What do you think?
Rate this book
Our Fermented Lives: A History of How Fermented Foods Have Shaped Cultures & Communities
From craft beers and sourdough bread to kimchi, coffee, tea, and cheese, fermentation is a popular topic in both food and health circles. In Our Fermented Lives, food historian and fermenting expert Julia Skinner explores the fascinating roots of a wide range of fermented foods in cultures around the world, with a focus on the many intersections fermented foods have with human history and culture, from the evolution of the microbiome to food preservation techniques, distinctive flavor profiles around the globe, and the building of community. Fans of fermentation, chefs, and anyone fascinated with the origins of various foods will enjoy this engaging popular history, which is accompanied by 42 recipes adapted from historic sources, including sauerkraut, corn beer, uji (fermented grain porridge), pickles and relishes, vinegars, ketchup, soy sauce, Tepache (fermented pineapple drink), vinegars, beet kvass, and more.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published September 27, 2022
17 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
Julia Skinner
2 books11 followersJulia Skinner, PhD, is a food historian, fermenter, visual artist, nature enthusiast, and generally curious person.
Julia's work is all about the connection between different realms of thought, and reconnecting ourselves to the magic of the everyday.
She lives in Atlanta, GA with a menagerie of animals, rooms full of books, and a garden that's a certified wildlife habitat.
Follow her writing at rootkitchens.substack.com
Julia's work is all about the connection between different realms of thought, and reconnecting ourselves to the magic of the everyday.
She lives in Atlanta, GA with a menagerie of animals, rooms full of books, and a garden that's a certified wildlife habitat.
Follow her writing at rootkitchens.substack.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 10, 2022
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
Fermentation feels like something that comes to you at a certain age - and it was no different for me. I've fermented before, but this year... For some reason, I just got so into fermentation so much, it became sort of like a meditative activity for me. There's just something about creating new foods and drinks with the help of living creatures you can't see. It's magic! And just at the time I was at my peak of different ferments in the house, I noticed this book on Edelweiss. Immediately downloaded it.
I definitely enjoyed it, and it's written with a lot of love - you can tell. In the beginning, I found the format quite odd - it jumps straight into a recipe after only a short intro. But afterwards, I realized that that's the format of the whole book - chapters about a certain topic, for example, a certain type of ferment, a bit of history or a role that this ferment played in society - and then the connected recipes. The magic of this book is that you can read it any way you want - as a history book, as a trivia book, or just as a recipe book.
The recipes are very interesting, a lot of them for things I've never even heard of before - like regional dishes, which was incredibly interesting to read about. But I feel like this kind of book is not the best medium for learning fermentation, still. It's more of an introduction. There is so much fiddliness with fermenting - you really need to see videos of the process or at least some photos (to be able to tell if it went bad, also if you have several stages of fermentation, you need to simply know if it's ready or not for the next stage - or even just consumption, if you haven't had the kind of ferment before. You won't be able to tell from just words and not even any pictures.) So it's great that these recipes are there, but for example, I would never attempt the corn beer one, because I have no idea what it's even supposed to taste or look like. There's no way I'd know when it's good and ready.
Other than that, at times I felt like it just made things sound so much simpler than they really are. For example, the mead recipe made me think it's basically the easiest thing to do, all just honey and water. Except when I looked it up on YouTube, there's thermometers, tubes and some weird things for keeping it airtight that I definitely don't have just lying around the house, nor would I know how to use them without further research on the subject. I can't for 100% guarantee that the author didn't exactly mention them, but the overall recipe and narrative was like "oh yeah, mead is super easy to make!"... But it's not..? You have to have all these things..? You have to wait for like, months? People recommend using actual yeast, instead of just putting it on the shelf and hoping for the best..? So what am I supposed to believe?
There were so many interesting meals though. I kept looking up dishes I'd never heard about, so it was incredibly interesting. The author does explore fermented food from all sorts of cultures. And not just drinks or vegetables, there are all sorts of meals, even some fermented porridges or ready to make dried soups, which I had no idea existed before the dawn of factories. It was incredibly interesting to read about.
There's also some very interesting food history. Like the fact that they used to put butter in peat bogs for keeping, and now when they find some archaeological, uh, butter, it's still viable, although cheesy? Who needs a fridge, you need a peat bog, apparently! Just wild, and I definitely loved all of these odd facts.
