Rachel de Thample
Fermenting for Taste & Health
- Regular price
- £135.00
- Sale price
- £135.00
- Regular price
-
Tax included.
River Cottage's Rachel de Thample teaches you how to use fermenting to create your own fermented food and drink.
Fermenting is one of the most ancient and most widely used food and drink preparation techniques. If you love the tangy, savoury tang of sauerkraut, flavours of fermented veg, the delicate fizz of kombucha, the invigorating kick of kimchi, the delicate fizz of kombucha or the soothing calm of kefir, this is the course for you.
Fermentation is a transformative process that makes food not only more nutritious but also more delicious. By eating natural, whole and live foods, we can boost the profile of our healthy gut bacteria.
During this course you will be taken on a culinary adventure into the many realms of fermenting, exploring an array of krauts, kombuchas and lacto-fermented delicacies. By the end of the journey you will have your shelves lined with happy bubbling ferments and your fridge stocked with irresistible, meal-enhancing delights.
Rachel will share skills and secrets gleaned from many years experimenting in her own kitchen and at River Cottage, enhanced by the inspiration and creativity of a host of fellow fermenters.
You’ll learn all you need to know to get started, master the basics and branch out creatively into new avenues.
You'll learn:
- the science of fermenting
- recipes for kraut, kombucha, kefir and lacto-fermentation
- seasonal variations for ferments
- how to make a scoby living culture
The course includes:
- 4 on-demand video lessons - presented by Rachel de Thample and River Cottage
- lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
- flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
- downloadable lesson notes
- practical fermenting assignments and recipes (with tutor feedback available)
- access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
- small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas
Independent Cookery Schools Association approved
This course has been approved by the Independent Cookery Schools Association (ICSA), recognising the highest standards of training.
Time to complete the fermenting course:
Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 15 hours 20 minutes to complete including:
- Video lessons: 3 hours 20 minutes in total
- Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
- Your gut health recipe assignments: at least 2 hours per lesson
- Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
- Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson
You'll need:
Your lesson notes will include the full details of the ingredients you'll need, but you will be making fermented food and drinks, so you'll need standard kitchen equipment.
Ready to get started?
Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Rachel on your fermenting assignments.
If you know someone who'd love this course then give it as a gift - just tick "This is a gift" at the checkout.
Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.
Lessons
What You’ll Learn
Explore the lessons and topics covered across the course.
‘Fermentation’ describes the chemical conversion of sugars to alcohols or acids. During this lesson you learn the basics and touch on the science behind this ancient art. Rachel will show you the endless possibilities offered by kraut, including seasonal recipes, and by the end of the lesson you will have created a simple but delicious red cabbage kraut, dandelion krautchi and a phenomenal curried carrot kraut. While these krauts are completely delicious straight from the jar, you can also employ them as brilliant ingredients to transform your cooking. Rachel will show you how to whip up some gorgeous delights such as dandelion krautchi potato cakes.
Lacto-fermentation is the process that produces traditional dill pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut amongst other fermented delights. Rachel builds on the same simple fermentation process that you learned in lesson one by teaching you about 4% brines and the difference between kraut and kimchi. You will learn how to make two types of kimchi, including a smoky beetroot number, as well as some garden-inspired carrot & lovage pickles. Embracing the rich and flavourful brine from these piquant ferments, she shows you how to make the most of every drop turning her hand to a bit of cocktail mixology – transforming kimchi and pickle brines into the most incredible Blood Marys we’ve ever tried.
A scoby is the living culture containing beneficial bacteria and yeast that transform sweet tea into tangy, fizzy kombucha. Learn how to make your own scoby, and follow Rachel’s simple steps as she demonstrates how to create seasonal variations on your basic kombucha using fruit and herbs from the garden. By the end of this lesson you will have learned a whole host of recipes featuring kombucha, including a kombucha-fermented pickles and a brilliantly simple kombucha salad dressing.
Kefir is a cultured, fermented milk drink originally from the mountainous region that divides Asia and Europe. Learn all the basics, including how to obtain kefir grains, quantities, brewing times and storage. Rachel will also teach you how to infuse your delicious brews with seasonal flavours. Once you’ve mastered the brewing techniques for both dairy and water kefir, you’ll be ready to use these nourishing drinks to create other healthy recipes including kefir-fermented blinis.
Learning options
Choose How You Want to Learn
Recommended
Expert
£135.00
A guided learning experience with expert support, feedback and recognised outcomes.
Peer
£45.00
Learn alongside others with a collaborative, flexible learning experience.
COURSE TUTOR
Rachel de Thample
SUCCESS
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Common Questions
Answers to the most common questions about learning with us.
Our online classroom is designed to help you learn from experts in a collaborative, social environment alongside a small group of learners.
Each lesson combines expert-led videos with optional assignments, giving you the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned and share your work with others. You can take part in ongoing discussions, ask questions, exchange feedback, and learn from a community of like-minded people from around the world.
By learning together in a small, supportive group, you benefit not only from expert guidance but also from shared ideas, perspectives, and experiences—helping you stay engaged and retain what you learn.
You can start your course at any time within 12 months of purchase. Once you begin, you’ll have lifetime access, so you can revisit lesson videos and notes whenever you like.
Courses are designed to fit around your schedule, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Each lesson video is typically 30–40 minutes, and we recommend around an hour for each assignment.
Both Peer and Expert options give you full access to the course content, including lesson videos, downloadable notes, assignments, and a collaborative online classroom with up to 20 learners. You’ll also have lifetime access to revisit the material at any time.
The Expert option includes everything in Peer, plus personalised assignment feedback, direct messaging with your expert tutor, and a certificate of completion.
With the Expert option, you can interact directly with your tutor throughout the course. You’ll typically have one week per lesson to ask questions and receive feedback on your assignments, with as much interaction as you need during that time.
Your tutor access begins when you enter the classroom and follows the course schedule (for example, a four-lesson course usually runs over four weeks). If you need more time or support, our team is here to help.