The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved

Sandor Ellix Katz could be called a god, a guru, and a great teacher, but he's so modest he'd never admit to anything other than being a fermentation fetishist. What Sandor wants you to know, though, is that fermentation is at the heart of human consumption. Consider the simple observation that many common and delicious foods and drinks are probably fermented, including the "ordinary" such as bread, cheese, wine, and beer; the more exciting such as cider, chocolate, coffee, tea, and pickles; the ethnically wonderful such as sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and soy sauce; and the "healthy" such as yogurt, kefir, and kombucha. In interviews and on his wonderful website, Wild Fermentation, Sandorkraut (as his friends call him) answers the burning question, "What's so wild about fermentation?":

"Specifically in regards to fermentation, one of the themes I have encountered everywhere I've gone is that there exists a huge cultural fear around any aging of food outside of refrigeration. We are culturally indoctrinated to believe that we cannot eat safely without energy-intensive food cooling systems, and furthermore that aging food outside of refrigeration requires technical expertise and controlled conditions. Fermentation actually consists of ancient rituals that generalists have been performing forever and that create food safety. Wild fermentation is a way of incorporating the wild into your body, becoming one with the natural world. Wild foods, microbial cultures included, possess a great, unmediated life force, which can help us adapt to shifting conditions and lower our susceptibility to disease. These microorganisms are everywhere, and the techniques for fermenting with them are simple and flexible. Wild fermentation involves creating conditions in which naturally occurring organisms thrive and proliferate. Fermentation can be low-tech. These are ancient rituals that humans have been performing for many generations. They are a powerful connection to the magic of the natural world, and to our ancestors, whose clever observations enable us to enjoy the benefits of these transformations. By eating a variety of live fermented foods, you promote diversity among microbial cultures in your body. Biodiversity, increasingly recognized as critical to the survival of larger-scale ecosystems, is just as important at the micro level. Call it microbiodiversity." While Sandor is engaged in activism for better food and better health, he's also fond of promoting others who challenge the existing food system. The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved (a play on Gil Scott Heron's 1970s anthem and poem) chronicles the experiences of grassroots activists who challenge the way we think about food. In it, he profiles seed savers, Slow Food conviviums, community-supported farmers, raw milk producers, land rights advocates, and foragers who all contribute to alternatives to corporate control over our health. Sandor Katz does not use the word "revolution" lightly -- he believes these people and their seemingly simple acts of food production off the corporate grid are the basis for a real challenge to food politics as usual. And of course, he's right.

These books are a must-read for any green advocate. While you may not be ready to start your own fermentation experimentation, his approach makes it seem possible and you'll be inspired by the stories of people who are making it happen one day at a time. Getting closer to thinking it'd be fun to share your own kimchi with friends? Sandorkraut holds workshops across the United States during the year. Check his website for a schedule of events.

The New Look of Compost

In many realms of life, being eco-conscious can be achieved without a lot of hassle. We can make a big difference by buying organic or locally grown food, driving fuel-efficient vehicles, and even wearing eco-chic clothing and jewelry. Until recently, whether or not to compost would not have been considered an easy environmentally aware decision. This is changing, however, as several companies are producing new receptacles and devises that make it possible for even the most finicky of us to compost with ease.

The Basics

Compost describes the process that occurs when nitrogen and carbon rich materials, such as vegetable scraps and paper products, come together and decompose. Humus (not to be confused with the lovely chick-pea spread of a similar name) is the final product of this process and looks like dark, moist soil. It is very rich in nutrients and can be used as a fabulous fertilizer. Composting is a great way to create homemade garden fertilizer as well as to divert waste that would end up in a landfill. The Old Way Many households and even municipalities in the United States are currently composting. This typically becomes an activity akin to gardening. The nitrogen-rich food scraps are collected in the kitchen and periodically placed into an outdoor bin. In this bin, the scraps are mixed with carbon rich materials such as dried leaves or paper products. Eventually, the contents of this compost bin will completely decompose leaving the valuable humus. The unfortunate part of this process is that you are essentially creating a bin of decomposing or rotting waste that you must monitor and add to. It can take up to a year for the compost to be ready, and when it is, you must “harvest” the final product by essentially digging through the bin to sort out pieces which did not decompose and then collecting the humus to be used in your garden. This procedure involves buckets, shovels, and a willingness to get dirty at the very least. The New Way While digging around in outdoor compost bins might sound like a lot of fun to some, for those of us who are looking for a cleaner way or who may not have the time or outdoor space to dedicate to a compost bin, there are some alternatives. First, when it comes to collecting food scraps, there are many products now that make this an attractive and easy thing to do on any kitchen counter. The Kitchen Compost Crock, available online, is a ceramic container which not only can be an attractive addition to any kitchen, but also comes with features such as a carbon filter to absorb odors. Once the food scraps are collected and stored in this or a similar container, there are now options for creating the final product right in your kitchen. Bokashi, which is originally a Japanese method of food scrap fermentation, combines an air-tight container with a Bokashi mix, containing many micro-organism, to produce a garden supplement in days, not months. Airtight bins and the Bokashi mix are available online and are a great way to divert your food waste quickly, easily, and without all the mess. For those of you who are ready to take the next step beyond eco-conscious purchases and recycling, compost is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint as well as create a product which is useful for your garden, as a gift to a friend, or even as a donation to a local public garden to help curb their use of chemical fertilizers. Image Credits: Spikes Sanctuary, Gardeners.com, Cleantechnica.com

Cultured Food From the Grocery Store

A while back, we featured a post about the amazing health benefits of fermented foods (also known as cultured foods). In short, fermented foods contain helpful probiotic bacteria, as well as high concentrations of protein and vitamins. There's a whole world of fun to be had experimenting with fermenting at home, but it's just as easy to get these health benefits at your grocery store. Fermented foods are as diverse in taste and nutrition as the corners of the world that they come from, but here are a few good products to get you started:


Vinegar is a commonly known fermented food, although most commercial versions don't contain live cultures. Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar is raw and organic, and contains a little of the vinegar "mother", the live culture that is responsible for vinegar fermentation. For the greatest health benefits, use it in your favorite salad dressing or another raw recipe.


Yogurt, on the other hand, frequently contains live cultures (just check the package to make sure it says so). Greek Yogurt, such as Oikos Organic, is a thick, rich variation on the more common type. It's great with fruit, and the plain flavor makes an especially good substitute for sour cream.


Kombucha, or fermented tea, is an ancient tradition in Asia and a recent health fad in the United States. In general people seem to love it or hate it, but it can be an acquired taste, so it may be worthwhile to try a few different varieties. My personal favorites are the botanical flavors of GT Kombucha, which contain the essences of herbs and edible flowers.


Vegetable Ferments include an especially wide range of products, from traditional pickles to kim-chi and sauerkraut, but again it can be difficult to find commercial versions with live cultures. The Zukay Live Foods line includes several styles of cultured salsa and relish, which sound like a great place to start a foray into the world of vegetable ferments.