That said, I found the recipe for Eastern European kvass decidedly weird, and lol the majority of kvass offered anywhere in our end of the world does not, I repeat, DOES NOT contain beets. So I'm wondering if the other recipes from assorted ends of the world were presented in a similar manner. I think it's best to take these recipes as inspiration, but if you want to proceed with them - do your research, look for videos on YouTube, if at all possible - recipes done by the people who are from or live where this recipe is common, and you'll avoid certain pitfalls. Before going into fermentation, everyone should first look up some info, because that's the best way to not get undesirable results and never want to try it again. So maybe don't just use the book alone - supplement it with outside knowledge, but definitely use it as an inspiration! For that, it is an excellent book.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
Fermentation feels like something that comes to you at a certain age - and it was no different for me. I've fermented before, but this year... For some reason, I just got so into fermentation so much, it became sort of like a meditative activity for me. There's just something about creating new foods and drinks with the help of living creatures you can't see. It's magic! And just at the time I was at my peak of different ferments in the house, I noticed this book on Edelweiss. Immediately downloaded it.
I definitely enjoyed it, and it's written with a lot of love - you can tell. In the beginning, I found the format quite odd - it jumps straight into a recipe after only a short intro. But afterwards, I realized that that's the format of the whole book - chapters about a certain topic, for example, a certain type of ferment, a bit of history or a role that this ferment played in society - and then the connected recipes. The magic of this book is that you can read it any way you want - as a history book, as a trivia book, or just as a recipe book.
The recipes are very interesting, a lot of them for things I've never even heard of before - like regional dishes, which was incredibly interesting to read about. But I feel like this kind of book is not the best medium for learning fermentation, still. It's more of an introduction. There is so much fiddliness with fermenting - you really need to see videos of the process or at least some photos (to be able to tell if it went bad, also if you have several stages of fermentation, you need to simply know if it's ready or not for the next stage - or even just consumption, if you haven't had the kind of ferment before. You won't be able to tell from just words and not even any pictures.) So it's great that these recipes are there, but for example, I would never attempt the corn beer one, because I have no idea what it's even supposed to taste or look like. There's no way I'd know when it's good and ready.
Other than that, at times I felt like it just made things sound so much simpler than they really are. For example, the mead recipe made me think it's basically the easiest thing to do, all just honey and water. Except when I looked it up on YouTube, there's thermometers, tubes and some weird things for keeping it airtight that I definitely don't have just lying around the house, nor would I know how to use them without further research on the subject. I can't for 100% guarantee that the author didn't exactly mention them, but the overall recipe and narrative was like "oh yeah, mead is super easy to make!"... But it's not..? You have to have all these things..? You have to wait for like, months? People recommend using actual yeast, instead of just putting it on the shelf and hoping for the best..? So what am I supposed to believe?
There were so many interesting meals though. I kept looking up dishes I'd never heard about, so it was incredibly interesting. The author does explore fermented food from all sorts of cultures. And not just drinks or vegetables, there are all sorts of meals, even some fermented porridges or ready to make dried soups, which I had no idea existed before the dawn of factories. It was incredibly interesting to read about.
There's also some very interesting food history. Like the fact that they used to put butter in peat bogs for keeping, and now when they find some archaeological, uh, butter, it's still viable, although cheesy? Who needs a fridge, you need a peat bog, apparently! Just wild, and I definitely loved all of these odd facts.
That said, I found the recipe for Eastern European kvass decidedly weird, and lol the majority of kvass offered anywhere in our end of the world does not, I repeat, DOES NOT contain beets. So I'm wondering if the other recipes from assorted ends of the world were presented in a similar manner. I think it's best to take these recipes as inspiration, but if you want to proceed with them - do your research, look for videos on YouTube, if at all possible - recipes done by the people who are from or live where this recipe is common, and you'll avoid certain pitfalls. Before going into fermentation, everyone should first look up some info, because that's the best way to not get undesirable results and never want to try it again. So maybe don't just use the book alone - supplement it with outside knowledge, but definitely use it as an inspiration! For that, it is an excellent book.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
July 2, 2022
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my unbiased opinion.
Recipes should be more precise. For beginners, it is not possible to understand eyeball estimating. Expressions such as "a bit more" should not be included in the recipe.
Again, it is not easy to understand how some tricks should be applied in the recipes. Pictures are required. Difficult for amateurs to understand.
The history part is very messy. I read more orderly about this subject in books on evolution. Where are the references?
