Forkful Issue 4: The Fermentation Issue
When we conceived this fermentation-focused issue of Forkful, the threat posed by COVID-19 was still an abstract one. By the time we were commissioning, interviewing and writing, the lockdown was in full force. At the time of going to print we were still in our homes; still waiting. We can only guess as to the state of Melbourne and of the world when this issue is ready for release—when you will be reading these words.
And yet, somehow, fermentation has proved prescient in these unknown and unknowable times. As the lockdown has prompted us to look to new and different ways of engaging with our local food culture, so fermentation cultures and communities can offer some answers. Whether that be the history of food continuity and ingenuity as explored in Walking Through the Trenches... and Fermentation is a Feminist Issue; the importance of fermented foods for our health and wellbeing as explained in Fermented Guts and Glory; or the ethics of sustainability embedded in fermenting culture as explored in The Danger of Convenience and embodied in Oak and Swan’s baking ethos.
Another aspect of Melbourne’s food culture that the COVID-19 lockdown has brought into sharp relief—and one already present in the way that our local fermenters operate—is its genuine sense of community, its willingness to open its arms, its ethos of sharing and its adaptability. This is evident in the passion of the craft brewers in Flirting with Ferments, in Saba’s mission to share her Ethiopian culture via her food, in Chae’s goal of sharing traditional Korean food and in Cary’s literal life-altering engagement with fermenting.
Whether you’re reading this from your home or in your local café or craft brewery, we can only hope that you’re inspired by the values of sustainability and shared community that Melbourne’s fermentation culture embodies. And of course this issue is an invitation—to make, to visit, to DIY. From classic sauerkraut to sourdough scones, roll up your sleeves and get fermenting!
CONTRIBUTORS
Daniel Callaghan is a writer and reviewer, with an enthusiasm for editing. If he’s not at the cinema, his natural habitat, Daniel writes film and TV reviews for his Facebook blog Dan Lives At The Cinema in his free time. He also has experience writing for Deakin University’s WORDLY Magazine.
Emily Cecchetto is a brunch-loving writer who typically writes fiction and poetry. She has had her work published in Discord, Catalyst and The Bowen Street Press Review and was a Fiction and Poetry Editor for Catalyst. She currently works as the Social Media Manager for The Lifted Brow.
Carly Godden is a writer and podcaster. She writes fiction and features, and has produced radio documentaries for ABC Radio National and Dead and Buried, an indie podcast about Melbourne’s weird and gritty past. Carly lives in Brunswick with her fox terrier Scully.
Jaci Hicken is the founder of Jacican, a cooking school and food studio in Gippsland, Victoria. She always had a childhood dream of building a business in the area that she grew up in. Now living her dream sees her teaching guests how to create harvest lunches, jams and croquembouche in the place that she loves! jacican.com.au
Daiana Ingleton is a young and new art student based in Melbourne. Her work can be seen in the form of murals, short animations and in a large collection of sketchbooks she has completed since 2014. Creating art for the public eye and teaching herself to animate keeps her entertained.
Natacha Manomaiphan journeys to reclaim and redefine the boundaries of her multicultural identity. She has recently published a poem in Metamorphosis, called ‘Hold Your Tongue’. Poetry is Natacha’s unwavering passion and partner- in-crime. She has worked on publications such as Gibberish and Forkful.
Kitty Webster is a writer, a wanderer and a worrier. With a background in education and adventure, she is now following her heart of hearts and is writing full-time. She has poetry published in The Dirty Thirty anthologies and travel writing published on cyclingabout.com. She can usually be found snuggling with a cat or a book or both.
