What I'm Reading: Wild Fermentation

Scott Kustes on 09 Jun 2008 08:00 am

If you haven't already done so, subscribe to the Modern Forager RSS feed.

Table of contents for Book Reviews - 2008

Last week, I read Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. This book is all about…fermentation. Fermenting vegetables. Fermenting fruits. Fermenting grains. Fermenting honey. You name it, apparently it can be fermented. The only thing he didn’t delve into fermenting is meat, though he said it can be done, but was beyond the scope of the book.

I’m a big fan of fermenting vegetables, though I haven’t expanded beyond sauerkraut yet. I picked this book up to expand my horizons. If you’re into baking, he tells you how to make a real sourdough. If you want to try making beer or mead, he tells you how to do that. Sauerkraut, kim chi, pickled beets, miso, you name it, it’s in here.

Obviously it was a quick read as a) it’s not exceptionally long and b) I didn’t sit and read the directions for every recipe. It’s a great book with plenty of recipes that enticed me, so I just went to Amazon and purchased it. But to get much of any value from it, you probably need to actually put this one on your bookshelf, as opposed to checking it out from the library.

Previous in series Next in series

If you enjoyed this post, share it on StumbleUpon or Health Ranker (or both!)

Print This Post

Tags: fermented, Sandor Katz, sauerkraut

2 Responses to “What I’m Reading: Wild Fermentation”

Jay on 09 Jun 2008 at 9:04 am #

Have had the book a few months, great recipes. I have a Garlic Brine pot, have made the quick pickles, Kim Chi is eaten daily and I went back to making Kombuca and Kefir.

Dropped Sandor a few emails and pic’s, he not only responded, but posted my pics on this blog.

Cool guy. I also have his The Revolution will not be Microwaved.

Anna on 09 Jun 2008 at 11:58 am #

Love this book. It is a good overall resource for a variety of fermentation techniques.

I have bought some other fermentation books, which go into more detail in specific areas, like cheesemaking, yogurt, and sauerkraut/veggies, but I think if one needs one book, WF is a great one.

What’s interesting to me is the variety of ferments from different cultures around the world, yet in many ways, they are so similar.

Another very interesting book (though some recipes could use more detail) is Keeping Food Fresh: Old World Techniques and Recipes, The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante, with a foreward by Eliot Coleman. This is an English translation from a French compilation of tips & recipes from members of a research and education center in France.. I like it because it doesn’t use canning, freezing, or other more modern, high energy consumption food preservation techniques. For those who find WF really sparks an interest, this might be a good addition to the library, too.