Exploring the Slow Food Movement

With a larger population now working from home and lockdown restrictions preventing most traveling and indoor gatherings, consumers with extra time on their hands are turning to their kitchens to pass the time. For many, nurturing a temperamental sourdough starter or brewing the perfect batch of homemade kombucha has become a part of their daily lives and shows no sign of dissipating once the lockdown lets up. Join us at Advanced Biotech as we take a look at this new emphasis on “slow food” culture and the flavors that are shaping this trend.

 

Smoking

                Although smoking food is not a new concept, as it has been used as a means of preservation for centuries, this low and slow method of cooking has found a new popularity during the pandemic. Funds that may have been used on vacations or dining out are being redirected to hobbies such as grilling, as consumers are looking to recreate these experiences at home with specialized equipment and ingredients. Premium cuts of meat, natural wood chips in flavorful varieties such as maple and cherry, and fresh herbs like sage and rosemary are elevating this time-honored tradition and bringing it to a new and artisanal level.

 

Sourdough

                Sourdough is a break made from fermented dough and get its signature “sour” flavor from the yeast that naturally forms as the dough is left to rest. Generally made from a mixture of flour and water, once combined the mixture will begin to collect bacteria from its surroundings and start to ferment, forming lactic and acetic acids that give sourdough a tangy flavor profile as well as added nutritional benefits. Before baking, a portion of the raw dough is separated and stored to add to the next batch of bread in order to better facilitate the fermentation.  A blank canvas for many different flavors, popular additions to sourdough are roasted garlic, honey, walnuts, and orange rind.

 

Kombucha

                A bubbly, tangy fermented drink made primarily from tea, kombucha has been growing in popularity over the past few years and many are now attempting to make their favorite probiotic drink at home. To start brewing kombucha at home a starter of symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, popularly known as a SCOBY, is needed. SCOBYs can be purchased online, created from an existing SCOBY, or made from scratch through a lengthy and specific process. The time it makes to cultivate a SCOBY and ferment kombucha is worth it for its cost effectiveness alone, but the delicious, unique flavor and digestive health boosting properties are also great benefits. Kombucha can be flavored with many natural ingredients such as ginger, lemon, turmeric, hibiscus – the combinations are endless and can be altered to suit any season.

 

Formerly on-the-go consumers are now operating from home and looking to engage in worthwhile culinary pursuits. Artisanal bread, smoky barbecue, and gut-healthy beverages are just a few of the foods shaping the developing slow food movement.