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"'The Art of Fermentation' is the most comprehensive guide to do-it-yourself home fermentation ever published. Sandor Katz presents the concepts and processes behind fermentation in ways that are simple enough to guide a reader through their first experience making sauerkraut or yogurt, and in-depth enough to provide greater understanding and insight for experienced practitioners. While Katz expertly contextualizes fermentation in terms of biological and cultural evolution, health and nutrition, and even economics, this is primarily a compendium of practical information--how the processes work; parameters for safety; techniques for effective preservation; troubleshooting; and more. With full-color illustrations and extended resources, this book provides essential wisdom for cooks, homesteaders, farmers, gleaners, foragers, and food lovers of any kind who want to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for arguably the oldest form of food preservation, and part of the roots of culture itself. Readers will find detailed information on fermenting vegetables; sugars into alcohol (meads, wines, and ciders); sour tonic beverages; milk; grains and starchy tubers; beers (and other grain-based alcoholic beverages); beans; seeds; nuts; fish; meat; and eggs, as well as growing mold cultures, using fermentation in agriculture, art, and energy production, and considerations for commercial enterprises. Sandor Katz has introduced what will undoubtedly remain a classic in food literature, and is the first--and only--of its kind"--… (more)
User reviews
This book is full to the brim of great information about fermentation - both theoretical and practical - and recipes. If you are at all interested in home cooking, indigenous or traditional cooking or even just the history and
The hippiness of it might turn some off, but, while I found it a little distracting it didn't detract significantly from the book.
The statement that really irked me was near the end as was something to the effect that scientifically gained knowledge of the microscopic world had drained it of wonder. Variations of this have been flogged by many people. This is a demonstrably false and ridiculous statement - doubly since since the author draws on this same scientific knowledge throughout the book. Plenty of people find wonder in exactly these same scientific details about how life at all scales functions.
If knowledge robs something of its wonder, Mr. Katz, it does so for you and not in general. And that's an indication of your inability to choose to see the wonder from a different angle and in a different light, not the fault of science or scientists.