And finally, how can there be no yogurt recipe in the book called Our Fermented Lives? The most important, useful, and essential fermented food. There is a reference to another book. A huge shortcoming.
Recipes should be more precise. For beginners, it is not possible to understand eyeball estimating. Expressions such as "a bit more" should not be included in the recipe.
Again, it is not easy to understand how some tricks should be applied in the recipes. Pictures are required. Difficult for amateurs to understand.
The history part is very messy. I read more orderly about this subject in books on evolution. Where are the references?
And finally, how can there be no yogurt recipe in the book called Our Fermented Lives? The most important, useful, and essential fermented food. There is a reference to another book. A huge shortcoming.
January 18, 2022
I read this courtesy of NetGalley. It's out in July 2022.
Sometimes I forget how much I love food writing, and food history, and thinking about how food works in society. Then I read a book like this and I'm reminded all over again.
I've never particularly gone down the fermentation path. I did have a sourdough starter for a year or so - before lockdown, I swear! - but I found it too wasteful, throwing out the starter (I am considering going back to it, having read this...).
This book is:
-- personal - Skinner mentions parts of her own journey, both in understanding food and more broadly, throughout.
-- aiming to be broad in outlook and postcolonial in attitude: she carefully notes having tried to speak to / read from the people who actually make the ferments, and that it is "critically important, particularly as someone with relative privilege, not to overshadow others' stories with my own words and perspectives". I think food history is one way in which the colonial agenda can, indeed, still be present, so I appreciate this acknowledgement and the attempt.
-- partly a history, looking at the role of fermentation in different cultures across time, and speculating about how such things might have been discovered. Also the range of fermentation experiments! I love any story that includes garum, that probably-incredibly-stinky fish sauce of the Romans.
-- a bit science-y, but not that much. Humans are really only beginning to understand the interplay between the gut microbiome and our general health, so it was interesting to think a bit about how fermented foods might help there.
-- partly a cookbook. Why yes, I have every intention of trying mushroom ketchup, thankyouverymuch (it came before tomato ketchup, because after all don't forget how late tomatoes are on the European culinary scene).
-- a bit philosophical, which wasn't always my cup of tea (... or kombucha...). There's discussion of the word 'culture' and how it can mean the microbes as as well as human interactions, which I didn't fully get on board with - it seemed to stretch the ideas a bit far. And claims about mindfulness and community that did, actually, make me stop and think. The idea that ferments enable us to 'live a more embodied life'; that the time taken to have a slow meal with friends 'is a necessary act we give ourselves precious little time for'.
-- not perfect. Some of the segues between sections are abrupt and don't follow what I would consider logical or natural links. And there are some instances of poor editing - mentioning that the eruption of Mt Vesuvius happened in 79CE, for instance, twice on one page. But those are relatively minor issues. (I was more thrown by the idea that Samuel Pepys was "best known for burying his beloved wine and cheese stores to protect them from the 1666 Great Fire of London" rather than, say, for the incredibly detailed decade-long diary he kept.)
Overall, a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and I have quite the list of recipes to try out.
Sometimes I forget how much I love food writing, and food history, and thinking about how food works in society. Then I read a book like this and I'm reminded all over again.
I've never particularly gone down the fermentation path. I did have a sourdough starter for a year or so - before lockdown, I swear! - but I found it too wasteful, throwing out the starter (I am considering going back to it, having read this...).
This book is:
-- personal - Skinner mentions parts of her own journey, both in understanding food and more broadly, throughout.
-- aiming to be broad in outlook and postcolonial in attitude: she carefully notes having tried to speak to / read from the people who actually make the ferments, and that it is "critically important, particularly as someone with relative privilege, not to overshadow others' stories with my own words and perspectives". I think food history is one way in which the colonial agenda can, indeed, still be present, so I appreciate this acknowledgement and the attempt.
-- partly a history, looking at the role of fermentation in different cultures across time, and speculating about how such things might have been discovered. Also the range of fermentation experiments! I love any story that includes garum, that probably-incredibly-stinky fish sauce of the Romans.
-- a bit science-y, but not that much. Humans are really only beginning to understand the interplay between the gut microbiome and our general health, so it was interesting to think a bit about how fermented foods might help there.
-- partly a cookbook. Why yes, I have every intention of trying mushroom ketchup, thankyouverymuch (it came before tomato ketchup, because after all don't forget how late tomatoes are on the European culinary scene).
