Cook This: Ferment by Holly Davis
Twice a month, our writer cooks from the book and decides if these farm-to-table recipes are worth the investment.
Fermentation is having a moment. Whether you just picked up some artisanal kombucha at the farmers’ market or invested in serious cheese-making equipment, chances are, you’ve been bitten by the probiotic bug. Ferment: A Guide to the Ancient Art of Culturing Foods, from Kombucha to Sourdough (Chronicle Books, $29.95), by Australian fermentation doyen Holly Davis, caters to both ends of the spectrum. While most books on the subject focus on either the molecular-science side of things or the very casual let-Mother-Earth-do-her-thing approach, Ferment occupies a happy middle ground. The book starts with the very basic technique of activating nuts and seeds by soaking and sprouting them and ramps up to culturing liquids naturally, pickling fruits and vegetables, baking leavened breads, curing meats and fish and making cheeses. Each chapter is organized from the most basic recipe to the most advanced version. But this isn’t just a textbook; you’ll find creative, modern recipes that make the most of these techniques. I doubt your grandma’s fermentation repertoire included Herb Booch Vinaigrette or Sweet and Sour Tender Ginger.
We love kimchi in this house, and I’ve made a stock-standard spicy cabbage version. But a mild white version? Never! Crisp White Radish Kimchi mixes a paste made from green onions, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, green apple and Asian pear with daikon radish that has been cubed, salted, pressed for an hour and rinsed. Everything is crammed into a scrupulously clean jar and left to ferment on the counter for at least seven days. The result is funky, crunchy kimchi that could take the place of sour dill pickles.
For anyone with even the slightest interest in culturing food, Ferment is worth the investment. Cautious newbies will appreciate Davis’s thorough explanations and calm, guiding voice, while advanced probiotic enthusiasts will discover new things to ferment and more advanced uses for their skills.
Wendy Underwood tests out cookbooks weekly on Instagram at @kitchenvscookbook.
Excerpted from Ferment by Holly Davis. Recipes Copyright © 2019. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved.
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by Wendy Underwood, Modern Farmer
May 16, 2019
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