Yeast is Yummy – Ancient Earth Pigments

Believe it; yeast is yummy! Have you ever wondered why yeast is beneficial and even good for you?

Yeast comes in many forms. Wild yeasts occur in nature! We find it on the skin of wine grapes and other fruits. Here are just a few types of cultivated (specially grown) yeasts who will help make many types of breads, pizza dough, mead (honey wine) and other, grape wines. Bread and pizza yeast are on the left side, sweet mead yeast is at the top, and wine yeasts are on the right side.

We rely on yeast to help ferment cacao beans which turn into chocolate!
Here are some of the many forms that chocolate can take. On the left, dark chocolate “Baton” from France- meant to fill pastries; a white cup filled with French dark chocolate “Callets” (chips) for general baking, cakes and candy making; at the top a popular hazelnut spread, drinking cocoa & candy. At the center, from one of our favorite chocolatiers- some specialty chocolate bars made by Richard Donnelly, in Santa Cruz, CA.

(Parents, please preview these episodes, below, to see if they are age-appropriate for your family, then enjoy together!)

See (enjoy watching with your family) the Netflix series called “Cooked” episode 3: Air, if you want to learn about yeast and bread making. Watch episode 4: Earth if you want to learn about fermentation and how it is essential for chocolate and cheese! These are great launching points for learning to bake and cook together, a set of life skills which you’ll enjoy as a family. Michael Pollan is one of our favorite writers and TV hosts!

Thank you for joining us as we do Pandemic Projects, meant to keep you energized, curious and learning!