-- a bit philosophical, which wasn't always my cup of tea (... or kombucha...). There's discussion of the word 'culture' and how it can mean the microbes as as well as human interactions, which I didn't fully get on board with - it seemed to stretch the ideas a bit far. And claims about mindfulness and community that did, actually, make me stop and think. The idea that ferments enable us to 'live a more embodied life'; that the time taken to have a slow meal with friends 'is a necessary act we give ourselves precious little time for'.
-- not perfect. Some of the segues between sections are abrupt and don't follow what I would consider logical or natural links. And there are some instances of poor editing - mentioning that the eruption of Mt Vesuvius happened in 79CE, for instance, twice on one page. But those are relatively minor issues. (I was more thrown by the idea that Samuel Pepys was "best known for burying his beloved wine and cheese stores to protect them from the 1666 Great Fire of London" rather than, say, for the incredibly detailed decade-long diary he kept.)
Overall, a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and I have quite the list of recipes to try out.
June 27, 2022
This is a scholarly and comprehensive review of fermentation and its history across the globe, including a number of recipes. The author has clearly spent considerable time researching the subject and her argument about the role that it has played in allowing humanity to prosper is convincing.
However, I do think that the book could be better edited and feel slightly confused by the books internal order. I’m sure that many readers, myself included, will read this book and want to try their own hand at fermentation. It would therefore make sense to make recipes clear and organised so that they can easily be found, ideally in a separate section or else at the end of each section where there origins are discussed. Interspersed as they currently are does a disservice to both recipes and discourse.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Storey Publishing for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
However, I do think that the book could be better edited and feel slightly confused by the books internal order. I’m sure that many readers, myself included, will read this book and want to try their own hand at fermentation. It would therefore make sense to make recipes clear and organised so that they can easily be found, ideally in a separate section or else at the end of each section where there origins are discussed. Interspersed as they currently are does a disservice to both recipes and discourse.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Storey Publishing for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2022
The perfect book for me - fermenting, history, and so many recipes! It's a book I will read again.
[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
September 26, 2022
This book is for anyone who enjoys history and/or food. I’ve always loved both and this book did not disappoint. Julia Skinner takes her readers on a global exploration of the history and art of fermentation, sharing intriguing recipes. My only gripe is with the book’s structure- I wish all of the recipes were in one spot rather than scattered throughout- it would be much easier to use the recipes.
Thanks to Net Galley and Storey Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Net Galley and Storey Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2024
The information was really interesting, as were the recipes. However, I did not like the layout of the book - too many distracting textboxes and disjointed texts that made me feel I was jumping around the entire time I was reading.
December 4, 2021
I grew up on fermented foods. My grandmother always had pickles or sauerkraut going and later on my mother added kimchi to her rotation. What’s not to love? Not all fermented foods are going to be love, but most are, at least for me and mine. Pickles and Sauerkraut are just the tip of the iceberg. This book will get you started, or move you forward with fermenting food at home. A fabulous addition to your home cookbook library.
February 2, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for sending the e-ARC to me for my honest review. Please note, I reviewed this book, as an enthusiastic home cook with some experience in some of the fermentation processes mentioned in the book and also the owner of other notable books on the process of fermentation. Any opinions or mistakes expressed in this review are my own.
Part introduction, part cultural and historical guide, part collection of fermented food recipes. This book was ambitious from the start, in that it aimed to give the reader an overall view of what is a fermented food and why it is so important to human civilisation to this very day.
I asked myself whilst reading whether this will appeal to readers with no prior knowledge and I think it does a good job in describing the broad spectrum of ferments and its diverse rich history. But I have also found inspiration in new ferments as my previous knowledge of ferments is very Eurocentric or Asia-centric. Being introduced to ferments from indigenous cultures, the African diaspora and the Latinx diaspora is very exciting and I want to research more into them.
The book is still very Anglo-centric in its sources and details. Skinner acknowledges this and explained that this is also due to the lack of written records throughout history, many culturally important dishes are passed on through oral traditions or have no standardised recipe. Therefore a lot of ancient dishes are only speculated on and the reader has to use their imagination on what bread would have tasted like from Pompeii. I still appreciate the attempt to highlight indigenous dishes as it’s important to have a written testament to them.
What about the recipes in the book?
There are a lot of recipes and if I were to compare them to my favourite fermentation book “Noma’s guide to fermentation”. The recipes are written to make them much more accessible to new fermenters. Less technical terminology and not as intimidating as Noma; who teaches you how to make your own professional fermentation station.
