A beautifully-illustrated global tour of the fascinating world of fermentation.

The World Atlas of Fermented Foods and Drinks explores the many ways that people across the world use fermentation to transform their cuisines. Elegantly illustrated with beautiful photos and maps, this book provides a complete guide to 140 ferments, from kimchi and cheese to kvass and pulque. Blending the science behind the microbes with culinary history, Ken Albala reveals the cultural connections between the techniques, ingredients, and rituals of the world's wildly diverse fermented foods.

Each entry is a celebration of the magical range of flavors that fermentation can produce and includes details on how to make and consume the food or drink. Throughout, Albala weaves in fascinating insights on similarities and differences between ferments, how ferments spread during human migrations, and why they remain so essential to the gastronomic heritage of people everywhere. Stunningly comprehensive and packed with flavor, The World Atlas of Fermented Foods and Drinks will inspire readers to try delicious new foods and experiment with this long-standing culinary tradition.

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“Examines 140 ferments, tracing both the microorganisms at work and the cultures that have developed around them. The range extends well beyond familiar examples like cheese and kimchi to drinks and foods including kvass and pulque. Albala looks at ingredients and techniques . . . migration, exchange, and the ways fermentation practices have traveled and changed.”

"This is a gorgeous, respectful, and approachable treatment of a vast topic. The photographs are lovely, the graphics are easy to understand, and the writing is friendly, informative, and accessible. . . . genuinely fascinating."  - Starred review in Library Journal

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“Practitioners, enthusiasts, those curious about fermentation, food, and geography will be sated here. In this Atlas, Albala travels from the land, through the ferment, to the mouth, and back again. He reveals the cyclical nature of cuisine and how, despite varying circumstances, it remains accessible by taste.”

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“The atlas differs from Albala’s other works in that it is very design-forward, as opposed to being strictly a scholarly text.”