Dear Diary :) – i started some weird sauces 5 months ago… by challenging myself to see what sort of surfaces I am able to grow koji on. Plus because I’m working in a bakery one thing I always have – LEFTOVER BREAD. So I was growing koji on sourdough, on brioche buns, croissants and a mix of all. Then made a shio – very simple. Like lemon squeezy.

They are looking gorgeous, like little aquariums, like another life in a jar.

At the beginning I have to keep stirring them – even like this from time got some little yeasty layer on top. Coming and going. At this moment I have yeast on the surface of the mixed breads only. It doesn’t bother me too much.

Flavour wise? Yepp – so they all different. The biggest difference is the presence of butter. The butter (dairy) turns into ‘cheese’ so the whole thing smells and taste very much cheesy. The plain sourdough ‘tea’ tastes like a very nice, settled, complex umami sauce (less brutal and less salty than the soy sauces you can buy in shops). Just so nice and round – you kindof want to use it for cooking all the time (instead of ouramazing vegetable ‘bouillon powder’ LOL).

The brioche ‘tonic’ taste like a cheese consomme – makes me think of nothing else but using it to cook my risotto off without adding any additional cheese :) Smells and taste like it – confusing your brain big time. Hehehe. Thats what we want.

‘On paper’ these sauces still should sit tight in their jar till February – however I think they already reached there maximum. Probably will strain them next month… and have to find some great ideas what to use the solid parts for?… what about baking it back to some bread? Hm…. keep continue….