I also liked how Skinner encourages experimentation with flavours for the adventurous. They make suggestions on flavour pairings and when is best to include those flavours in the recipe.
My final critique will be about the writing style and by the middle of the book, I was fatigued from all the info-dumping. It’s a real shame because I do want to learn more about kiviak, a traditional dish of the Inuit people. So when the author listed facts like a Wikipedia page, I think there’s room for compelling storytelling so the reader can engage with these important dishes.
Overall, I appreciate a really comprehensive book on fermentation. For more experienced fermenters, this could be a fun book for the collection. But depending on their experience - they will find diminishing returns on this book. This book would be great as a gift for a ferment newbie, alongside a starter kit for their first ferment.
Part introduction, part cultural and historical guide, part collection of fermented food recipes. This book was ambitious from the start, in that it aimed to give the reader an overall view of what is a fermented food and why it is so important to human civilisation to this very day.
I asked myself whilst reading whether this will appeal to readers with no prior knowledge and I think it does a good job in describing the broad spectrum of ferments and its diverse rich history. But I have also found inspiration in new ferments as my previous knowledge of ferments is very Eurocentric or Asia-centric. Being introduced to ferments from indigenous cultures, the African diaspora and the Latinx diaspora is very exciting and I want to research more into them.
The book is still very Anglo-centric in its sources and details. Skinner acknowledges this and explained that this is also due to the lack of written records throughout history, many culturally important dishes are passed on through oral traditions or have no standardised recipe. Therefore a lot of ancient dishes are only speculated on and the reader has to use their imagination on what bread would have tasted like from Pompeii. I still appreciate the attempt to highlight indigenous dishes as it’s important to have a written testament to them.
What about the recipes in the book?
There are a lot of recipes and if I were to compare them to my favourite fermentation book “Noma’s guide to fermentation”. The recipes are written to make them much more accessible to new fermenters. Less technical terminology and not as intimidating as Noma; who teaches you how to make your own professional fermentation station.
I also liked how Skinner encourages experimentation with flavours for the adventurous. They make suggestions on flavour pairings and when is best to include those flavours in the recipe.
My final critique will be about the writing style and by the middle of the book, I was fatigued from all the info-dumping. It’s a real shame because I do want to learn more about kiviak, a traditional dish of the Inuit people. So when the author listed facts like a Wikipedia page, I think there’s room for compelling storytelling so the reader can engage with these important dishes.
Overall, I appreciate a really comprehensive book on fermentation. For more experienced fermenters, this could be a fun book for the collection. But depending on their experience - they will find diminishing returns on this book. This book would be great as a gift for a ferment newbie, alongside a starter kit for their first ferment.
November 2, 2022
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Our Fermented Lives is a well written and encyclopedic look at fermentation historically and its impact on society and culture by Dr. Julia Skinner. Released 27th Sept. 2022 by Storey, it's 384 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The writing is accessible and understandable. The language used is precise, but not overly rigorous or academic and it's not annotated in the text. The author writes authoritatively on indigenous and ancient fermenting methods and the foods which our ancestors prepared and preserved using the techniques described. The author has included a comprehensive bibliography with links which will provide engaged readers with many hours of extra reading.
There are a generous number of really intriguing recipes included in the text and the descriptions are so fascinating that I will certainly spend a lot of time trying them out. This would be a -goldmine- for recreators, historical food/cooking fans, SCAdians, and living history folks.
Five stars. Beautifully written and interesting. This would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition as well as particularly relevant for self-sufficiency folks, homesteaders, foragers, natural/raw cooks, etc.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Our Fermented Lives is a well written and encyclopedic look at fermentation historically and its impact on society and culture by Dr. Julia Skinner. Released 27th Sept. 2022 by Storey, it's 384 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The writing is accessible and understandable. The language used is precise, but not overly rigorous or academic and it's not annotated in the text. The author writes authoritatively on indigenous and ancient fermenting methods and the foods which our ancestors prepared and preserved using the techniques described. The author has included a comprehensive bibliography with links which will provide engaged readers with many hours of extra reading.
There are a generous number of really intriguing recipes included in the text and the descriptions are so fascinating that I will certainly spend a lot of time trying them out. This would be a -goldmine- for recreators, historical food/cooking fans, SCAdians, and living history folks.
