UNE microbiologist Gal Winter's personal passion is not too far removed from her professional one. In fact, cooking sourdough and experimenting with fermented foods is something of a delectable science lesson.
I have always loved cooking and everything food-related. I first studied Food Science and then moved from Israel to Australia to do my PhD in wine fermentation at the Australian Wine Research Institute. That led me to food microbiology and then gut microbiology.
I have been making sourdough and sauerkraut for years, long before the COVID trend, because it's such a beautiful process. But it really kicked off during the lockdown, when I had extra time at home to really delve into it, to read more and better understand the processes. The microbiology was one thing, but I also began to consider the chemistry and nutritional benefits.
The power of fermented foods
As a cook, I've always had an interest in knowing what was in my food, how it was prepared and what it would do to my body, once I ate it. Fermented food has this very long and interesting history; for years and years before me, people were doing the same thing. You feel like you are connected to something greater than you and that there's a power to these foods, because they were used throughout time.
Fermented food was the only source of fibre and nutrients for sailors during long expeditions, and it saved their lives. Before we had refrigeration, people living in areas without fresh crops throughout the year could preserve their foods and gain important nutritional benefits not otherwise available.
When I cook, I always think about the greater meaning of the food.
When I cook, I always think about the greater meaning of the food; there's the aspect of feeding my family quality food, but I also connect with my ancestors and my history.
My mother's family is from Libya and they have a wonderful cooking tradition, a mixture of Italian and Middle Eastern influences. My Dad's side is from Europe, and when I was growing up he had a fruit and vegetable shop, so we always had abundant fresh food at home and my Mum is a great cook.
Israeli-Jewish culture is very festive and includes a lot of celebrations. Everything revolves around food. We have the Shabbat, a day of rest that starts Friday night and ends Saturday night, and every Friday night we have a big meal, which is a celebration of family and friends. As a child, I would spend Friday morning cooking with my mother for Shabbat. This is a tradition I strive to keep, even in Australia today. We get together every Friday night with our Israeli friends to enjoy time together and we always look forward to having challah, the rich festive bread that is only made on Fridays.
The cooking and my research go hand-in hand. I am influenced by my research and my studies influence the cooking. My research into the gut microbiome has shown the importance of fermented food for good gut health, and that inspires me to prepare more and more.
I cook most nights. I like to think of it as my gift to my family. We only have sourdough that I make; we hardly buy bread anymore. It feels really nice to give that to my family.
Better than meditation
Food is first and foremost about nourishing yourself, but it is so many other things - a way to relax and create, to experience. If I am really stressed, a day off to cook makes me feel so much better. It sets things straight. It's better than meditation. If the family is around, cooking brings a sense of unity to the house; there's a feeling of home that comes with cooking, and food cuts through all of our senses.
From cooking, I get a lot of good ideas about how to teach, because everyone relates to food in one way or another. It often gives me creative examples.
During isolation I started getting funky with the sourdoughs.
During isolation I started getting funky with the sourdoughs, fermenting all sorts of fruit and vegetables, and making weird vinegars. A lot of the vinegars were complete failures, but the plum vinegar is a personal iso-cooking favourite of mine.
I am giving a workshop for the New England Community College at the end of July that was inspired by recent experiences I shared with my mother in Israel. She wanted me to teach her how to make sourdough, so I prepared a series of videos with instructions, and gave her a little of the science behind it. It was a really good process and my Mum loved it. I really enjoyed putting together the theory from my science education and my love of cooking. My Mum is probably better at cooking sourdough than me now. Especially in times like this, when we are so far apart, it has really helped to connect us.
