As bread baking mania sweeps the nation, an NC State virtual course invites to you to slow down, step back, and get a better grasp of the science behind your loaves.

“Fermentology 101” is a virtual 20-minute lecture series from NC State faculty and guests that educates on the “culture, history and science behind the foods you have at home.” The bite-sized talks take place every week on Thursdays at 4 p.m.. 

Although previous lectures—April 16’s “Wild Sourdough” talk with Lauren Nichols and Erin McKenney and April 23rd’s “Wy Do People Care About Sourdough?” with Matthew Booker—have passed, the fermenting bill for May (and the last day in April) is stacked: topics include the evolutionary history of yeast and bread, how bees make bread out of pollen, and a special virtual bread-tasting course with baker and sensory scientist Michael Kalanty. 

Future talks include a lecture on the world’s oldest cheese and yogurt, the yeast of the future, and fermenting for the zombie apocalypse. You also don’t want to miss an August 20 guest lecture by sourdough librarian Karl De Smedt—yes, the existence of a sourdough librarian means there is in fact a sourdough library—about the 128 starters from 25 countries that he keeps alive. 

To register, participants just need to fill out this form and a link will be emailed to them the day prior. You can also view talks after the fact on the Applied Ecology Youtube page. 

Contact deputy arts and culture editor Sarah Edwards at [email protected].

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Sarah Edwards is culture editor of the INDY, covering cultural institutions and the arts in the Triangle. She joined the staff in 2019 and assumed her current role in 2020.