Fermentation as Metaphor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Chelsea Green Publishing Co
Published:15th Oct '20
Currently unavailable, our supplier has not provided us a restock date
Imagine an unseen universe, one that exists literally beneath our notice. One that is only visible to human eyes when magnified by powerful instruments. Then, we see a veritable garden of diversity-communities of microbes living in cooperation and competition, much as we humans do in our macro-sized world. Yet without these unseen actors-these adaptive and resilient single-celled organisms-we would literally not be ourselves, for bacteria comprise a large proportion of our bodies. They are a large part of us, and we of them. They live on and inside of us, and on every surface, quietly doing their jobs, which for the most part are highly beneficial and essential for our health and well-being. This is the secret world that fermentation expert Sandor Katz invites us to explore with him. In his latest book, Fermentation as Metaphor, he goes far beyond merely explaining the processes by which microbes transform our foods, making them tasty and safe for consumption. In a series of short reflections on fermentation, he draws intriguing parallels between the communities of microbial life and aspects of our human culture: politics, religion, social and cultural movements, art, music, sexual mores, and even our individual thoughts and feelings. Katz offers a contemplation, based on science, about the nature of ourselves, our fellow beings, and the inseparable interaction of the two. He explores the human concepts of purity and contamination, revealing that the first is an unattainable, even undesirable goal, and that the latter is typically not something to be shunned, even if we could. Along the way, he informs his arguments with his vast knowledge of fermentation, which he describes as a slow, gentle, steady, yet unstoppable force for change. Perfect for foodies and fans of fermentations and Katz's previous bestsellers (Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation), this book also features dozens of incredible photos that exalt microbial life from the level of "germs" to that of high art.
"I’m super jazzed about this book because this is what I stay up at night thinking about . . . . For a lot of people getting into fermentation, understanding the ideas and philosophies around it will help put them at ease with the practical application and act of fermenting, growing molds, and using them to produce food."—Jeremy Umansky, coauthor of Koji Alchemy
"This book is a must read for anyone eager to transform our society for the better." —Rob Greenfield, author of Food Freedom
"A strange, wondrous book that does exactly what the title promises. Katz, a high priest of fermentation, poetically draws together threads that link the world of the microbiome to the macro: art, religion, sex, emotion, memory, activism, growth, death, family and one’s own sense of self."—Helen Rosner, the New Yorker, via Instagram
"This book is amazing... I’m a huge fan of [Sandor’s] so I think I can say this straight up: I think it is the best thing [he’s] written.... A meditative, analytical call for change."—Chef Dan Barber
"An amazing, beautiful meditation . . . A meditation in the classical sense of thinking and fermenting through your emotions and feelings about the world.... I knew this was going to be different and I am so thrilled it is."—Chef David Zilber, coauthor of The Noma Guide to Fermentation
"A swift, spicy, and timely read."—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times
"The book’s full-page images are mesmerizing."—Saveur
Booklist—
“Having written his comprehensive guide to all things fermented, The Art of Fermentation, Katz turns philosophical, trying to find deeper meanings in what the physical nature of fermentation means in the wider culture.”
"This is not really a food book. It’s something much deeper. It’s a manifesto for living and thinking in a new way."—Jeff Gordinier, Food & Drinks Editor, Esquire
"Katz taught us how to make sauerkraut and kimchi. Fermentation as Metaphor helps us think about them." —Boston Globe
"Fermentation as Metaphor is audacious, often surprising."—The Guardian
"A new book by Sandor is always an event for us fermentos!"—Michael Pollan, via Twitter
ISBN: 9781645020219
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
128 pages