@join_zoe: This is the simplest ferment you can make at home. All you need is a jar, some peeled garlic cloves, and raw honey. Cover the garlic completely, seal the jar, and leave it somewhere out of direct sunlight. Give it a gentle turn every day to keep the cloves submerged and remember to open the lid every few days to release the gases produced during fermentation. As the weeks go by, the honey becomes thinner, the garlic softens, and the flavour develops into something quite different from either ingredient on its own. The fermentation will continue slowly over time and can last for many months, often well over a year, without refrigeration. Both ingredients bring something unique to the process. Garlic contains prebiotic fibres, particularly inulin, which help feed beneficial gut microbes. It also contains compounds that have been studied for their antimicrobial and antiviral properties. In one randomised controlled trial, people taking garlic extract experienced around three times fewer colds over a three-month period compared with those taking a placebo (PMID: 25386977). Honey has also been investigated in human trials and has been shown to improve both the frequency and severity of coughs (PMID: 32817011). You can spoon it over roasted vegetables, whisk it into dressings, add it to marinades, or eat a little straight from the jar if you enjoy the flavour. If you've been curious about fermentation but never known where to begin, this is one of the easiest places to start.

ZOE

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Thursday 11 June 2026 11:22:59 GMT