Sauerkraut at Every Meal? These Fermentation Fanatics Tried That Long Before MAHA

Also at the community table are Portland occupational therapist Eva Ortega and her fermentation buddy Letti Kittel who drove down from Seattle.

“I’ve only made unsuccessful ferments so far,” says Ortega, undeterred. “I’m here to learn.”

Kittel says she’s been nerding out on fermenting for about a year and has brought a kombucha starter with its bacteria-and-yeast scoby for others to bring home and try. And while both of them have no comment about the MAHA connection, Ortega puts some of Kittel’s starter in a little jar and drops it into her purse.

I’m expecting another round of “no comment” when the MAHA diet comes up with three other fermenting friends, Megan Andricos, Josh Monifi, and Desiré Demarest, but Andricos, aka DJ Sappho, followed a similar diet 20 years ago in what they call their “fermented-pickled food and protein phase,” which consisted of “mostly kimchi and meat.”

They’re off that diet now, but they liked being on it. “Kimchi evens out my gut biome. I felt better. Not superhuman, but better.”

Also on the community table is something called “Higgins Kraut,” made with Napa cabbage, carrots, garlic, and ginger, which, with a lovely melding of flavors, won my personal Best-in-Show award.

Turns out it’s made by one of the show’s other founders, George Winborn, who was involved for the first 10 years. He’d been farming in Dallas when he moved to Portland, to a place that had no yard and nowhere to farm.

“Doing the Fest helped scratch the itch,” he says. He’s now getting Wellspring Farm in Gresham, Oregon, off the ground and noted how the festival has become a bit more commercial, a bit less homemade. But all that’s relative, considering we’re standing here over our jars of sauerkraut, and the exhibitors are very small businesses, if they’re businesses at all.

“I still love the DIY and starter tables,” he says. “It reminds you that everyone can do this.”

Update, Wednesday October 28 at 3:30 pm: The original version of this story misquoted one sentence attributed to Liz Crain. When asked about the enduring popularity of the festival, she said “Keep Portland Weird,” which is an unofficial motto of the city that speaks to its countercultural enthusiasm. The story was updated to correct that quote.