Recently, she showed us how to make the yeast.
Miho said natural yeast tastes different from yeast that is usually used in the bread you find in shops. And it’s healthier too.
消化されるのも、胃腸にも負担が、イーストよりは、少ないと聞いたことがあります。自分でも食べたときに、それを実感してます。
I’ve heard that natural yeast is less of a burden on your digestive system. I’ve found that that’s true for me too.
Miho has tried making natural yeast with many different things.
レーズンとか、ヤマブドウとか、ゆずとか、あーゆー香りが良くなる、
Raisins and yama budo and yuzu … things like that which produce a nice aroma.
イチゴとかもやったことあるかな、
I think I’ve also tried strawberries.
桃とか、そういうフルーツとかが一般的なんですけど、ジャガイモとか、
And peaches. I basically use fruit. And I’ve also tried things like potato.
キャベツでもやったことあるけど、キャベツはすごい変な臭いだった。
And I’ve tried cabbage. But cabbage smelt pretty bad.
This time we made yeast from a kind of grape called yama budo, raisins and buntan which is a kind of citrus fruit which is apparently called pomelo in English.
Step one was putting the fruit in jars and adding spring water.
発酵してくると、中のフルーツが、お水の上に浮かび上がってくるから、そこを考慮した上で、大体丁度良い量のフルーツとお水を入れます。
As it ferments, the fruit rises to the surface, so take that into account and put just the right amount of water in.
After pouring water in the jars, Miho told us how to look after it.
これを大体5日とか1週間くらい、一日一回こうやって振って、
For about five days to a week, once a day, shake the jar like this.
(一日一回振って)
Shake the jar once a day?
そう、フタを開けて呼吸をさせるというか、それが発酵していくうちに、プシュと、
Yes, and then open the lid to let it breathe. When it starts to ferment it will make a “pshh” sound when you open it.
And when this fruit which is sitting on the bottom now starts fizzing and rises to the top, the yeast is ready.
開けたときに言うようになってきて、ここの沈んでいるフルーツが全部発泡して、
表面に浮きあがってきたら酵母の出来上がりです。
これはちょっと浮いちゃっているけど(笑)、これも表面にブクブクが発泡して、付いてくるので見て分かる。
Well, this is already floating. But this will start bubbling and fizzing on the surface. So you’ll be able to see when it’s ready
とらえ方だけど、私は「ありがとう」とか言うんだ。
It’s up to you, but I say thank you.
(あー、なるほど)
Oh, OK.
そうそうそう、「元気に育ってね」とか言って、愛情かけると良い酵母になると思います。
Yeah. I say, “Grow up healthy and strong!”. I think if you give it love, you will make good yeast.
We took the jars home and followed Miho’s instructions.
Every day we shook the jars and opened them.
By the 7th day, the jars made a sound when opened.
The raisins did really well. You can hear them fizzing.
The grapes didn’t do so well. Mould started growing in the water, but we continued the process anyway.