The Art of Fermentation (Review and Giveaway)

Be sure and check out our GIVEAWAY while you're here.


Sandor Ellix Katz has changed my life. Katz is a fermentation genius who has made it his life's work to spread the joys, wonders, and art of fermentation to people all around the world. His first book, Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods contained recipes and step-by-step instructions for how to ferment. His second work is something entirely different.


Buy it on Amazon.
Katz has written a veritable tome of fermentation knowledge. Katz's most recent book, The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from around the World is a chef d'oeuvre if ever such a thing existed. 

Katz has written the most comprehensive work on fermentation ever published.

In 2013 this work was on the New York Times bestseller list, as well as winning the James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship. Scholarship is an excellent word choice. Not only is this book about an art, but this book is itself a work of art. Katz has spent decades studying fermentation and he relates his wisdom in an approachable, absolutely fascinating, and digestible manner. 

I am convinced that no one alive knows as much about fermentation as Sandor Ellix Katz. This book will take your understanding of the science, history, and cultural importance of fermentation to a whole new level. I had absolute no idea just how fascinating the history of fermentation across cultures could be until reading this book.

This book has a little bit of everything. It is a science, history, anthropology, and cooking lesson all rolled into one. What this book doesn't have, interestingly enough, is recipes. Yes, it contains some recipes, but that is not the primary purpose of this work. In truth, this book helps you understand how recipes, in many ways are a new invention, while fermentation has been around for thousands of years

This is the book for anyone interested in truly understanding fermentation. The Art of Fermentation is essentially your reference guide, dictionary, and fermentation encyclopedia all rolled into one. It is, after all, just a few pages shy of FIVE HUNDRED pages. And it weighs a ton. And it has beautiful illustrations and a cover jacket to boot. Some times I just sit and stare at it, that's how much I love it.

Just joking on that last part. (Or maybe I'm not...)

All that to say, this book is absolutely, stunningly, mind-blowing-ly amazing. If you are at all interested in fermentation, I cannot more highly recommend having a copy in your home so you can reference it whenever you have questions. It is like having your own, personal fermentation genius to talk to whenever you need. 




Or, if you are feeling lucky, enter to win the GIVEAWAY below. A big thank you to Sandor Elliz Katx and Chelsea Green Publishing for providing a copy of this book to giveaway to one lucky reader. Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Further Recommended Reading
Buy it on Amazon.


The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fermenting Foods by Wardeh Harmon is a book I would recommend to anyone seriously interested in fermentation. It has hundreds of recipes for fermenting everything from fruit, dairy, grains, meat, vegetables, beer, wine, natural sodas and more. It makes an excellent addition to any fermenters kitchen whether they are an experienced veteran or a newbie.
Buy it on Amazon.







Real Food Fermentation by Alex Lewin is the perfect introduction to fermentation. This book contains some of the most gorgeous pictures of fermented food I have ever seen. It contains a great variety of recipes with step-by-step directions and a pinch of science, history, and cultural information to boot.






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44 comments:

  1. I am dying to learn more about this subject!!

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  2. I'm not to wise about canning and fermenting. great giveaway!

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  3. I've never tried fermentation but if I do I would want the best book possible to guide me through it all :)

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    1. Hey Katherine! While I absolutely recommend this book, I think it could be intimidating to someone who hasn't had any experience with fermentation. This would be the book I would recommend for newbies: http://bit.ly/19DRYlw. Of course, having a copy of both wouldn't hurt, either. If you win I just don't want you to get so overwhelmed from this 500 page book that you don't start fermenting! ;)

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  4. I have just started fermenting and would love, love ,love to add this book to my collection. I love real books. Don't get me wrong I feel so blessed to read blogs and have the world at my fingertips with the interweb but there is something about holding a book, being close to the worlds and having something I know I can give my daughter that I have held and book marked. Creased and dirty I will pass them down with love.

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    1. Oh my goodness. I TOTALY hear you on this. Haha! My books are so marked up and I wouldn't have it any other way. They are "well loved." :)

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  5. Sounds like a great book. I need to get a copy of it.

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  6. I need to learn about this stuff :)

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  7. We've wanted this book forever! We love Wild Fermentation.

