Wildcrafted Fermentation

Plant-based fermentation has been used for thousands of years by different cultures all around the world. It’s the easiest and safest way to preserve food, and nature provides all that’s required: plants, salt, and the beneficial lactic acid bacteria found everywhere. When we ferment a food, we transform it, making it more delicious and nutritious and creating new and wonderful flavors that bring it to a whole new level.

Today fermented foods have become fashionable among chefs at high-end restaurants and health-conscious consumers alike. The creative possibilities are endless, especially when we gather and use plants from our local environment. Every landscape, every ecosystem is unique, yet many common edible plants are widely distributed throughout North America and in other parts of the world. In fact, many non-native plants have become too successful, and they are considered invasive or even “noxious weeds.” Wouldn’t it be better to sustainably harvest the seasonal bounty and ferment these tasty plants rather than trying to eradicate them with herbicides?

In Wildcrafted Fermentation, Pascal Baudar provides all the basics needed to make creative ferments at home. From simple wild sauerkrauts and kimchis to hot sauces, savory pastes, non-dairy cheeses, dehydrated spice blends, and much more, Baudar includes over 100 easy recipes to inspire even the most jaded palate. The recipes can be easily adapted by people who buy seasonal and local produce, or who harvest from their own gardens. And step-by-step photos of processes and finished dishes will inspire the adventurous home cook to experiment with both wild and cultivated plants. Knowing the basic methods of fermentation, as well as specific techniques like how to cut and prepare different kinds of plants, provides the confidence to succeed like a pro.

Wild-gathering greens, stems, roots, berries, fruits, and seeds is a great way to work with your local terroir and reconnect with nature in a deeply rewarding and positive way. As Baudar writes, “Fermentation is an incredible tool if your quest is to create a cuisine unique to you and your environment.”

“Fermentation is a natural process, and from an artistic perspective you can even go deeper. As you’ll see in this book, once you know the basics and food safety, you can bring nature itself into the process and start fermenting with wild plants, leaves, bark, wood—and even inside tree trunks. It may seem extreme, but it really isn’t; the ingredients and vessels that you use will contribute flavor accents to the fermenting process. The real fun and idea behind this book though, is to use fermentation as a medium to explore the true flavors of your environment. Not just what can be found in the store, but what nature can provide you. As a cook or chef, the creative possibilities offered by the simple process of lacto-fermentation are infinite. While I stick mostly to common wild edibles, realize that if you use something truly local and native which hasn’t been used in fermentation before (like yucca flowers in my region), you’re inventing a new flavor, which in itself is an integral part of a very exciting culinary journey.” –Pascal Baudar