Five stars. Beautifully written and interesting. This would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition as well as particularly relevant for self-sufficiency folks, homesteaders, foragers, natural/raw cooks, etc.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
January 13, 2022
Fermented foods, and the micro-organisms used to create them, have been a part of human life for thousands of years, and ‘Our Fermented Lives’ gives us a look into not only the many ways they have been essential to different populations, but also how they can still be applicable to us today. The history shows that fermentation wasn’t just a western method of food preservation, but instead a tool for survival used globably. And I appreciate how the blindspots in our knowledge of fermentation’s history were recognized, especially those caused by the biases of those recording and interpreting it.
At the end of each chapter there are recipes for readers to use as a jumping off point on their own fermentation journeys, for everything from sauerkraut to ginger beer to injera. They all have suggestions for ways in which to customize recipes for the reader’s individual taste and use as minimal equipment as possible. I can attest that both the mushroom ketchup and fermented tomato ketchup recipes can garner delicious results, having tried them both in my own kitchen.
This book has something to learn for anyone, whether they have never tried to ferment before or they have been fermenting in their own kitchen for years. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in food preservation, sustainability, or food history.
At the end of each chapter there are recipes for readers to use as a jumping off point on their own fermentation journeys, for everything from sauerkraut to ginger beer to injera. They all have suggestions for ways in which to customize recipes for the reader’s individual taste and use as minimal equipment as possible. I can attest that both the mushroom ketchup and fermented tomato ketchup recipes can garner delicious results, having tried them both in my own kitchen.
This book has something to learn for anyone, whether they have never tried to ferment before or they have been fermenting in their own kitchen for years. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in food preservation, sustainability, or food history.
August 17, 2024
Such an interesting, inspiring book about the history and importance of fermentation. I was especially struck by how political it is, from the analysis of how the love of fermented foods (chocolate, coffee, tea) drove colonization and enslavement and this reminder:
“Reincorporating a range of ferments into our diets is one way to help people with limited access stretch what they have, and help all of us reduce waste (it does not, however, absolve us of working to minimize larger cultural issues around food insecurity).”
Also I learned about corpse cakes!
“During the middle ages in Germany and Sweden, where in some places, this custom survives to the present day), funeral cakes or corpse cakes were an important part of the funerary meal. Leavened dough was prepared and allowed to rise on the corpse’s chest before being shared with funeral goers-– what researcher and author Victoria Williams says was a way of symbolically “eating the deceased” (you can see here a continuation of the Paleolithic tradition of literally eating the dead).”
I’m going to keep it in the kitchen now and start cooking from it.
“Reincorporating a range of ferments into our diets is one way to help people with limited access stretch what they have, and help all of us reduce waste (it does not, however, absolve us of working to minimize larger cultural issues around food insecurity).”
Also I learned about corpse cakes!
“During the middle ages in Germany and Sweden, where in some places, this custom survives to the present day), funeral cakes or corpse cakes were an important part of the funerary meal. Leavened dough was prepared and allowed to rise on the corpse’s chest before being shared with funeral goers-– what researcher and author Victoria Williams says was a way of symbolically “eating the deceased” (you can see here a continuation of the Paleolithic tradition of literally eating the dead).”
I’m going to keep it in the kitchen now and start cooking from it.
December 16, 2021
I wonderfully researched book about fermentation and how people Evolved with it And love it. This book explores the common western ones, yeast, yogurt, alcohol, But also very unusual world ones. I loved discovering those, ranging from mead to soups and porridges and finding the recipes all over the book. Most of them are taken from historical sources, as old as ancient Egypt ones and come from all around the globe from Africa to Asia. It is incredibly rich, and best of all they are simple, and the author encourages us to tweak them to our liking with our favourite flavours. I have never dared try fermenting anything in my kitchen, but this book is quite empowering in it’s encouragement to experiment.
The author also talks a lot about their own experience and why this is important to them. It was a nice added touch. I highly recommend it if you are an adventurous eater, or you want to be more self-sufficient.
The author also talks a lot about their own experience and why this is important to them. It was a nice added touch. I highly recommend it if you are an adventurous eater, or you want to be more self-sufficient.
