The Philosophy of Pickles and Fermented Foods
Fermented food is playing a significant role in the developing discussion around gut health and the microbiome. More than the latest health trend, pickling and fermentation are techniques that have been used by human populations across the globe in food preparation for millennia. And they are part of a region’s cultural heritage, passed from generation to generation, whether it’s the Korean kimjang – the making and sharing of kimchi – the Japanese preparation of the nukadoko or pickling bed, or the brine-fermented fruits and vegetables of Georgia. Thom Eagle celebrates this fascinating history, explaining the different techniques and offering practical advice for enthusiasts.
Thom Eagle is one of the UK’s leading voices on food and fermentation. He has presented at the Oxford Symposium of Food and Cookery on fermentation as a method of reducing food waste, consulted on various food preservation techniques, and headed up the opening team of Dalston’s Littleduck, a restaurant and wholesale fermenting kitchen. He is the author of two books on cooking and preservation, Summer’s Lease and the award-winning First, Catch and has written extensively on the subject for publications including Vittles, National Geographic Food and Locavore, with other writing appearing in the Independent and the Telegraph.
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