Food Preservation

Finding ways to preserve the food we grow is always on our minds, and I naturally gravitate towards the curiosity that comes with it. For some time, it was just an idea of mine to share food preservation techniques  with the students here at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, which I was fortunately able to bring into reality for our after school programming. From learning about different types of food preservation like fermentation and curing, to taking those same ingredients and using them to make food with, we try to come from many different angles. This year has been very exciting to say the least! So far we’ve made kimchi, cured egg yolks, and cheong. The students get to do it all!

One of the most memorable moments came from a student expressing their dislike for kimchi but giving it another chance and having an enjoyable experience. That's often the outcome for several students – after using their own hands to make something, coupled with the kitchen's energetic atmosphere, many students come around to enjoying eating different foods that would otherwise be in the category of “not liking”. 

I look forward to continuing this journey of exploration with the many things we have planned ahead such as lacto-fermented pickles, ginger bugs for natural soda, and using preserved foods as inspiration for cooked dishes.