September 3, 2023
In this comprehensive and wide-ranging exploration of mankind’s’ history of fermentation around the world, food historian Julia Skinner uncovers a world I had simply never given any attention to before. She delves into the process of fermentation, the various techniques and the many and varied foods that are produced. Recipes are included for those who want to give fermentation a try. I learnt a lot and will never look on a dish of sauerkraut of kimchi with the same eyes ever again. But perhaps I wasn’t really the intended readership for the book. After a while I felt that she had made her case and it all became a bit repetitious. I began to lose focus, not helped by the fact that the book itself meanders quite a lot and the narrative itself seemed to lose focus. So an important addition to food books but one which for me didn’t quite hit the mark.
December 21, 2021
I thought this book was so interesting! It does have recipes in it, and they're certainly useable by the look of it, however, I think the strength of this book is more in the way the history of fermentation is told and the attention paid to the diversities and similarities of fermentation practices around the world. The book also takes time to tackle cultural appropriation in food, which is a topic that definitely needs its champions.
Also, the author does her best (and succeeds) at making fermentation seem like something that's approachable for people with any skill or budget. You just need a jar and something heavy and you're already halfway there. Reading this book definitely has inspired me to try out new fermentations.
Also, the author does her best (and succeeds) at making fermentation seem like something that's approachable for people with any skill or budget. You just need a jar and something heavy and you're already halfway there. Reading this book definitely has inspired me to try out new fermentations.
September 27, 2022
Our Fermented Lives is a wonderful book that includes the history of fermenting foods. I was not aware of fermenting other than pickles. My parents tried to get into it after I had grown. I became more aware with fermenting after moving to Costa Rica and it opened a whole new world. There are so many wonderful recipes in this book that I think many will enjoy and appreciate. The only thing I wish had been included are pictures of finished products and a few step-by-step pictures. I am more visual and seeing recipes with pictures make the finished product more appealing. Still, these recipes make me want to branch out and try other fermented recipes.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
March 26, 2023
I find myself conflicted about 'Our Fermented Lives'. It is clearly a work of huge heart, written by someone who knows a great deal about her subject, but the format is quite strange. It feels as though a lot of information is repeated, which may not be so but there is a lot of crossover between sections. I love that this book is so wide ranging, cross-cultural, and explores bacteria and fermentation from almost any angle you can imagine. Whether it quite succeeds is another question. It is trying to be so many things all at once that it's hard to do any of them justice. Some sections are too long, others too short, and some feel like notes. But, I am very glad that this book exists. Fermentation is fundamental. It matters that it is being written about as more than just recipes.
July 10, 2022
What a fun and informative book to read. I didn't grown up eating very many fermented foods. Quite honestly I had only had store bought pickles which once you try homemade you'll never go back. I've started to become interested in fermentation as I've been exposed to it more in the rural community I live in. It is so fascinating that one day someone decided to put food in jar with a bunch of vinegar and ended up creating a food resource that many would come to rely on decades later. Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in fermentaion.
I got this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I got this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2022
I love fermented foods, and so does this book! Chock full of history, wisdom, recipes, tricks and tips, Skinner has provided a veritable tome of fermentation. I learned about foods I had never heard of, and learned a lot about foods I knew a little bit about. Very inspirational. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy - I've got to go burp my ferments!
July 13, 2022
An incredibly comprehensive text comparable to Sandor Elix Katz's "Art of Fermentation." Julia Skinner examines the many types of ferments that have wound their ways through history and connect humanity to one another. Full of incredible recipes, this book will make a great addition to any home fermenter's library.
December 15, 2024
This book has a good amount of information, well presented, about fermentation, the history and types. The recipes are great and it's fun to ferment and make new foods. In fact, it is this book that got me interesting in making mead!
The one criticism I have of it is that it sometimes doesn't 'flow' well, jumping from one topic to another when they don't seem completely related or connected.
The one criticism I have of it is that it sometimes doesn't 'flow' well, jumping from one topic to another when they don't seem completely related or connected.
January 11, 2023
This is an interesting book on fermentation and its history, with lots to learn. I find this is a great book for those who don't just want to try a recipe but actually understand the art of fermentation.
January 15, 2022
Fascinating! A deep dive into the subject. Perhaps a few photos or illustrations could have been included, particularly for the recipes?
Want to read
January 16, 2023requested 1/16/23
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2024
This book was for my non-fiction book club. The author came to speak and she was fascinating.
August 5, 2024
DNF at 32%, the title is totally misleading, there's barely any history in this book. I wanted something better than a puffed up recipe book.
December 4, 2024
Read for my class on fermentation. Good recipes and information integrated into this book. I wish the writing was a little better; sounds somewhat juvenile at times.
