Probiotic and live-culture foods are becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason, as they promote good digestive health and boost the immune system. Fortunately, they also taste good!

Fermented Foods at Every Meal, written by Hayley Barisa Ryczek, is a lovely cookbook with well-written text and recipes accompanied by mouth-watering pictures, and its subtitle (“Nourish Your Family at Every Meal with Quick and Easy Recipes Using the Top 10 Live-Culture Foods”) aptly sums up what the book is designed to help the reader do.

The ten featured live-culture foods are: Yogurt, Sauerkraut, Kombucha, Kefir, Crème Fraîche, Dried Fruit Chutney, Fermented Ketchup, Fermented Carrots, Sweet Pickled Relish, and Sweet and Spicy Tomato Salsa. Each of these core foods has its own chapter that includes a description of the food, how to make it (or in some cases, what to look for if you prefer to buy it), and ideas and recipes for incorporating it into meals and snacks without compromising the health benefits of the live cultures.

My Thoughts: Many of the recipes rely on ingredients derived from other recipes in the book, such as whey from yogurt or brine from a vegetable ferment. Unusual (for me) ingredients such as raw honey and raw apple cider vinegar are required for making some of the core recipes as well as many of the other recipes. Likewise, homemade fermented mayonnaise (recipe included) is called for in most of the dressings and dips and many of the salads and sandwiches. All of this means that some planning is required and the recipes should be read carefully before making them to ensure that all of the ingredients are on hand.

I chose to start with the Crème Fraîche and the yogurt. With no cooking required and just two ingredients (heavy cream and cultured buttermilk), the Crème Fraîche was simple to make and tastes quite good. However, I recommend using a larger jar than the pint jar specified; I had to remove a few tablespoons of the mixture to avoid overflowing my pint canning jar. I’ll serve my Crème Fraîche later this week with fresh fruit and a little honey for a special treat.

Homemade yogurt is already a staple in my diet, but the recipe in the book is slightly different than my usual ingredients and method. Following the recipe and using only whole milk and some plain yogurt for a starter, my yogurt turned out nicely thickened, with a bit of whey around the edges (which I’ll use in bread baking or smoothies) and a well-rounded flavor. My favorite ways of eating yogurt are with honey and granola or Grape Nuts, in a smoothie, and in overnight oats. When I’m finished enjoying this batch for breakfasts and lunches, I’ll use the last of it as a starter for the next batch.

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win their own copy of Fermented Foods at Every Meal, published by Fair Winds Press, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group (retail value $21.99).

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the US ONLY age 18 and over. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on August 19th, 2016 at 11:59 pm EST time. No purchase necessary to enter or win.

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