Fermentation Cast

Tessa van der Geer and Ivana Mik
  • 4.2 (5)
  • FOOD
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

This podcast will alleviate your fears of microbes! We will tell you more about fermentation by combining science and practice in a bi-weekly episode introducing a new fermented product. We will build your knowledge from the very basics all the way to futuristic fermentations.

  1. JAN 3

    S2E3 co-fermenting fungi for better tempeh

    [Level: Advanced] This is our second report from the International Conference on Fermented Foods in Bolzano. Oscar Boronat Nielsen, a fermentation scientist and huge foodie, explains us how he combines starters for tempeh and soy sauce to create a new style of tempeh with more umami and more flavour. And the most fun part? You can quite easily try this at home! Learn how to time the addition of each fungus, how the prepare the soy beans and in which conditions you should ferment this fluffy creation.

    24 min

  2. 12/20/2025

    S2E2 the future of fermented foods

    [Level: Advanced] This is the first episode of four covering Ivana's visit to the International Conference on Fermented Foods in Bolzano, where four interviews took place with fermentation SUPER specialists. The first conversation is with Emanuele Zannini. He is both a professor in food science at University La Sapienza in Rome and a research professor at UCC University College in Cork, Ireland. Emanuele Zannini talks about how we can use A.I. to create the foods of tomorrow using traditional fermentation, how fermentation allows him to interact with the intelligence of microbes and reveals his favourite sidestream (cause who doesn't have one?).

    31 min

  3. 12/05/2025

    S2E1 beetroot special

    [Level: Beginner] Welcome to the first episode of season 2 of the Fermentation Cast! This season, we build on our knowledge obtained in the first season. We step away from the fermentation tree and invite guests from all over the world to talk about how théy ferment. They give us tips and tricks that you can apply directly into practise. This episode is a special one and evolves entirely around beetroots. Ivana became an ambassador of this sturdy vegetable together with a group of other food professionals. We call ourselves the "Bietenclub", the Beetroot Club. We put this vegetable in the spotlight at the start of winter and hopefully in time for you to put some fermented beetroots on your Christmas table. Time to see if you remember about all the different types fermentations!

    30 min

  4. 05/16/2025

    S1E17 David Zilber

    [Level: Beginner] If you are a fermenter, you probably own a copy of the Noma Guide to Fermentation. For our season finale Ivana drove over to Copenhagen for a one hour interview with the writer of this book and thé O.G. master of fermentation David Zilber. In his funky fermentation lab where he works on innovative applications of microbes for Novonesis, they speak about their brief shared history at Noma, his life as a food scientist now and they reflect on the first season of the fermentation cast combining his personal anecdotes with our fermentation tree. Stay tuned till the end to discover how you too can became a true fermentation fairy.

    58 min

  5. 05/02/2025

    S1E16 vanilla

    [Level: Intermediate] Did you actually know vanilla is fermented? And not by a very common microbe! It is Bacillus that gives that oomph, making vanilla one of the most popular flavours in the world. In this episode we dive deeper into how vanilla is produced and what role Bacillus plays in that production. We introduce the last category of the fermentation tree and hope to spark your enthusiasm for this funky friend.

    25 min

  6. 04/18/2025

    S1E15 tempeh

    [Level: Intermediate] Tempeh is a fermented food from Indonesia that consists of soy beans grown together by the mold Rhizopus oligosporus. That in itself is a delicious food, but there are many more applications that can be made using this fungus. In our transition to a more plant-based world, it makes sense to first explore what we already have on hands. Listen to this episode and learn how to tame this fluffy friend.

    37 min

  7. 04/04/2025

    S1E14 futuristic ferments at Expo West

    [Level: Advanced] Ivana visited Expo West in Los Angeles to explore the alternative protein market. There, she found multiple companies that use fermentation to save our future food supplies. This episode is a teaser for what we want to report on in a future season: a deep dive into the vast array of possibilities when it comes to fermentation. And... we dare you to try these fermentations at home ;-)

    21 min

  8. 03/21/2025

    S1E13 shoyu

    [Level: Intermediate] Shoyu - a delight that lifts every dish from mediocre to next level. How is it made, how can you make it from other ingredients than soy beans and can Dutchies make a Japanese-approved shoyu IN The Netherlands ? During this episode we unveil the secrets of soy sauce and visit Dutch soy sauce makers from Tomasu in Rotterdam - who have (believe it or not) fallen in love with this umami flavourmaker...

    46 min
See All (20)

Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

This podcast will alleviate your fears of microbes! We will tell you more about fermentation by combining science and practice in a bi-weekly episode introducing a new fermented product. We will build your knowledge from the very basics all the way to futuristic fermentations.

Information

  • Creator
    Tessa van der Geer and Ivana Mik
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tessa van der Geer and Ivana Mik
  • Show Website
    Fermentation Cast

You Might Also Like