Planet Berlin: Food for the ages
In his Mimi Ferment store in Moabit, Markus Shimizu uses fermentation to create ingredients for fine Japanese cuisine, including pungent fermented soy beans, or natto.
Allergic reaction
Markus Shimizu was born in the Japanese capital, Tokyo. His Japanese father had fallen in love with a German woman, and Shimizu spent his first years in Japan before the family moved to the Netherlands. He began as a teenager to experiment with fermented foods that are said to combat allergies.
Special fermentation
Since fermented foods can reduce allergic reactions, Markus Shimizu, an allergy sufferer, tried different fermentation methods with the help of microorganisms. In his shop, opened in 2018, there is a sauna-like apparatus that promotes the fermentation process by finely controlling heat and humidity.
Gastronomic trendsetter
Tempeh, miso, soy sauce: Mimi Ferment's clients include world-class restaurants, as well as individual customers passing by the Stephan Kiez store in Moabit. Fermented foods, with ancient Japanese origins, are one of the latest trends to influence the contemporary foodie movement.
Coming of age
In large oak barrels, aging artisanal soy sauce continues to transform into a prized delicacy. It takes up to three years to mature and has to be stirred regularly, which is why the barrels are kept on the floor of the small shop. As a rule of thumb, the darker the sauce, the more intense the taste.