Fresh & Fermented: 85 Delicious Ways to Make Fermented Carrots, Kraut, and Kimchi Part of Every Meal

by Julie O'Brien, Richard J. Climenhage, Charity Burggraaf (Photographer)

Eating naturally fermented, probiotic foods (such as kimchi) is one of the healthiest and most effective ways to improve digestion. Balance the digestive system and boost your immunity with healthful, simple, and delicious everyday meals using Firefly Kitchens' recipes for fermented kimchi, krauts, and carrots. Making homemade fermented foods is simple and delicious. With eighty-five recipes like Kimchi Kick-Start Breakfast, Smoked Salmon Rueben, and Flank Steak over Spicy Noodles , Fresh & Fermented makes it easy to include these healthy foods in every meal.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Reference, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2014

Reviews

[Disco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Disclosure: I had never met nor heard of any of the authors of this nor their kitchen in Seattle before getting this book.

Now for the review:
This is exactly how a cookbook should be set up!
It is color-coded by type of meal
Gorgeous color photos but not too many
Photos are actually next to their recipe and not several pages away or all lumped together
The recipes are easy to make
The ingredients are things I've heard of
The equipment (to make sauerkraut) include objects I actually have around the house and not elaborate airlock covers or other ridiculous things
There are clear step-by-step directions for Classic Kraut
There are several variations of Kraut, including Caraway and Kimchi
There are at least 20 recipes in here that I would make several times a year
This cookbook is not vegan, but many of the recipes would be simple to veganize (use veg broth instead of chicken, use Beyond Meat instead of ground beef, etc...)
Overall 4.5 stars.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought about using kraut in all these different ways! Love the thoughtful explanations. I do with there were a few more visuals or diagrams at the very beginning, when discussing how to make the kraut. I haven't made any of the recipes yet but I've bookmarked a bunch.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I talked to the author Julie O'Brien and the passion she brings to sharing healthy ferments with others is contagious (in a good way :)

Julie educated herself on the amazing health benefits of ferments and her book is filled with creative ways to add these delicious foods to easy and tasty recipes. Julie is so generous, she gives the readers her exact recipe to ferment your own healthy veggies.

I've tried, but once you've had her bright, crisp krauts and kimchi, it's hard to have the patience to repeat what she consistently achieves. Family favorites are Emerald City and Firefly Kimchi for a hit of spice.

I wish I could buy these in bigger jars and at more stores. Everyone needs at least a heaping tablespoon daily to get digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria to nourish the all-important gut.

This book is a true gift to healthier eating.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was kind of startled that there are only six recipes for actual ferments in here -- four kinds of sauerkraut, one kimchi (which is also made like a kraut here), and shredded, fermented carrots. The rest of the recipes are for ways to use those ferments, but honestly, I didn't find a lot that excited me here. So, it's not a bad book, but I also can't think of a situation where I could recommend it over the Shockey's Fermented Vegetables, which has ferments for dozens of vegetables and a lot of great recipes in the back.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

cookbook/sauerkraut and kimchi, ways to use and enjoy
tasty! But I cringe at the thought of hand-grating my own carrots. Maybe some day.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures and clear, easy to follow recipes. They all looked mouthwatering but a bit too fussy, for me, to make at home.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this cook book! I am on day five of fermenting Firefly Kimchi, and the Kimchi is already delicious. Once the kimchi is a bit more fermented, I want to first try the recipe Hearty Lettuce Cups, in which the kimchee becomes a sauce ingredient to dress a salad of sauteed onions, mushrooms and meat of your choice (or tofu), grated carrots, cilantro, and lettuce. This cook book makes adding healthful fermented foods to your diet a non-scary option.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happy bellies we would have if we ate exclusively from this book for a year (the foods suggested, not the paper). My mouth is salivating already. My dream kitchen would have several crocks on the counter making a perpetual supply of fermented vegetables. If I can't have that, what about one shelf in the refrigerator devoted exclusively to Firefly Foods? I'm inspired by the recipes and my eyes are tempted by the beautiful food photography.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book

This is a well organized book. Amazing how diverse the recipes are. Have tasted a few already and they are excellent, pretty easy to put together and conceptual so it's easy to adapt based on taste and what is handy.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing too over the top apart from kraut in smoothies. Was hoping for more ways to keep the healthy bacteria alive, too many cooked dishes.