Fermentation – Plain and Simple is a light-hearted treatise on the theory of food and beverage fermentation and offers lots of practical tips and recipes. It contains suggestions for the traditional fermentation enthusiast who enjoys classic flavours, as well as for the adventurous experimenter seeking out novel nuances of taste. The author explains how to ferment not only cucumbers but also other vegetables, how to make different kinds of kimchi and the world’s best mushroom salad. You will get a glimpse of how to make fermented dairy products and spice-cured sprats. And of course, there are also instructions for making fermented beverages.
The book is an outcome of years of research and the author’s keen personal interest in fermentation. The author hopes the popularity of fermented foods will grow, becoming even more prevalent in people’s diet generally. Fermented foods are healthy and support digestion and the immune system. Properly fermented foods have prolonged shelf-life and are therefore better for the environment, reducing food waste.
The book was named Estonian Cookbook of the Year in autumn 2023.
Rain Kuldjärv is a food scientist, innovator and enthusiast and an expert in fermentation and sensory science. He has worked for more than 15 years at the Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies (TFTAK), where he currently leads the development of functional foods and beverages. Rain’s daily work involves developing new, healthy, and innovative products in cooperation with Estonian and international companies that aim to be globally competitive. Rain knows Estonian food inside out – he has been the chairman of the selection committee for the ‘Best Estonian Food Product’ competition for several years, chairman of the ‘Best Farm Food’ committee and a member of the committee for the ‘Approved Estonian Taste’ swallow label, which is granted to goods whose primary base product is 100% Estonian.
