Taya Mara’s lineup of healthy, fermented foods — from classic sauerkraut to kimchi — has built a loyal following at Soo Market
Taya Mara is offering Sault residents a healthy alternative through the sale of fermented food.
Mara has owned and operated Cultura Ferments in Leeburn, 50 km east of the Sault, for the last 10 years.
She originally served customers at the former Mill Market before moving to Soo Market.
The fermentation process is scientific and healthy.
“You take something as simple as cabbage and salt and then through the fermentation process it turns into sauerkraut, a food that’s incredibly high in vitamin C and amino acids,” Mara told SooToday.
“The fermentation process causes the growth of beneficial probiotic bacteria, not bad bacteria. So, when you consume a fermented food you are getting those benefits.”
Those beneficial effects include the improvement of digestion, strengthening of the immune system, the combating of harmful bacteria and the reduction of gut inflammation.
“With every tablespoon of ferments that you’re eating you’re getting a significant amount of those probiotic bacteria,” Mara said.
She said more people are starting to learn that beneficial bacteria are good for ‘the gut,’ a term used to describe the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.
“I have 18 different flavours of fermented sauerkraut and my best seller has dill and garlic in it,” Mara said.
“Kimchi is a popular one as well. It’s a fermented sauerkraut made from napa cabbage instead of green cabbage. The texture of napa cabbage is a little bit different, but the process of fermentation is exactly the same.”
Other popular fermented sauerkraut mixtures from Cultura Ferments are spicy dill pickle, pineapple turmeric and jalapeno pineapple.
“You take your cabbage, you shred it. You add a measured amount of salt based on the weight of your ingredients and your cabbage,” Mara explained.
“As you’re salting your cabbage, you’re squishing it and it creates that natural brine, a natural combination of salt and water. Once it’s shredded and juicy you pack it into a vessel so that it can get tucked in there and do its thing over the next seven to 25 days.”
Mara said there’s fancy equipment you can buy for that process but you can also do it at home and leave it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
“These foods are live foods. They do react when it’s cold out. They take longer to ferment when it’s cold. In summer when it’s hot they ferment quickly.
“I wish I could grow all of my cabbage. I probably go through about 500 pounds of cabbage a week,” Mara said with a laugh.
She strives to find and purchase locally-grown cabbage but, in certain months of the year, Mara orders cabbage from an out-of-town delivery service.
Most people enjoy fermented cabbage as a side dish but there are other ways to experience the taste, Mara said.
“It’s great in a wrap or in your salad. You mix it in with your potato salad or egg salad. Lots of people love it with their eggs. It’s fantastic in a grilled cheese sandwich.”
Mara said she has converted many to fermented cabbage.
“We’ve had people stop by at Soo Market and say ‘I would never eat that.’ Then they try a sample, they buy a jar and they come back every week.”
Mara has also sold roasted coffee through her other business – Coffin Valley Supply Co. – for the last three years alongside Cultura Ferments at Soo Market.
She said Cultura Ferments – marketed as ‘Lovingly Cultured Feel Good Food’ – began as a personal venture but grew from there.
“I wanted to do something good for my family and myself.
“But then, as soon as I started making this food, I wanted other people to know how delicious it is and how beneficial it is for our bodies.
“As I’m fermenting this food, I’m creating little communities of beneficial bacteria, then I’m feeding the larger community in the Sault and area. I feel honoured to be able to share that with people.”