The World Atlas of Fermented Foods and Drinks

by Ken Albala (Author)

Hardcover eBook

Price: $35.00 / £30.00

Publication Date: Sep 2026

Edition: 1st Edition

Title Details:

Rights: World

Pages: 272

ISBN: 9780520422872

Trim Size: 7 x 10

Illustrations: 200 color illustrations

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About the Book

A 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.

About the Author

Ken Albala is the award-winning author of twenty-nine books, as well as several food-history video series for the Great Courses learning platform. His Beans: A History won the IACP Jane Grigson Award in food writing, and Three World Cuisines won the Gourmand Best Foreign Cuisine Book in the World. He is the Tully Knoles Endowed Professor of History at the University of the Pacific.

Reviews

"This is a fascinating book, one that gives readers a thorough overview of the world's rich array of fermented foods. It covers well-loved and well-known ferments, yet it also does justice to ferments that have been long overlooked. In doing so, it promises to inspire fermentation enthusiasts around the world to add to their repertoire of fermented foods."—Christine Baumgarthuber, author of Fermented Foods: The History and Science of a Microbiological Wonder and host of The Austerity Kitchen culinary history blog

"Microbes matter! Ken Albala, culinary historian and fearless hands-on cook, unleashes the bubble and fizz in the definitive guide to all things fermented. Brilliant!"—Elisabeth Luard, author of European Peasant Cookery

"A comprehensive overview of fermentation practices across the globe. Gathering a tremendous amount of information in a single volume, it acknowledges the importance of fermentation to both human health and cultural practice."—Darra Goldstein, author of Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore

"Ken Albala uses his culinary expertise to take readers on a global tour of fermentation, and the result is an accessible, fun, and in-depth book that's impossible to put down. Whether you're new to the subject, a seasoned fermenter, or someone looking to learn about a certain food or a specific place, you will find treasures that surprise and delight. This book will deepen everyone's relationship with the magic of microbes."—Dr. Julia Skinner, author of Our Fermented Lives and Essential Food Preserving

"This book is vast in its scope, a very impressive compilation. I learned about foods I had never heard of in decades of fermentation explorations. Fermentation is practiced in so many distinctive permutations that no work could possibly be comprehensive. However, this book surveys global fermentation traditions more broadly than any other reference I have encountered."—Sandor Ellix Katz, fermentation revivalist and author of The Art of Fermentation