Chef Doug Niblack

CANNON BEACH — Tolovana Arts Colony in Cannon Beach presents a workshop on food fermentation at Tolovana Hall 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 22 — after which chef Doug Niblack is confident students will be able to ferment most every vegetable on earth.

Why ferment? The reasons are many: Fermentation supports digestive health, preserves food and tastes delicious. And to be sure: Fermentation isn’t just for sauerkraut and kimchi.

“Your chocolate would taste pretty terrible without fermentation,” Niblack said.

“About a third of our recommended diet should be fermented,” he added. “And there’s a good chance that a third of it is.”

Among those fermented food staples: bread, coffee, yogurt, cheese.

Niblack’s workshop focuses on three aspects of fermentation: the history and science, the health benefits and how to do-it-yourself. With basic knowledge of the process and tools, fermenting at home is remarkably approachable.

“The best sauerkraut in the world is made from just three ingredients: cabbage, salt and water,” Niblack said.

Fermentation results in more than just briny things. As a chef at Seaside’s Dough Dough Bakery and Fermentation Station, Niblack concocts a full spectrum of fermented creations, from sparkling apricots to sweet peach sodas.

Niblack’s developed his interest and passion for fermentation while working for a Portland catering company. The caterers had their own organic farm and saw otherwise perfectly good vegetables going to waste. As means of preservation, Niblack turned to fermentation.

“One of my huge passions is limiting waste in America,” Niblack said. More than 50 percent of food produced in America goes to waste, he said.

Fermenting on the farm scaled up fast. “Before long we had 50 five-gallon buckets full of pickles,” Niblack said. “We were fermenting 450 pounds of vegetables every week.”

What began as a “cool, geeky science experiment” evolved into something Niblack thought “could help save the world.”

As Niblack’s interest in fermentation deepened, so did his research into the science of probiotics and digestion. A diet heavy in fermented probiotics, Niblack said, has drastically improved his own health and wellbeing.

Tolovana Hall is located at 3379 S. Hemlock St. Admission to the workshop is $10.

For more information visit tolovanaartscolony.org, email tolovanaartscolony@gmail.com, or call 541-215-4445.