Episode 2: Happy Leaf: Fermentation Folly
Nate & Kim talk with Mike and Jenni from Happy Leaf Kombucha. Hear about how Happy Leaf Kombucha got started and some funny stories of fermentation gone wrong. Learn about how to start making kombucha at home and a little history of fermentation and food preservation.
Cheers to Kombucha in a can!
SHOW NOTES:
1:00- Podcast intro to Jenni Lyons and Mike Burns of Happy Leaf Kombucha and Happy Leaf Taproom and Kitchen.
2:15 – How Jenni and Mike got into fermenting foods, starting with making kombucha at home and then making a business out of it.
6:43 – The Happy Leaf Tap Room and Kitchen. Jenni and Mike talk about how it got started, what the business has turned into from just serving kombucha to now, serving fermented and pickled foods. They talk about how much fun it is to see people learn about fermented foods and enjoy eating them.
11:00 – All the types of fermentation. Jenni and Mike talk about the different types of fermented foods there are from preserving the food and the difference between them. They also talk about how every food is fermented differently and gives it a different taste.
15:08 – The process of making kombucha. We walk through the process of making kombucha from making the sweet tea, to adding the scoby and what exactly a scoby is.
20:30- Preserved lemons. Jenni talks about one of her favorite things to preserve, lemons and how she goes about doing it.
22:24 – How much space is needed to make kombucha and the types of environments you need to make it.
24:21 – Fermented garlic. Nate and Kim talk about one of their favorite things to eat, fermented garlic. Jenni and Mike talk about how they ferment the garlic and what it can be used for including making caesar dressing.
27:25 – The biggest failed food. Jenny and Mike talk about foods they tried to make that did not work out.
31:30- Jenni and Mike talk about where they learned the process of fermenting foods and the techniques they have learned to make sure you aren’t going to get sick. They also talk about encountering health inspectors who do not know much about fermented foods and the difficulties that causes.
34:43 – The classes they teach and what exactly they teach in the classes they are doing.
36:10- Where to find out more about Jenni and Mike, Happy Leaf products, the classes they are doing, and Happy Leaf Kombucha and restaurant. www.happyleafkombucha.com
38:00- Wrapping up, thanks to the sponsors - Bromley Farm and Main Street Markets.
Produced by Mauro Media and Truth & Legend Productions.