Books I’m Loving on Fermentation, Cooking and Preservation

I am kind of a book junkie. I used to literally have 1-2 foot high stacks of library books scattered all over our home. Since we moved off-grid I haven’t made getting to the library a priority, and frankly, I just don’t know that I have the time.

But when Julie at Cultures for Health asked me to review some books for her I jumped at the chance. And in the process I discovered some new favorite books and resources on culturing, fermentation, and food preservation. These are great resources that I know I will reference over and over again for recipes, information, and ideas.

These Books Are…

Truly Cultured. To be honest I find much of the philosophy in this book to be a bit fruity, but… there is a really thorough index of recipes and some really good information in this book if you can sift through it. I can also appreciate the rants and information on sustainability that Bentley adds.

The Natural Canning Resource Book. I am a bit biased against canning books and the practice itself. Sure, I’ve put up quart upon quart of tomatoes, peaches, or even meat. But I don’t see it as a long-term sustainable food preservation method. So when I read this book I was a bit skeptical. But it actually frames canning in exactly the same light as I see it: a means of food preservation that isn’t sustainable long-term, but can be used here and there with natural means to put up food. What is really cool about this book is the section on solar oven canning, which I hope to try someday.

Wild Bread. This sourdough bread baking book is extraordinarily thorough. From the history to the geography to the starters to the recipes – this book covers literally every aspect of sourdough baking. And because it is written by the same author as the Natural Canning Resource Book above, she has a nice section on solar sourdough bread baking (with recipes). Having actually successfully baked sourdough breads in a solar oven for years, you know she has some great information and know-how to share.

From Asparagus to Zucchini. This book is jam-packed with interesting and diverse recipes for every. single. vegetable. you can imagine. And instead of 40 ways to steam and butter your vegetables to serve up as side dishes, this book actually uses them as the center of a meal in ways that will keep you both excited in the kitchen and interested in what’s on your plate.

Cultured Food Life. Some of you may know Donna from her site. She’s really into cultured foods and wrote this book to share her recipes, insights, and path to healing through cultured foods. In this book you’ll find the foods that she makes on a regular basis to help keep her family well. She also tells the story of how she got her family to eat these foods and how she makes some really interesting (kefir cottage cheese, anyone?) and delicious recipes that keep them coming back for more.

What have you read lately that you can recommend?