Ginger shot. A big teaspoon of the ferment, the juice of half a lemon, 50 ml cold water. A little honey or other sweetener if you want it a little gentler. Stir, don't think, drink. Get creative with spices, use half an orange or some apple juice. Up to you.

Banana–mint smoothie. A big ripe banana, six mint leaves, 150 ml cold nut milk, a handful of ice, a pinch of salt. Blend till smooth, then add at least one teaspoon of the ferment from the fridge and blend another 10 seconds or so. Adapt this however you like — beetroot and kiwi, pineapple and elderflower extract, whatever, go nuts.

Dressing. As a base, a teaspoon of the ferment, 3 tbsp olive oil, the juice of half a lime or lemon, then a good handful of mint, coriander, basil, dill, whatever fits the meal. Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt. Replace the lime or lemon with an orange for some sweetness. Shake it up and taste before you commit. It keeps a couple of days in the fridge.

The jar and process. Any swing-top jar with a rubber ring and a clamp — Fido, or whatever you already have (make sure the rubber is still somewhat soft). Rinse it out with hot water. Fill it as the recipe says, leave 2–3 cm of air at the top and rest the lid on without clamping it. Stand the jar in a pan of tap water, bring it to the boil (fast, but not at full speed), give it two minutes, then leave it in the pan until it is hand-warm. Now the ginger goes in, the clamp comes down, and you can park it in a warm spot. The rest is up to the bacteria, and to you using clean utensils for tasting (no double dipping).

• A 1-litre jar takes ½ to ¾ kg of fruit or vegetables.
• Use organic foods where possible. Leftover pesticides might inhibit fermentation.
• Below are examples, but experiment — pretty much all fruits and vegetables will ferment this way.

Cabbage. Half a kilo of white cabbage, sliced thin, and 1 g salt. Press it in a bowl until the juices come out, then pack it into the jar with its own juice and top up with water. Heat it as above, let it cool to hand-warm, stir in 3 teaspoons of the ferment and clamp it shut. Five to seven days at room temperature. Taste it after three days — it is your ferment now. When happy, place in the fridge. The lactobacillus stays alive for about four weeks, but when unopened, the ferment can last up to a few years. Check and smell always. When something looks or smells funky, get rid of the batch. Our culture smells and tastes fresh.

Spiced figs. 500 g dried figs, halved, 50 g dark caster sugar, a teaspoon of fennel seed and a teaspoon of allspice or four cloves, in a 1-litre jar. Cover with water. Heat it as above, cool to hand-warm, add 3 teaspoons of the ferment and clamp. Four to six days at room temperature, then in the fridge. Good with cheese, meats, in salads, on bread, for a fresh, sweet & sour balance. Or just eat as the treat it is.

Cashew milk. 12.5 g roasted cashews, 450 ml cold water, two pitted dates and a pinch of salt. Blend for two minutes and strain into the jar. Heat it as above, cool to hand-warm, stir in a big teaspoon of the ferment and clamp. Twelve to twenty-four hours at room temperature, until it thickens a little and tastes like the best version of fermented (nut) milk ever. Blend with an ice cube or store in the fridge, and drink it within five days.