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Taste and See

The Delicate Dance of Fermentation

If you’ve noticed a difference in our ginger flavor profiles, thank you for being so in tune with us! Over the last several months, we’ve experienced unexpected changes in our ginger supply. While our supplier has remained the same, we discovered that they are unable to source organic ginger root from the same region of the world. What does the region have to do with taste?

Everything.

Terroir refers to the environmental factors that affect the taste and quality of agricultural products, particularly wine, but we’ve found it to be perfectly fitting here. It encompasses elements such as soil, climate, topography, and the practices of the people who cultivate the land. We are familiar with these nuances in food, observing differences, for instance, in Florida-grown berries versus our local, freshly-picked berries.

We’ve discovered the same holds true for ginger root. We’ve been experimenting with different suppliers sourcing from different regions, as well as sourcing fresh organic ginger root versus dried.

As you likely have noticed, we have not been able to duplicate our previous recipes for both Ginger Mint and Just Ginger, despite our most diligent efforts. I admit, sometimes the art of fermentation has been maddening, as consistency at times feels like trying to hit a moving target, with so many variables that are outside of our control.

But if fermentation has taught me anything, it’s that what makes it wildly difficult is also precisely what makes it wildly beautiful. Living food is in a constant state of change. The only way it won’t change is if it’s not alive, and that is the exact opposite of our vision here.

We are cultivators of living food, which means that there is and always will be an element of the wild outside of our reach, contributing what it will to the things we grow, and sometimes it surprises us.