Cover Image: Miso, Tempeh, Natto & Other Tasty Ferments

Miso, Tempeh, Natto & Other Tasty Ferments

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

An amazing resource for anyone interested in creating their own fermented foods! It can be hard to navigate all the details online so it's awesome to have a comprehensive guidebook. I ended up buying this as a gift.

Was this review helpful?

Excellent primer on some ingredients that most Americans are only vaguely aware of. Recipes are well thought out and detailed enough for a beginner to follow.

Was this review helpful?

Occasionally, I get an opportunity to read an ARC of a book that I'm really excited about because it's a subject that I have been eager to learn about that is so thorough that I end up coming away from it deciding it is way too overwhelming and I don't want to take up the hobby after all. This was one of those books. It is packed with information, color photos, recipes, troubleshooting tips and more. If you are serious about getting started fermenting things like tempeh, this is the book to do it. I ended up deciding that I don't have that much time, energy or money to do it myself and I'll just buy the end products (which is very rare for me as I even grind my own gluten free grains to make my own bread, pasta and flour mixes). At this busy point in my life, this looks like too much trouble, but only because the book is so thorough. Don't blame the book. :)

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

Was this review helpful?

Being new to the concept of fermenting at home, I approached this book with great enthusiasm. I did feel though that most of it wasn't really for a total beginner unless they were very dedicated. It is very comprehensive and is full of interesting recipes, so forms a good reference for those prepared to invest a little bit of time and effort.

Was this review helpful?

This book answer every single question I ever had about fermentation. It's an incredible complete guide. A must have if you want to enter into the world of Ferments.
It's not a book that you can read in one seat. It's the type of book that you come back over and over again.
It will sit next to my Larousse Gastronomique

Was this review helpful?

For someone interested in making their own fermented foods, this would be a perfect resource. This hefty book is filled with information and recipes. Directions are clear and photos are beautifully shot. I appreciated the zero waste alternative methods being included as well. While I don't think I'll be trying my hand at a lot of fermenting any time soon, it was fun learning about the process and they're are plenty of recipes using the ferments that could be made with store-boughtfermented foods. Maybe someday I'll jump in and make my own. I requested my local library add a copy to their stacks so if I change my mind, I know where to go.

Thank you to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I learned that I will not be making these ferments at this time. There is equipment needed that I don't own or can easily borrow.

But I would borrow or buy this book if I wanted to seriously make the things listed in the title. The book is full of information besides just the process of fermenting. I didn't know what some of the food items were and I got schooled. Now I'm interested enough to try some at a restaurant or buy some from a grocery market.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley.

Was this review helpful?

Full disclosure: I DNFed this book. While the instructions were clear and the recipes looked good, the book began with such an extensive-- and expensive-- list of equipment that it was clear to me I wouldn't get to try the ferments any time soon. Although the book claims to be for everyone, even the hobbyist fermenter, it's really only meant for people willing and able to invest in the equipment supplies before getting started.

Was this review helpful?

This book has many variations on the most popular ferments.
As such the book is heavy on rice and beans so it isn't the most paleo book though this is par for the course for fermentation.

Was this review helpful?

Recently I began making Almond milk, and some form of almond cheese with the leftovers as my part of trying to reduce my waste contribution. I am not making much of headway but I am always on the lookout for new things to do. Since I am finally experimenting, this book came at the right time!

I was so excited by the simple instructions provided in the book, I ordered my own copy on Book Depository (*affiliate link) and I thought I would wait to post the review till I actually make one item in the book and probably accompany the review with it. I understand the complication in 'reviewing' a cookbook. Does just the idea suffice or is the confirmation of the taste when following the given instructions critical to the review? With this book, the reasoning felt clear. Even if my finished products do not look as great as the ones in the book, the accompanying detail and the information that go hand-in-hand with the recipes are fascinating. It was worth just reading it in its entirety just to broaden my own horizon. There are more ferments mentioned in this book than I knew existed! The people who put this book together are heavily invested in this lifestyle and it shows in the curation of the collection.

I am waiting till the end of August to get back home where my copy is presumably waiting for me and dabble in the few that I can start off with, without cultures required. I highly recommend giving this a read if you are even slightly curious about this world.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is completely based on my own reading experience.

Was this review helpful?

