Ferment: Simple Recipes from My Multicultural Kitchen

This approachable introduction to fermentation spans a range of global traditions and offers both foundational techniques and inventive ways to enjoy the results.

Kenji Morimoto, a fourth-generation Japanese American based in London, draws on personal experience and wide-ranging research to demystify key methods like lactofermentation (wet and dry), acidic pickling, miso making, kombucha brewing, and cheong—the Korean technique of preserving fruit in sugar.

A full chapter is devoted to kimchi, which Morimoto explores with both respect and creative flexibility.

The second half of the book focuses on how to use the products of fermentation, offering a playful and often cross-cultural perspective on incorporating bold, acidic, or funky flavors. Examples include sauerkraut latkes, kimchi spanakopita, a fermented gazpacho, and citrus kombucha cookies.

Visually engaging and welcoming in tone, this is a solid starting point for cooks with adventurous palates and a curiosity about how fermentation connects food cultures.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.