sauce. These have been instrumental in ensuring an adequate supply of nutrients and calories over long winters and on long journeys - including those that took place in Svalbard.
As a food making technique, fermentation is both a science and an art - while it relies on key fundamental methods, it also borrows microorganisms from the local environment and the cook's own hands to make distinct and unique flavours. The outcomes are durable, tasty, and healthy - supplying a vital boost of microbes to our guts.
However, over the last century, we have lost the knowledge, the ability, or the interest in home fermentation - much to the detriment of our health and the flavour profiles of our kitchen tables.
This workshop will seek to reignite the passion in home fermentation by introducing the participants to lacto-fermentation, the easiest and most-accessible fermentation method anyone can do at home. As an introduction to the event, Anatolijs Venovcevs, a local fermentation enthusiast and researcher in historical archaeology at the Svalbard Museum, will give a brief introduction to fermentation and its history - both globally and on Svalbard. The participants will then be invited to make their own lacto-fermented product with the ingredients supplied. The participants would then take their products home to finish the fermentation process and enjoy the results.
Who can join?
Open to anyone over the age of 16.
What to bring:
Bring your own jar for fermenting! All other equipment and ingredients will be supplied.
When: Thursday 2 October, 17:00 - 19:00 at Artica Svalbard
Practical Info:
This workshop is free with limited spots: 20 places available
To book: Contact workshops@articasvalbard.no
This workshop is part of The Smak Svalbard Festival 2025 and hosted in collaboration with Svalbard Museum.
Huge thanks to Svalbardbutikken for donating the ingredients and equipment for the workshop.
