S A N D O R E L L I X KAT Z

Foreword by Michael Pollan

F E R M E N TAT I O N
AN IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
With Practical Information on Fermenting Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Milk, Beans, Meats, and More

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ittlecouldIhaveimagined,asaNewYorkCitykidwholovedpickles, thatthosedelicious,crunchy,garlickysourpickleswouldleadmeon suchanextraordinaryjourneyofdiscoveryandexploration.Infact,products offermentationnotonlypickles,butalsobread,cheese,yogurt,sourcream, salami,vinegar,soysauce,chocolate,andcoffee,aswellasbeerandwine wereprominentinmyfamilysdiet(astheyareinmany,ifnotmost,peoples), thoughwenevertalkedaboutthemassuch.Yet,asmypaththroughlifeled metovariousnutritionalideasanddietaryexperiments,Ididlearnaboutthe digestivebenefitsofbacteriapresentinlivingfermentedfoodsandbeganto experiencetheirrestorativepowers.AndwhenIfoundmyselfwithagarden, facedwithasurplusofcabbagesandradishes,sauerkrautbeckonedme.Our loveaffairendures. ThefirsttimeItaughtasauerkraut-makingworkshop,attheSequatchie ValleyInstitutein1999,Ilearnedthatthereisatremendousfearinourcultureofagingfoodoutsideofrefrigeration.Inourtime,mostpeopleareraised toviewbacteriaasdangerousenemiesandrefrigerationasahouseholdnecessity.Theideaofleavingfoodoutsideofrefrigerationinordertoencourage bacterialgrowthtriggersfearsofdanger,disease,andevendeath.HowwillI knowwhethertherightbacteriaaregrowing?isacommonquestion.People largelyassumethatformicrobialtransformationstobesafe,theyrequire extensiveknowledgeandcontrolandarethereforeaspecializeddomainbest lefttoexperts. Mostfoodandbeveragefermentationprocessesareancientritualsthat humanshavebeenperformingsincebeforethedawnofhistory,yetwehave largelyrelegatedthemtofactoryproduction.Fermentationhasmostlydisappearedfromourhouseholdsandcommunities.Techniquesevolvedby disparatehumanculturesovermillennia,throughobservationofnatural phenomenaandmanipulatingconditionswithtrialanderror,havebecome obscureandareindangerofbeinglost. Ihavespentnearlytwodecadesexploringtherealmoffermentation.Ido nothaveabackgroundinmicrobiologyorfoodscience;Iamjustafood-loving back-to-the-landgeneralistwhobecameobsessedwithfermentation,spurred byavoraciousappetite,apracticaldesireforfoodnottogotowaste,anda willfuldesiretomaintaingoodhealth.Ihaveexperimentedwidely,talkedto many,manypeopleaboutthesubject,anddonealotofreadingonit.Themore

