Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation (Soy Sauce, Miso, Sake, Mirin, Amazake, Charcuterie)

"This book is remarkable."—David Zilber, co-author of The Noma Guide to Fermentation

"Next level fermentation fodder"—The Boston Globe

"The perfect next step"—NPR's "Science Friday"

For viewers of "Salt Fat Acid Heat," the first book devoted to processes, concepts, and recipes for fermenting and culturing foods with koji, the microbe behind the delicious, umami flavors of Japanese cuisine

Koji Alchemy chefs Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih—collectively considered to be the most practical, experienced, generous educators on the culinary power of this unique ingredient—deliver a comprehensive look at modern koji use around the world. Using it to rapidly age charcuterie, cheese, and other ferments, they take the magic of koji to the next level, revolutionizing the creation of fermented foods and flavor profiles for both professional and home cooks. 

Koji Alchemy includes:

• A foreword by best-selling author Sandor Katz (The Art of Fermentation)
• Cutting-edge techniques on koji growing and curing
• Information on equipment and setting up your kitchen
• More than 35 recipes for sauces, pastes, ferments, and alcohol, including stand-outs like Popcorn Koji, Roasted Entire Squash Miso, Korean Makgeolli, Amazake Rye Bread, and more

“Koji Alchemy is empowering and does much to open the door to further creativity and innovation. . . . I can’t wait to see and taste the next wave of koji experimentation it inspires.” —Sandor Katz

 

Jeremy Umansky is a chef/owner of Larder: A Curated Delicatessen & Bakery in Cleveland, Ohio, nominated by the James Beard Foundation as the Best New Restaurant in America in 2019. He has been featured in numerous publications like Bon Appetit and Saveur and was named “The Deli Prophet” by Food & Wine in the March 2019 Makers Issue.

Rich Shih is one of the leading culinary explorers of koji and miso in the United States and an in-demand food preservation consultant. He is also the Exhibit Engineer for the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) based in New York City. Find out more on his blog at OurCookQuest.com.

Sandor Ellix Katz is a fermentation revivalist. A self-taught experimentalist who lives in rural Tennessee, his explorations in fermentation developed out of his overlapping interests in cooking, nutrition, and gardening. He is the author of five books: Wild Fermentation, The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved, The Art of Fermentation, Fermentation as Metaphor, and Sandor Katz's Fermentation Journeys. The hundreds of fermentation workshops he has taught around the world have helped catalyze a broad revival of the fermentation arts. The New York Times calls Sandor “one of the unlikely rock stars of the American food scene.” For more information, check out his website: www.wildfermentation.com.