A DYNAMIC duo have jumped on board a new food trend and come up with an interesting venture. 

Jude Davies and Fran Hale recently took over the Salt House in West Bay for a day to introduce the art of fermentation to a group of 16 enthusiastic learners. 

The pair both work part time at Naturalife on South Street, Bridport, and have seen a dramatic rise in interest in all things pre and probiotic in recent months.

The morning was spent introducing fermented foods, with the group tasting four different flavoured sauerkrauts before making their own. 

Jude gave a talk on sourdough, providing rye and gluten-free sourdoughs to sample, before the group went back to the work area to make their own kimchi - a Korean version of sauerkraut with a chilli, garlic and ginger sauce. 

The morning finished with a look at some other fermented produce; a jar of fermented garlic cloves, a harvest of nasturtium seeds in brine and a crock of soy beans that Fran is fermenting to make her own miso - a process that will take around a year.

Jude and Fran had flavoured 10 bottles of kefir - a probiotic rich, water based drink - and asked the group to see how many they could identify.

Pleased with the reception the workshop received, Fran and Jude are already planning more. 

Events are scheduled for Charmouth at the end of January and Beaminster at the end of February.

"Fermentation is not a new discovery," said Fran. "But it has been thrust into the limelight and is really on trend in 2017. We have always found ways to preserve our food and make it last through the lean months and fermentation is just one of those time-honoured traditions. What is more recent is the research that is being done on just how good these foods are for a healthy gut."

For more information, email franandjudefermenting@gmail.com