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IexperimentandthemoreIlearn,themoreIrealizehowlittleofanexpertI remain.Peoplegrowupinhouseholdsinwhichsomeofthesetraditionalfermentsarethedailycontext,andtheirknowledgeisfarmoreintimate.Others becomecommercialmanufacturersanddeveloptechnicalmasteryinorderto produceandmarketconsistentandprofitableproducts;countlesssuchpeople knowmuchmorethanIaboutbrewingbeer,makingcheese,bakingbread, curingsalamis,orbrewingsak.Microbiologistsorotherscientistswhostudy veryspecificfacetsofthegenetics,metabolism,kinetics,communitydynamics,orothermechanismsoffermentationsunderstanditallintermsIcanonly barelycomprehend. NordoIpossessanythingapproachingencyclopedicknowledgeoffermentation.Theinfinitevariationthatexistsinhowpeopleoneverycontinent fermentallthevariousfoodstheyeatistoovastforanyindividualtohave comprehensiveknowledge.However,Ihavehadtheprivilegetohearalotof wonderfulstories,andtastemanyhomemadeandartisan-fermentedconcoctions.Manyreadersofmybooks,visitorstomywebsite,andparticipantsin myworkshopshaverecountedtalesoftheirgrandparentsfermentationpractices;immigrantshaveexcitedlytoldmeaboutfermentsfromtheoldcountry, oftenlosttothemthroughmigration;travelershavereportedonfermentsthey haveencountered;peoplehavedivulgedtheirquirkyfamilyvariations;and otherexperimentalistssuchasmyselfhavesharedtheiradventures.Ihavealso fieldedthousandsoftroubleshootingquestions,causingmetoresearchand thinkaboutmanymoreaspectsoftheinevitablevariationsthatoccurinhome fermentations. ThisbookisacompendiumofthefermentationwisdomIhavecollected.I haveincludedmanyotherpeoplesvoicesthroughout.ThoughIhavemadean attempttobethorough,thisbookisfarfromencyclopedic.Myintentionwith itistoidentifypatternsandconveyconceptstoempoweryouwithtoolssoyou canexploreandreclaimfermentationintoyourlife.Iamonamissionofsharingskills,resources,andinformationrelatedtothisimportantart,inthehope thattheselong-standingcoevolutionaryrelationships,embeddedincultural practices,arenotlostbutratherspread,cross-pollinated,andadapted. Onewordthatrepeatedlycomestotheforeinmyexplorationandthinkingaboutfermentationisculture.Fermentationrelatestocultureinmany differentways,correspondingwiththemanylayersofmeaningembeddedin thisimportantword,fromitsliteralandspecificmeaningsinthecontextof microbiologytoitsbroadestconnotations.Wecallthestartersthatweaddto milktomakeyogurt,ortoinitiateanyfermentation,cultures.Simultaneously, cultureconstitutesthetotalityofallthathumansseektopassfromgeneration togeneration,includinglanguage,music,art,literature,scientificknowledge, andbeliefsystems,aswellasagricultureandculinarytechniques(inbothof whichfermentationoccupiesacentralrole). Infact,thewordculturecomesfromLatincultura,aformofcolere,to cultivate.Ourcultivationofthelandanditscreaturesplants,animals,fungi,

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andbacteriaisessentialtoculture.Reclaimingourfoodandourparticipationincultivationisameansofculturalrevival,takingactiontobreakoutof theconfiningandinfantilizingdependencyoftheroleofconsumer(user),and takingbackourdignityandpowerbybecomingproducersandcreators. Thisisnotjustaboutfermentation(evenif,asabiologicalforceuponour food,thatisinevitable),butaboutfoodmorebroadly.Everylivingcreatureon thisEarthinteractsintimatelywithitsenvironmentviaitsfood.Humansin ourdevelopedtechnologicalsociety,however,havelargelyseveredthisconnection,andwithdisastrousresults.Thoughaffluentpeoplehavemorefood choicesthanpeopleofthepastcouldeverhavedreamedof,andthoughone personslaborcanproducemorefoodtodaythaneverbefore,thelarge-scale, commercialmethodsandsystemsthatenablethesephenomenaaredestroying ourEarth,destroyingourhealth,anddeprivingusofdignity.Withrespectto food,thevastmajorityofpeoplearecompletelydependentforsurvivalupona fragileglobalinfrastructureofmonocultures,syntheticchemicals,biotechnology,andtransportation. Movingtowardamoreharmoniouswayoflifeandgreaterresilience requiresouractiveparticipation.Thismeansfindingwaystobecomemore awareofandconnectedtotheotherformsoflifethatarearoundusandthat constituteourfoodplantsandanimals,aswellasbacteriaandfungiandto theresources,suchaswater,fuel,materials,tools,andtransportation,upon whichwedepend.Itmeanstakingresponsibilityforourshit,bothliterally andfiguratively.Wecanbecomecreatorsofabetterworld,ofbetterandmore sustainablefoodchoices,ofgreaterawarenessofresources,andofcommunity baseduponsharing.Forculturetobestrongandresilient,itmustbeacreative realminwhichskills,information,andvaluesareengagedandtransmitted; culturecannotthriveasaconsumerparadiseoraspectatorsport.Dailylife offersconstantopportunitiesforparticipatoryaction.Seizethem. Justasthemicrobialculturesexistonlyascommunities,sotoodoour broaderhumancultures.Foodisthegreatestcommunitybuilderthereis.It invitespeopletositandstayawhile,andfamiliestogathertogether.Itwelcomesnewneighborsandwearytravelersandbelovedoldfriends.Andittakes avillagetoproducefood.Manyhandsmakelightwork,andfoodproduction oftengivesrisetospecializationandexchange.Andevenmorethanfoodin general,fermentedfoodsespeciallybeveragesplayasignificantroleincommunitybuilding.Notonlyaremanyfeasts,rituals,andcelebrationsorganized aroundproductsoffermentation(suchasbreadandwine),fermentsarealso amongtheoldestandmostimportantofthefoodsthataddbothvalueandstabilitytotherawproductsofagriculture,essentialtotheeconomicunderpinningsofallcommunities.Thebrewerandthebakerarecentralparticipantsin anygrain-basedeconomy;andwinetransformsperishablegrapesintoastable andcovetedcommodity,asdoescheeseformilk. Reclaimingourfoodmeansreclaimingcommunity,engagingitseconomic interconnectivityofspecializationanddivisionsoflabor,butatahumanscale,