Miso, Tempeh, Natto & Other Tasty Ferments by Kirsten K. Shockey; Christopher Shockey
A Step-by-Step Guide to Fermenting Grains and Beans

Some of the words I wrote down while reading this book:
* Scientific
* Specific
* Diverse
* Has a great bibliography and index
* Educational
* History of
* Fiddly
* Time consuming
* Stringy
* Specialized equipment
* Caution
* Wonderful illustrations
* Recipes to make and then use fermented products
* Interesting – Probably would never make any of the items in the book but truly informative

Having made some plant milks, thought about making tofu and seen a video on how tempeh is made I thought it would be interesting to see how many items I might be able to make to augment the vegetarian-vegan diet I am trying to follow. I came away with an appreciation of the process used to make many foods that I cannot find locally in the Middle East and also sure that to make the ones in this book as they should be made – and live to tell about it – I would need to follow this book carefully or spend time learning from a master to make them correctly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Was this review helpful?

I had an idea that fermenting foods was quite complicated and smelly - I can still smell the sauerkraut bubbling away in a huge crock in the pantry of my Grandmother's kitchen when I was a girl - so it is a kitchen art that I hadn't attempted to duplicate in my world until now. There are so many health benefits derived from fermented foods that make it almost a sin to avoid it because of a childhood aversion, though, and Kirsten K. and Christopher Shockey make it very simple with this great cookbook. The science and the production are laid out for us step by step, taking away the mystery and making fermenting beans and grains at home, where you are in control of the process, seem attainable. The photos are excellent and mouth-watering, and I am pretty sure I can do this! Even more surprising is the fact that I already own most of the necessities required to do this safely and well.

I received a free electronic copy of this how-to book from Netgalley, Kirsten K. Shockey, and Storey Publishing. Thank you for sharing your hard work with me! I have read this how-to of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.

Was this review helpful?

If you ever wanted to experiment with making fermented food yourself, this is a book that will give you the fundamentals and techniques to get you started as well as recipes to use what you produce. This beautifully illustrated book is broadly divided into three parts, Learning, Making, and Eating. In the Learning section, you will find out about how fermentation works, the equipment needed, and more about the legumes and cereal grains that will make up the basis for your ferments. Believe it or not, an Instant Pot is actually one are the pieces of equipment that you can use to make some of these! The largest section of the book is the part that is about the Making of the ferments, and this section is divided into the types of ferments like natto and other alkaline ones, tempeh and other Indonesian ones, Koji, amazake, and miso, with a front section about spontaneous ferments (like salt-rising bread). You can even learn how to ferment tofu and other items. The final section on Eating gives recipes in which you can use your creations. As you might imagine for a book like this, some of the recipes are complex, and of course, you do need special equipment to make most of this happen. So this is not a cookbook or technique manual for the faint of heart. But if you're curious and want to make your own ferments rather than just buy them in tubs or packages at your favorite health food store (or grocery store in some cases), this book will lead you on the path to making these delicious fermented staples yourself.

Was this review helpful?

Kirsten and Christopher Shockey's Miso, Tempeh, Natto, & Other Tasty Ferments is a great resource for anyone interested in making their own ferments. It's the illustrations that set this apart from other books I've perused on the subject. Easy to follow, with detailed explanations on why things work, I can see this being a staple in any vegan/vegetarian kitchen, as well as for those of us with an interest in healthy gut microbiota.

Thank you to Kirsten and Christopher Shockey, Storey Publishing, and NetGalley for access to this cookbook. As always, all opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

This is a wonderful how-to guide to fermentation techniques, both ancient and modern. It will be a useful guide for vegans who are looking for alternative protein meals, as well as at interesting methods of preparation.
The book contains detailed histories of the techniques, case histories of some of the proponents, and includes how-to methodology. The photographs were clear and attractive, and added much to the book's presentation.
The book will be an essential addition to any cook's bookshelf, and its' encyclopaedic information can be dipped into with much pleasure.
I shall be buying a copy, as soon as it is published.

Was this review helpful?

A good general introduction to fermentation of grains etc. that goes into a lot of detail. It's a good reference book to go back to again and does a good job of breaking down the barrier of getting into fermenting. Would definitely recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

A good overview of ferments that I was quite unsure about trying. Easy to review and a good introduction for a newbie.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review.

Was this review helpful?

Excellent book on how to make lots of fermented things. It is the perfect book for everyone to have in their kitchen. Well written with lots of good pictures.

Was this review helpful?

This is a gorgeous book but a little too complicated and advanced for the novice cooks who would like to try making their own tempeh or other fermented food. It's however a great resource for people who are already making some homemade soy products and who would like to move on to the next level.

Was this review helpful?

Over 400 pages, this book is an excellent reference about the fermented foods. The tutorials are well explained with helpful illustrations. The recipes includes Miso, Tempeh, Natto from scratch. This is a rainbow of fermented grains. Beautiful!

#MisoTempehNattoOtherTastyFerments #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?