I recently had the pleasure of reading Lisa’s Counter Culture: Pickles and Other Well Bred Foods. Lisa is a real-foodie, that is passionate and very knowledgeable about ferments. She teaches some great workshops in the bay area. I look forward to taking her DIY Kombucha workshop on November 3rd, as my kombucha addiction is getting costly!
Here is what I LOVED about this book!
1- Lisa is very relatable. She says it best, when she writes “I am a concerned mother, wife and fellow human being who cares deeply about nutrition and our environment”. Most of us in the paleo community fall into one or all of these categories. This is the perspective Lisa writes from, which makes reading her book fun and engaging. I actually sat down and read through all the recipes. I got kind of sucked in, you could say.
2- Easy to follow. Lisa breaks down the “how-to” of fermentation, in a way where novices, such as myself, totally get it! All the steps are clearly explained. She has even included a handy section on equipment that you may need, with product recommendations. She really equips us newbies to get started.
3-Informative. I am a big “why” person and Lisa does an exceptional job of answering this. In each section, she not only covers the benefits of each
fermented food, but even explains how the nutrients are created. For instance, did you know that one of the benefits of beet kvass is that it provides trace minerals, due to the fact that the beet root can grow as far as 10 feet into the soil? I also learned that pickled food, is not necessarily fermented food and doesn’t offer the same gut healing benefits.
4-Great Recipes. The recipes are mouth-watering … Mango Chutney, anyone? Yum! The two recipes that I can’t wait to try are the “Beet Kvass” & the “Catchy Ketchup”. In addition to all the awesome ferment recipes this book offers, it also includes what Lisa refers to as “Ferment Companions” – these are
healthy, paleo-friendly recipes including broths, organ meats, sides, meats and much more.
This book truly covers the art & science of fermentation. It’s a great resource for novices, experts and everyone in between. It was exactly what my cookbook collection was missing.
Head over to Lisa’s Counter Culture and get your copy! Available in both ebook & print addition.
Thanks for the review, I’ve visited her site before and was impressed. Went ahead and signed up for the class too
– my kombucha habit is extremely expensive!! Hoping to get the know-how from an expert, because my attempts have come up short. Look forward to meeting you.
Jennifer – me too! $3 a day, adds up quickly! I haven’t attempted to try to make it myself yet. I am super excited about the workshop. Look forward to meeting you too!