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promotingawarenessofresourcesandlocalexchange.Transportinggoods aroundtheglobetakesahugeamountofresourcesandwreaksenvironmental havoc.Andwhileexoticfoodscanbethrillingtreats,itsinappropriateand destructivetoorganizeourlivesprimarilyaroundthem;mostglobalizedfood commoditiesaregrowninvastmonocultures,attheexpenseofforestsand diversesubsistencecrops.Andbybeingtotallydependentonaninfrastructure ofglobaltrade,wemakeourselvesexceedinglyvulnerabletodisruptionsfor anynumberofreasons,fromnaturaldisasters(floods,earthquakes,tsunamis) andresourcedepletion(peakoil),topoliticalviolence(war,terrorism,organizedcrime). Fermentationcanbeacenterpieceofeconomicrevival.Relocalizing foodmeansarenewalnotonlyofagriculturebutalsooftheprocessesusedto transformandpreservetheproductsofagricultureintothethingsthatpeople eatanddrinkeveryday,includingfermentssuchasbread,cheese,andbeer.By participatinginlocalfoodproductionagricultureandbeyondweactually createimportantresourcesthatcanhelpfillourmostbasicdailyneeds.By supportingthislocalfoodrevival,werecycleourdollarsintoourcommunities, wheretheymayrepeatedlycirculate,supportingpeopleinproductiveendeavorsandcreatingincentivesforpeopletoacquireimportantskills,aswellas feedingusfresher,healthierfoodwithlessfuelandpollutionembeddedinit. Asourcommunitiesfeedourselvesmoreandtherebyreclaimpoweranddignity,wealsodecreaseourcollectivedependencyonthefragileinfrastructure ofglobaltrade.Culturalrevivalmeanseconomicrevival. EverywhereIgoImeetpeoplewhoaremakingthechoicetobepartof thiscultureofrevival.Perhapsthisisexemplifiedbestbythegrowingnumber ofyoungpeoplewhoarechoosingtotakeupfarming.Thesecondhalfofthe 20thcenturysawthenearextinctionofthetraditionofregionalfoodselfsufficiencyintheUnitedStatesandmanyotherplaces.Todaythattraditionis inrevival.Letussupportandbecomepartofit.Productivelocalfoodsystems arebetterthanglobalizedfoodformanyreasons:Theyyieldfresherandmore nutritiousfood;localjobsandproductivity;lessdependenceonfuelandinfrastructure;andgreaterfoodsecurity.Wemustbecomemorecloselyconnected tothelandviaourfood,andwemusthavepeoplewillingtodothehardphysicalworkofagriculture.Valueandrewardthatwork.Andgetinvolvedwithit. Idontwanttogivetheimpressionthatthiscultureofrevivalisbrandnew. Therealwayshavebeenholdoutswhoresistnewtechnologies,suchasfarmers whoneveradoptedchemicalmethods,orneverstoppedusingandsavingthe legacyofseedresourcestheyinherited,orstillusehorsesinlieuoftractors,or familieswhohaveunceasinglymaintainedfermentationpractices.Therehave alwaysbeenseekerslookingtoreconnecttooldways,orunwillingtoaccept theconveniencesofmodernculture.Asmuchascultureisalwaysreinventing itselfinunprecedentedways,cultureiscontinuity.Therearealwaysroots. Culturalrevivalcertainlydoesnotrequireabandoningcitiesandsuburbs forsomeremoteruralideal.Wemustcreatemoreharmoniouswaysoflife

