Wow! So in my other life I admin a fermentation group that is very science led due to my background in the subject. I get asked for fermentation book recommendations all the time particularly from beginners and I have such a hard time doing so because so many very popular titles have plain bad information in them as they don’t come from a place of science. When working with microbes the “art” should be in your flavor combos and how you create with them and NOT in your process.

Well this book is pure gold! I give Kenji all the kudos for sticking to proper practices for home fermentation to get the best and safest outcome. This book not only gives you all the information you need, it also has unique recipes written in weight in both Metric and US Standard measurements but also how to use those ferments in tasty recipes. I have already started several of the recipes today and can already imagine how food they will taste.


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from the Experiment Publishing through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
Thank you for finally having a book I can recommend with confidence.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This is a practical and beautiful guide to fermentation. First, there is a tutorial of fermentation of different foods. This is followed by beautifully photographed recipes which sound and look amazing. I cannot wait to try these.

MMMMMM, after reading one of the recipes (kombucha-brined chiles), I immediately went to the kitchen to make them. I am already excited to give them a taste once they are finished.

I loved that the recipes were approachable and that I felt like I was trying something new. The pictures? GORGEOUS. I really liked this book and plan on gifting it to a friend once it is published.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Experiment for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm always looking for different ways to preserve foods, and I only knew a little bit about fermenting. This book gives clear and concise instructions on the process. I feel less confused and more confident in trying some ferments.

The other thing I really liked about this book is the recipes for various foods using the ferments made. The color photography shows so many appetizing dishes, I can't wait to try some of these recipes.