Cheftimony Episode 032 – Fermented
“Paul has created a business out of his love for fermentation, and Coastal Cultures currently focuses on water kefir (a delicious fermented beverage) and some amazing sauerkrauts.”
Today’s episode features two interviews, both from the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. This is the beautiful part of the world I’ve been lucky to call home for the last two years, a 40-minute ferry ride from Vancouver but a world away too.
First on the show today is Paul Haldane, the chef behind Coastal Cultures. Paul has created a business out of his love for fermentation, and Coastal Cultures currently focuses on water kefir (a delicious fermented beverage) and some amazing sauerkrauts. In today’s interview, you’ll hear Paul talk about the differences between water kefir and kombucha, and we also dive into fermented pickles, Paul’s “eureka!” moment with sauerkraut, and his early days in restaurant kitchens in England. We round out the interview by discussing menu pricing and restaurant economics, and Paul shares a great story about a very creative pricing strategy he tried at a restaurant he owned in Gibsons.
After my talk with Paul, I head further north on the coast to Brickers Cider where I had a tour of the operation and a great talk in the tasting room with Operations & Production Manager Nick Farrer. As you’ll hear from Nick, Brickers is a family operation, inspired by Grandma Anne and her advice to make use of the apples the family’s farm property produces. Nick walks me through the cider making process (including some delicious samples!) and talks about where cider sits in the Canadian beverage market. We also talk about commercial versus wild yeasts and the notion of terroir as applied to cider. And Nick gives some fascinating examples of the lengths they go to at Brickers to create unique and amazing cider flavours. How about a coffee-infused cider to mimic the flavour profile of stout?
For that and much more, join me for the interviews!