RSBC 2016: Fun with Fermentation

Run Swim Bike Cook 2016--the details are live--and as it turns out, so are we! (Our personal selves, plus the trillions of microbes we carry within us, that is.)  Christy has put together a profound post chronicling her difficult personal journey to RSBC this year.  If you haven't already done so, go check it out here.  

In honor of Christy's transformative experience, RSBC is likewise undergoing a change this year.  For 2016's cooking challenge, we are focusing on fermentation instead of superfoods.  While this is completely new territory for me, I'm looking forward to making friends with the micro-organisms within.  Considering how essential they are for my survival, it's about time I embraced their good qualities instead of trying to wipe them all out with anti-bacterial handwash.

 For any who may be new to Run Swim Bike Cook, here are the nitty gritty details. 

Challenge 1: Run 26.2 miles (half-ers: 13.1 miles)
Challenge 2: Swim 2.4 miles (1.2 miles)
Challenge 3: Bike 112 miles (56 miles)
Challenge 4: Cook 3 of the 4 culinary "iron-chef" challenges.

Now before you flip out, remember that you have the entire month of February (or 28 days, if you're starting late) to complete these challenges.  You can challenge yourself to the full Iron Man distance, or stretch yourself with the half.  Complete all of the challenges or just some of them.  In other words, here is great motivation to get active and move during the winter season, but with the flexibility to make it work with your life.

Week 1's Culinary Challenge, taken directly from Christy's blog (balancefood.blogspot.com):

This week, I challenge you to play with yeast. Make bread. Make waffles. Make pizza. Make your own sourdough starter. Make a yeasted cake. But do it the long, slow, fermented way that allows your yeast to produce all of the amazing acids that make slowly fermented foods so much more complex. Check out this tutorial on making a biga or poolish (slow fermented bread starters), or this recipe for Liège waffles, or this wonderful recipe for Tartine's Bread.

Challenged?  I sure am.  But I'm excited too.

Rules: Have fun. Send an email to the host (christy DOT spackman AT gmail DOT com) for weeks one and three's challenges, and to the co-host (kara DOT wheeler AT gmail DOT com) for weeks two and four by the following Wednesday at midnight, including a link to your blogpost for the week. Your post should highlight where you are in the event, and/or have a mouthwatering pic of your ironchef entry for the week.

Last but not least, I have a spoiler alert for Week 4's Culinary Challenge.  After a bit of research, I am totally intrigued by the idea of making my own kefir.  I wanted to give everyone a big head's up so they have time to either purchase some kefir grains, or better yet, find a friend with grains to spare.