Out of a pickle

摘要

For breakfast, a bit of Saccharomyces ce-revisiae and, perhaps, a dash of Lactoba-cillus. For lunch, some Acetobacter or Leu-conostoc mesenteroides-but look out for any stray Streptococcus faecalis. In the evening, probably back to S. cerevisiae. From bread and yogurt, via pickles, kimchi and vinaigrette, to beer and wine, people have co-opted many microbes to work their magic in the service of flavour. It is only in recent years, though, that science has looked into how the bacteria and fungi involved do their fermenting-consuming one set of molecules and excreting a tastier set, or one that preserves the food, or one that inebriates the imbiber. Those who make traditional cheeses and salamis follow recipes that, through tight control of temperature, salinity or moisture, shepherd the growth of a special community of unicellular critters to end up with a desired flavour. But experimental chefs such as David Chang in America and Rene Redzepi in Denmark are trying to extend fermentation's range. That has resulted in, for example, Hozon, Mr Chang's commercial flavouring made from nuts or beans fermented with Aspergillus, a mould more usually used with rice to make sake, or with soya to make miso.