November 24, 2023
4 Stars - Focus on the cultural and historical impact of fermentation
Our Fermented Lives by Julia Skinner is a bit of a different take on fermentation as a topic. Fermentation has been gaining popularity lately and so there are plenty of books on the market, many of which focus on the recipe part and provide the interested home fermenter with everything for a good start.
What is different with Skinner's book is that she dives much, much deeper into the cultural history of fermentation as well as all sorts of other aspects of it, like health and possible solutions for our environmental troubles. She provides a ton of fascinating information and makes sure to paint a complex, diverse picture that does not only focus on white, imperialist history but takes into account all of the overlooked, colonized and suppressed cultures - many of which have been destroyed in the wake of imperialism.
It is very obvious that Skinner is a huge fermentation enthusiast and her energy is infectious. While reading Our Fermented Lives I really wanted to just go into the kitchen and dig through the fridge looking for something suitable for some experiments! She does provide plenty of recipes as well - although you should not go into this expecting the kind of recipe where e.g. the amount of salt is given in precise measurements. Instead Skinner encourages the reader to just try things out and adjust as you go. Maybe you prefer a saltier taste? Maybe you want a very light ferment, so you stop the process earlier? I think this is the approach that people have been taking for many generations and actually also just makes lot of sense. Microbes will not work the same depending on their environment, so providing very detailed instructions cannot possible take into account all of the factors at play.
I definitely learned a lot while reading this book and am very curious to try my hand at fermentation as well!
One thing about the kindle version (which is the one I read): the way the book is laid out does not really lend itself to a small kindle display and made reading oftentimes awkward and/or difficult. This will work much better on a larger screen (e.g. kindle app on a laptop or tablet) or just as a paper book.
I have received an advance review copy via NetGalley from the publisher and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
Our Fermented Lives by Julia Skinner is a bit of a different take on fermentation as a topic. Fermentation has been gaining popularity lately and so there are plenty of books on the market, many of which focus on the recipe part and provide the interested home fermenter with everything for a good start.
What is different with Skinner's book is that she dives much, much deeper into the cultural history of fermentation as well as all sorts of other aspects of it, like health and possible solutions for our environmental troubles. She provides a ton of fascinating information and makes sure to paint a complex, diverse picture that does not only focus on white, imperialist history but takes into account all of the overlooked, colonized and suppressed cultures - many of which have been destroyed in the wake of imperialism.
It is very obvious that Skinner is a huge fermentation enthusiast and her energy is infectious. While reading Our Fermented Lives I really wanted to just go into the kitchen and dig through the fridge looking for something suitable for some experiments! She does provide plenty of recipes as well - although you should not go into this expecting the kind of recipe where e.g. the amount of salt is given in precise measurements. Instead Skinner encourages the reader to just try things out and adjust as you go. Maybe you prefer a saltier taste? Maybe you want a very light ferment, so you stop the process earlier? I think this is the approach that people have been taking for many generations and actually also just makes lot of sense. Microbes will not work the same depending on their environment, so providing very detailed instructions cannot possible take into account all of the factors at play.
I definitely learned a lot while reading this book and am very curious to try my hand at fermentation as well!
One thing about the kindle version (which is the one I read): the way the book is laid out does not really lend itself to a small kindle display and made reading oftentimes awkward and/or difficult. This will work much better on a larger screen (e.g. kindle app on a laptop or tablet) or just as a paper book.
I have received an advance review copy via NetGalley from the publisher and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
October 8, 2022
Very comprehensive look and dive into fermentation, it's history, and lots of recipes. Some look like good, some would definitely be experiments!
I had no idea there were so many different types of fermentation!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
I had no idea there were so many different types of fermentation!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
September 27, 2022
A superb book. It’s practical, set in context both historically and culturally, and inspiring. The research would have been daunting for others, but she wears the knowledge lightly. The historical aspects were really interesting. I liked that it covered cultures east to west and Middle Eastern.
But best of all, she used her own knowledge of fermenting to encourage everyone to try it. And provided practical recipes and tips to make it easy.
In a world where we need to reduce food poverty, this reminds us of how nothing need be wasted, and how our ancestors used simple ingredients to preserve food and increase health.
But best of all, she used her own knowledge of fermenting to encourage everyone to try it. And provided practical recipes and tips to make it easy.
In a world where we need to reduce food poverty, this reminds us of how nothing need be wasted, and how our ancestors used simple ingredients to preserve food and increase health.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews