Our Fermentaion Experts:
Khristine Holterman is a nutritionist who worked in clinical research before becoming a consultant to clients for wellness, weight-loss and cardiovascular health. She has a degree from Stanford University and an MS in Nutrition from Boston University. She has taught nutrition and fitness classes in her local school district and has written about nutrition-related topics for local publications. With a strong interest in sustainable food systems and the impact of diet on our bodies and our environment, she is an advocate for locally grown and sourced food.
Justine Scott lives with her family in Woodside. She works in the school garden and loves to share the joys of preparing fresh fruits and vegetables with children. Justine is pursuing her interest in nutrition and embarking on future studies in the field of integrative nutrition. Justine has been drinking kombucha since the first bottle of GT's Kombucha hit the shelves. The flavor and health benefits immediately appealed to her senses and sensibilities. A decade later, her extensive research has given her a wealth of knowledge about fermented beverages and kefirs.
Laura Poppink is a psychotherapist who specializes in leveraging the mind-body connection to help people tap into their potential to heal and discover more aliveness and joy. After graduating from Stanford and living in Asia and Europe, Laura got her Masters in Somatic Psychology at CIIS where she loved learning about how many ancient holistic healing modalities were being "proven" by western neuroscience. She always explores the biological, social psychological, cultural, and spiritual aspects of any "dis-ease" or challenge. Laura learned how to make kombucha from Kathleen Putnam at a Soul Food Salon 3 years ago. She believes making kombucha is an art rather than a science. Laura loves experimenting with different flavors and sharing her healthy elixirs with friends!
Kathleen Putnam is a professional organic vegetable gardener and an ISA Certified Arborist serving the Mid-Peninsula region. She has a degree in Environmental Horticulture from City College of San Francisco and is a UC Master Gardener. She teaches classes about vegetable gardening and fruit tree pruning throughout the Bay Area. She also graduated from the California Culinary Academy bread and pastry program.
Linda Choy grew up in a Korean household, eating kimchee every day at almost every meal. Two years ago, she began making her own kimchi using the Napa cabbage she gets as a u-pick club member at Portrero Nuevo Farm. Since 2006, she has been working as an independent curator of contemporary Korean art. "In-Between Places: Korean American Artists in the Bay Area" is her most recent curation, which can be viewed at Mills College in Oakland. Previously she was the assistant curator of Korean art at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Linda lives on the Peninsula where she is raising her daughter.
At the Salon:
Khristine began the salon by educating us all about fermentation and the many health benefits we gain by incorporating fermented items in our daily lives.
Kathleen taught us how to harness the power of wild yeast to create a nutritious and delicious sourdough bread.
Linda taught us about the long history and evolution of kimchi in Korean culture. She then showed us how to make kimchi, starting with salting the cabbage, to seasoning it and finally tasting it.
Justine demonstrated how to make a water-based probiotic kefir drink and described how kefir can be used for making coconut water and milk and dairy-based kefirs.
Laura educated us on what a “scoby” is and how to use it to make kombucha. She showed us the various steps involved in creating this tasty and healthful drink.
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