Borough Market celebrates the art of fermentation

Borough Market is set to host the first ever House of Ferment, a celebration of the unique tastes and health benefits created through fermentation.

Organised in collaboration with the Science Gallery at King’s College London and Grizedale Arts, the multi-functional art installation incorporates a collection of edible fermented cultures to explore.

The ancient food preservation technique - dating back thousands of years - is timelier than ever, as people increasingly recognise the significance of fermentation and use of the technique in many of the foods and drinks we consume on daily basis.

Billions of bacteria have been carefully nurtured and developed into six different cultures over the past decade at Grizedale Art’s farm HQ with the help of artist Karen Guthrie. Each culture has produced a distinct flavour, which has subsequently been used to create over 30 unusual fermented products for visitors to sample.

Throughout the week, visitors will be encouraged to try a range of the fermented products on offer, from sourdough and locally sourced cheese to the more unusual nettle ‘champagne’ and kombucha – a lightly effervescent fermented tea drink.

House of Ferment will also act a hub for a variety of talks, prompting discussions on how we consume our food and our relationships with it, as well as workshops on the history and future of fermentation and food preservation.