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wherepeopleandinfrastructuresare,andthatismostlycitiesandsuburbs. Sustainabilityorresiliencecannotberemoteidealsyouhavetogosomewhereelsetofullyrealize.Theyareethicswecanandmustbuildintoourlives howeverweareabletoandwhereverwefindourselves. Nearly20yearsago,ImovedfromalifetimeinManhattantoanoffthe-gridruralcommuneinTennessee,andImsogladIdid.Sometimesa dramaticchangeisexactlywhatyouneed.Iwas30yearsold,hadrecently testedHIV+,andwassearchingforabigchangeIcouldnotyetimagine,when achanceencounterledmetoacommunalhomesteadofqueersinthewoods. Icanpersonallytestifythatruralresettlementcanbearewardingpath.But rurallivingiscertainlynotintrinsicallybetterormoresustainablethancity life.Infact,ruraldwelling,asmostofus(myselfincluded)arepracticingit, involvesdrivingfrequentlytogetaround.InthecityIgrewupin,mostpeople donothavecarsandgetaroundusingmasstransit. Citiesarewheremostpeopleare,andmuchincrediblycreativeandtransformativeworkisbeingdoneinurbanandsuburbanareas.Urbanfarming andhomesteadingareontherise,flourishingespeciallyincitieswithlarge expansesofabandonedproperties.Therevivalofartisanfermentationenterprisesiscenteredaroundcities,mainlybecausetheyholdthemajormarkets, nomatterwhereproductionmayoccur. Thelate,greaturbanistJaneJacobsputforthanintriguingtheorythat agriculturedevelopedandspreadfromcitiesratherthanruraloutposts.Inher bookThe Economy of Cities,Jacobsrejectstheprevailingassumptionthatcitiesarebuiltuponaruraleconomicbase,whichshecallsthedogmaofagriculturalprimacy. 1Insteadshearguesthattheinherentcreativityofurbanism fosteredtheinnovationsthatspawned(andcontinuallyreinvent)agriculture. Thefirstspreadofthenewgrainsandanimalsisfromcitytocity....The cultivationofplantsandanimalsis,asyet,onlycitywork.2Herbasicideais thatatradingsettlementthatisacrossroadsforpeoplemigratingfromdifferentareasprovidesadynamicenvironmentforincidentalseedcrossingand selectivebreeding,aswellasgreateropportunitiesforspecializationandthe developmentandspreadoftechniques. IfJacobsstheoryiscorrect,thenfermentationpracticesmustalsohave urbanroots.Ruraldwellersmayfrequentlybeguardiansofinheritedlegacies suchasseeds,cultures,andknow-how;however,itisprimarilyurbaniteswho arespurringagriculturalchangeinthecountrysidebycreatingdemand startingfarmersmarketsandprovidingthebulkofthecommunitysupport forwhatisknownascommunitysupportedagriculture(CSA).Urbanitescan growgardensandferment,justasruraldwellerscan.Theycanalsotapinto thedeepcurrentsofcreativitythatexistincities,andtheinevitablecrosspollinationthatoccursthere,tofosterchange.Thatchangecanincorporate ancientwisdomthatisindangerofdisappearing,justasmuchasitcanfoster innovation.Inanycase,culturalrevivalisnotexclusivelyorevenprimarilya ruralendeavor.

