Nothing tastes better than fungus

A Sausage experiment with Brandt&Levie

Did you know that the taste of a sausage is determined by its surroundings? Together with Brandt&Levie we have started a new, four-week-long experiment of sausage fermentation. 7 Organizations are competing to become the best tasting place of Amsterdam. Who will win this fungal challenge? Waag Society, Vice, Vuurtoren Eiland, Mediamatic, KesselsKramer, Brandt&Levie or Keuringsdienst van Waarde? Find out during Bio-me and join the unofficial comparative tasting at the opening of Kunstformen Der Natur on September 18th, 20:30.

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Sausage experiments and disco balls - Sausages drying in the air as part of an experiment in collaboration with Brandt&Levie Irati

What?!

7 Different cultural locations in Amsterdam are competing in a fermentation competition with sausages from Brandt & Levie. You might not know it, but a sausage develops it's flavors because of fermentation: its interaction with local natural flora of micro-organisms on the spot. Every location received a package of sausages to be hung in their location. After a period of four weeks we will remove them and see what the difference is in taste, colour and consistency. The participating locations are: Brandt & Levie, Vice Magazine, Waag Society, KesselsKramer, Vuurtoreneiland, Keuringsdienst van Waarde and Mediamatic.

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Brandt & Levie sausages at Keuringsdienst van Waarde - Brandt & Levie sausages hanging in the studio of Dutch television show 'Keuringsdienst van Waarde’

The fermentation process

The butchery of Brandt & Levie has prepared a bunch of sausages especially for this project. After mixing the basic ingredients from biologically bred pigs, some swiss chard powder, a special bacteria (staphylococcus carnosus), dextrose and lactic acid bacteria are added to the sausage mixture. These components help dropping the pH level and create favourable conditions for the fermentation process.

After two days the sausages are sent to the ‘wild’, exposed to the attacks of diverse moulds and yeasts living in the natural flora of the chosen locations. In a period of four weeks these organisms find their way onto the meat creating a special flavour.

The first comparative tasting of the sausages will take place during Bio-me, at the opening of the exhibition Kunstformen Der Natur on September 18th 20:30.

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Sausage hanging above staircase - Sausages hanging to dry for the sausage experiment in collaboration with brandt & Levie Irati

About Bio-me
The Bio-me is a three-day symposium and festival from 18th—20th September, that aims to create a shared knowledge environment and production space to investigate the social, technological and cultural implications and potential of Fungal and Bio-based materials through art, architecture and design. Learn more about the Bio-me here.