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Back in November of last year, SFR profiled Pat Block, whose Barrio Brinery was in limbo, given its main product—pickles. The nature of the business, fermented foods, Block said had proven tricky for the state to categorize, and red tape followed. Now past the sour hurdle, Block leads a special workshop this Saturday at the Railyard Park Community Room.
What have you learned since opening your shop?
[Laughs] I don't know…I've learned a lot about what people like, what they don't like. I've learned that people have very strong opinions about sweet pickes—they either love them or they hate 'em; I've reinforced the idea that word of mouth is very important in Santa Fe, and I've learned about the paperwork it takes to run a small business. And it's more than I would have ever guessed.
What would people be surprised to learn about fermented foods?
That you can pickle things without vinegar is probably the biggest one. That fermented foods all contain probiotics and the health benefits that go with them, and how long they last. What an effective food preservation method it is—even though it's 3,000 years old.
What skills can folks attending your workshop expect to pick up?
Probably just how to take the bounty of their garden and turn it into foods that'll last well past the growing season.
Santa Fe Reporter