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Muchofthe20th-centuryliteratureoffermentationpromotedmoving productionawayfromsmall-scalecommunity-basedcottageindustryinto factoriesandreplacingtraditionalstarterculturespasseddownfromgenerationtogenerationwithlaboratory-bredimprovedstrains,inthenameof improvedhygiene,safety,nutrition,andefficiency.Whenanattemptwas madetointroduceWestern-typebeveragessuchasbeer,Coca-Cola,andother softdrinkstotheBantupeople,theywererejected,CliffordW.Hesseltineand HwaL.Wang,oftheUSDepartmentofAgricultureFermentationLaboratory, reportedin1977,sotheBantubeerprocess,aspracticedinthenativevillages, wasinvestigated.Whenthenativeprocesswasunderstoodandtheyeastand bacteriaoccurringintheprocesshadbeenisolated,anindustrialfermentationprocesswasdevelopedusingmodernmaltingandfermentationequipment.TheBantubeermadeinthesemodernfermentationplantswasreadily accepted....Theproduct,producedundersanitaryconditions,isofuniform qualityandsellsatalowprice.3Acheapanduniformproduct,mass-produced undersanitaryconditions,istakenasunequivocallysuperiortothetraditional village-producedproduct,regardlessoftheculturalandeconomicimportance ofthepracticeinthevillagecontext.Meanwhile,PaulBarker,fromSouth Africa,writes:Traditionalfermentationalongwithmanyotherpracticesare dyingoutinourAfricanculturesandneedtoberecordedbeforelosttothe likesofKFC,CocaColaandLevis. Myobjectivewiththisbookistoencourageareclaimingoffermentation inourhomesandinourcommunities,asameansofreclaimingfood,andwith itabroadwebofconnections.Ratherthanfermentingjustgrapes,barley,and soybeans,letsfermentacorns,turnips,sorghum,orwhateverfoodsurpluses wecanaccessorcreate.Thegreatglobalmonoculturefermentsarewonderful, indeed,butthepracticalthrustoflocalismmustbelearningtomakethemost ofsurplusesthatmakethemselves,suchasacorns,oraresowelladaptedthat theypracticallygrowthemselveswithonlyaminimumofintervention,suchas turnipsorradishesinTennesseegardens. Thisbookisorganizedaroundtypesofferments,andspecificallyhow tomakethem.Thefirstthreechaptersarebroadoverviews,contextualizing fermentationintermsofevolution,practicalbenefits,andbasicoperational concepts.Mostoftherestisorganizedbysubstrateswhatfoodsarefermentingandwhetherornottheproductsareprimarilyalcoholic.Theendchaptersaddressconsiderationsforpeoplethinkingaboutturningtheirpassionfor fermentationintoacommercialenterprise,non-foodapplicationsoffermentation,andfinallyaculturalrevivalistmanifesto. Intheprocesses-focusedcoreofthebook,Ihaveabandonedtherecipe format(asidefromafewsidebarswithrecipescontributedbyothers).Rather thanspecificrecipes,Iwishtocommunicateconceptswithbroadapplicability. Ioffergeneralproportions,orrangesofproportions,andprocessparameters, andsometimesevenseasoningsuggestions.Ihaveattemptedtoexplainwhat todoineachferment,andwhy.Fermentationismoredynamicandvariable

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thancooking,forwearecollaboratingwithotherlivingbeings.Thehowsand whysofthesesometimescomplexrelationshipsaremoreimportantthanthe specificquantitiesandcombinationsofingredients,whichinevitablyvary amongrecipesandtraditions.Iwanttohelpyouunderstandthehowsand whysoffermentation.Withthatunderstanding,recipesareeverywhere,and youcancreativelyexplore.

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