ROCHESTER, NY—The Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC) Cumming Nature Center will present the inaugural FLX Fermentation Festival, a celebration of regional abundance through the art of fermentation, Friday, Aug. 16–Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019. Throughout the weekend, visitors will explore the hands-on science and artisan craft of fermentation through lectures, workshops, and demonstrations. The festival will also feature internationally renowned fermentation expert and author, Sandor Katz, who will lead workshops Saturday and Sunday and give the keynote lecture on Saturday.
The weekend will begin on Friday, Aug. 16 with an intimate dinner at Hollerhorn Distilling in Naples with Katz (reservation required, space is limited).
On Saturday, the Nature Center will host a series of small-group workshops led by Katz, along with a tasting fair featuring local food trucks, eateries, and purveyors. Participating vendors will include Atwater Estate Vineyards, Blackduck Cidery, Crooked Carrot Kimchi, FLX Kombucha, Food & Ferments, Fruition Seeds, Kimchenius!, MacDonald Farms, Osmote Wine, Other Half Brewing, and Smugtown Mushrooms.
Also on Saturday, regional experts and thought leaders working in sustainable agriculture will give featured lectures throughout the day, culminating with a keynote presentation by Katz.
The weekend will close with an intensive, hands-on Sunday workshop led by Katz, which will include lunch.
ABOUT SANDOR KATZ
Sandor Ellix Katz is a fermentation revivalist. His books Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation, along with the hundreds of fermentation workshops he has taught around the world, have helped to catalyze a broad revival of the fermentation arts. A self-taught experimentalist who lives in rural Tennessee and the recipient of a James Beard award and other honors, Katz has been called “one of the unlikely rock stars of the American food scene” by The New York Times.
FLX FERMENTATION FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Dinner with Sandor Katz | Friday, Aug. 16 | 5–7p.m.
Enjoy a multi-course dinner with Katz at Hollerhorn Distilling. Chef Michelle Halloran will prepare a fermentation-themed, locally sourced meal to be served on the deck with inspiring views of High Tor and the Naples Valley. Guests will have ample time to mingle with one another and Katz, who will share brief remarks. Tickets: $95 with alcohol; $65 without alcohol; preregistration required by August 14, 2019.
Foundations of Fermentation with Sandor Katz | Saturday, Aug. 17 | 9 a.m. 10:30 a.m., 12:45 p.m.
During these 75-minute, lecture-style, mini workshops, Katz will make the funky world of fermentation accessible and easy to understand. While demonstrating how to make sauerkraut, Katz will discuss the core principles of fermentation and how these apply to a wide variety of fermented foods. The format is open and inclusive, and audience interaction will drive the conversation. Tickets: $35; advance registration recommended at RMSC.org or 585.697.1942; all three sessions cover the same material.
All-Day Lectures | Saturday, Aug. 17
- 11–11:45 a.m.: Fermentation of Seed Saving with Petra Page-Mann of Fruition Seeds
- 1–1:45 p.m.: Demystifying “Natural” Fermentation: A conversation with a winemaker, a cidermaker, and a brewer
- 2:30–4 p.m.: The Art of Fermentation keynote by Sandor Katz
Tickets to the All-Day Lectures and the tasting fair are included in the Cumming Nature Center FLX Fermentation Festival admission price of $5 per person.
Advanced Fermentation with Sandor Katz | Sunday, Aug. 18 | 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
This intensive workshop will include a family style lunch prepared by Michelle Halloran of Hollerhorn Distilling and Kimchenius!. The four foods Katz will focus on for the workshop are:
- Dosa, a South-Indian crepe of fermented rice and lentil batter
- Naem, Thai fermented pork ribs
- Pao cai, a spicy Sichuan brined pickle
- Nukazuke, a Japanese rice bran pickle
Most of these items will be included with the locally sourced lunch, and participants will leave with items prepped for home fermentation. Tickets: $225; advance registration is recommended at RMSC.org or 585.697.1942.
For high-resolution images and additional information, contact Mare Millow, Marketing Communications Manager, RMSC, 585.697.1944, mmillow@rmsc.org, or visit RMSC.org/press-news.
The Cumming Nature Center is a dynamic, 900-acre environmental education facility that celebrates the unique landscape and culture of the Finger Lakes region through experiential learning opportunities and thoughtful exhibits. Educational programming at the Nature Center explores the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. These programs are designed to inspire innovative thinking among participants and provide them with the tools, knowledge and confidence to take action in the face of local, regional and global challenges. The preserve includes six miles of trails and countless opportunities to connect with the outdoors.
Cumming Nature Center trails are open five days a week: Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday).
The Cumming Nature Center is located at 6472 Gulick Road, Naples, NY 14512.
Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past and present, including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives major funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top three most visited attractions serving children and families. For more information about RMSC, visit https://rmsc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