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  8. I need to do more fermentation. Thanks for the great giveaway!

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  9. I would love to win a copy of this book as I'm starting down the path of fermenting, soaking and dehydrating more of the food my family eats. This would come at a perfect time!

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  10. My dad recently started getting into fermenting and makes his own kefir. I would love to give this to him!

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  11. I am just getting in to the whole canning and preserving stuff and I really need a book about it so I´m risking anything and can relax about it more. Really like the sound of this one and think it would be a great start if I´m the lucky one

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  12. We have made many changes in our diet, and I know the next step is fermentation. In fact, it's a long overdo step. So, this book would inspire me to get moving.

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  13. I have always wanted to learn more ab

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  14. I love fermentation and would love to learn more!

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  15. So cool! I've fermented some foods but would LOVE to learn more about it! I'd like to preserve most of our garden harvest that way this year!

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  16. I just started fermenting this year. I will have to check out this book.

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  17. I took a fermentation class this summer and it was great. Want to learn more.

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  18. I've been reading about how healthy it is to eat fermented foods and would love to learn more about it. If my grandma was still alive, I'm sure she'd be able to tell me all about it, but unfortunately, she's not. So I need to learn from someone else.

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  19. Gasp! I was just telling someone that I need this book! Fermented foods made such a difference in my family's health. Thanks for hosting the give away.
    Elle crzysnkldy (at) Hotmail (dot) com

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  20. I Really Really want to read this book :D

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  21. I've been fermenting foods for the past few months and have had this book on my wish list for a while!

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  22. I am a newbie to fermenting. I can look online all day, but having a book in front of me is usually more helpful. I love having a book around to refrence to and I don't have a fermenting book yet.

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  23. new to fermentation and super curious

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  24. I would love to explore fermentation more, this book would be a great start!

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  25. I am so excited to learn more about fermentation this spring! This would be a great way to start.

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  26. I have been wanting to read this book! I am new to eating and making fermented foods. Sadly, I have not made anything yet. I do love the kimchi that is available at our grocery store. That will be the first thing I try to make and lessen the heat so my kids would be able to eat it too. Thanks for giving us a chance to win this!

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  27. I have been wanting to read this book! We are just starting to learn about fermented food and all the benefits. I love the kimchi that I get from the local grocery store, but would like to learn how to make a less spicy version for the rest of the family! Thank you for the chance at winning the book!

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  28. I've been fermenting since last summer, and our family has made huge strides in our health. Never thought I'd enjoy kraut or fermented ketchup (among many others)! Now it's time to learn more. : )

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  29. Looking forward to more posts! Just found you today and added you on FB!

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  30. I'd love to start fermenting, but I need a good guide to feel confident

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  31. i would love to win a copy bc i'm fascinated with fermenting and ESPECIALLY the history of it. i didn't realize that was a part of this book :-) i've only done a few basic things bc i don't fully understand it. i would love to see the big picture through this book! thanks for doing a review and giveaway!

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  32. I would like to learn to ferment

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  33. I have been too intimidated to try fermenting. I think if I won the giveaway it would help me start.

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  34. Because I have the book before this and he is a fermentation genius. Who wouldn't want the book? I love making kimchee and sauerkraut and knowing more in depth about the ins and outs, esp multi-culturally would be very interesting.

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  35. I just found your site and am enjoying reading you healthy information! This book would be helpful and interesting. I need to get back to making kombucha and kefir and learn more about fermenting. My husband makes beer - great fermenting process.

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  36. I totally NEED this book!!! I have a tendency to do awful things to my attempts at fermentation... :o(

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  37. I just made first jar of fermented veggies would love to learn more. family loves them so it would be a great way for us to get our probiotics.

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  38. So funny what that first giveaway link requirement linked TO! I was just thinking while reading your Lacto-Fermented Carrot post of how I'd have to go get just what was on that page! :) Thanks for saving me the trouble looking for it! Also, I really need all the help I can with getting more probiotics into my family's diet. This book would be SO WONDERFUL for just that.

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  39. I would love this book!! Great giveaway!

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  40. Although I live in a small apartment in central Paris, France, fermentation allows be to get a tiny step closer to nature every day. Thanks for sharing!

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