Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Wild krauts and kimchis, fermented forest brews, seawater brines, plant-based cheeses, and more
Plant-based fermentation has been used for thousands of years by different cultures all around the world. It's the easiest and safest way to preserve food, and nature provides all that's required: plants, salt, and the beneficial lactic acid bacteria found everywhere. When we ferment a food, we transform it, making it more delicious and nutritious and creating new and wonderful flavors that bring it to a whole new level.
Today fermented foods have become fashionable among chefs at high-end restaurants and health-conscious consumers alike. The creative possibilities are endless, especially when we gather and use plants from our local environment. Every landscape, every ecosystem is unique, yet many common edible plants are widely distributed throughout North America and in other parts of the world. In fact, many non-native plants have become too successful, and they are considered invasive or even "noxious weeds." Wouldn't it be better to sustainably harvest the seasonal bounty and ferment these tasty plants rather than trying to eradicate them with herbicides?
In Wildcrafted Fermentation, Pascal Baudar provides all the basics needed to make creative ferments at home. From simple wild sauerkrauts and kimchis to hot sauces, savory pastes, non-dairy cheeses, dehydrated spice blends, and much more, Baudar includes over 100 easy recipes to inspire even the most jaded palate. The recipes can be easily adapted by people who buy seasonal and local produce, or who harvest from their own gardens. And step-by-step photos of processes and finished dishes will inspire the adventurous home cook to experiment with both wild and cultivated plants. Knowing the basic methods of fermentation, as well as specific techniques like how to cut and prepare different kinds of plants, provides the confidence to succeed like a pro.
Wild-gathering greens, stems, roots, berries, fruits, and seeds is a great way to work with your local terroir and reconnect with nature in a deeply rewarding and positive way. As Baudar writes, "Fermentation is an incredible tool if your quest is to create a cuisine unique to you and your environment."
Synopsis
"I am in awe of this book"―Sandor Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation
Wild krauts and kimchis, fermented forest brews, seawater brines, plant-based cheeses, and more with over 100 easy-to-follow recipes
Featured in The Independent's (UK) 7 Best Fermentation Books of 2020
One of the most influential tastemakers of our time invites you on an extraordinary culinary journey into the lacto-fermentation universe of common wild edibles. Used for thousands of years by different cultures all around the world, lacto-fermentation is the easiest, safest, and most delicious way to preserve food. And nature provides all the necessary ingredients: plants, salt, and the beneficial lactic acid bacteria found everywhere.
In Wildcrafted Fermentation, Pascal Baudar describes in detail and through step-by-step color photos how to create rich flavorful ferments:
- At home
- From the wild plants in your local landscape
- From the cultivated plants in your garden
From sauerkrauts and kimchis to savory pastes, hot sauces, and dehydrated spice blends, Baudar includes more than 100 easy-to-follow, plant-based recipes to inspire even the most jaded palate. The step-by-step photos illustrate foraging, preparation, and fermentation techniques for both wild and cultivated plants that will change your relationship to the edible landscape and give you the confidence to succeed like a pro.
So much more than a cookbook, Wildcrafted Fermentation offers a deeply rewarding way to reconnect with nature through the greens, stems, roots, berries, fruits, and seeds of your local terroir. Adventurous and creative, this cookbook will help you rewild your probiotic palate and "create a cuisine unique to you and your environment."