14-3.‘ “xi i ()peraNorth 2004 Shakespeare Sings! Gounod - Romeo & Juliet + Britten A Midsummer N ight’s Dream In repertory August 14th-28th Evenings $17-$65 Matinees $5, $25 Louis Burkot, conductor Ron Luchsinger, director Lebanon Opera House Tickets: (603) 448-0400 www.OperaNorth.org Pastoral Counseling Jungian orientation Psychoanalysis Individuals & Couples River Road, Putney VT 802-387-5547 9 Center Court Northampton MA 413-584-2442 Janet Langdon, Mdiv, NCPsyA jliesl@sover.net PHO€NlX IZISI NC, * spirited jewelry at gifts at gallery Dreams are necessary to life. -Anais Nin th in - uls arts Fermented Foods Carry Culture and Hal ' Bv WALTER ZEICHNER ou and I, all humans, live in symbiotic rela- tionship with countless micro-organisms. They’re on the surface of our skin and they’re inside us. All food and drink that we take into our bodies has micro-organisms in it. We ingest a variety of food and drink which are intentionally ferment- ed or cultured in some way cour- tesy of friendly micro-organ- isms. Some of the more common such items arewbeer, bread, yogurt, cheese, and tempeh. Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz is an interest- ing and useful how—to manual about making fermented and cul- tured foods. Over 100 recipes are included in this 180-page book, ranging from how to make your own miso (a salty, soy- based Asian condiment and broth—base) to a number of fer- mented dairy products such as kvass and various cheeses. There are pickle recipes, and a number of wines and meads, all explained simply, and more. Part of what’s fun about this book is not just the recipes but the conversational tone and first-hand anecdotes‘ about mak- ing fermented food. The subtitle of the book, “the flavors, nutri- tion, and craft of live—culture foods,” really says it. Katz writes with a reverence for life and for food that gives life, and for the pleasure that food can bring, feeding our joy as well as our bodies. The beginning of Wild Fermentation explores, in very readable prose, the history of fermented foods from cultures around the world, and the health benefits that can be derived from .- cultured foods. