A Fermented Meal at the Park Hyatt Aviara

A dinner of fermented foods may not sound very appetizing. To ferment food, we let it sit out, letting bacteria grow. But, if you think about it, we eat, and drink, a lot of fermented products. Wine and beer are fermented, as is apple cider vinegar and kombucha. Sourdough bread, yogurt, kefir, miso and kimchi are all fermented foods. Cabbage, when fermented, becomes sauerkraut and fermented cucumbers are pickles. Historically, fermentation was a way of preserving food. And, there are a lot of health benefits to eating fermented food. When food is fermented, a chemical reaction takes place in which sugars are broken down into acids or alcohol. This process allows beneficial bacteria (probiotics) and digestive enzymes to prosper. These probiotic bacteria improves digestion, boosts immunity, provides minerals that build bone density, helps fight allergies and kills harmful microbes. So, when I was invited to the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad for a Fermentation Dinner, I did not hesitate to accept. How could I say no to eating and drinking a five course meal that one could argue would be good for me.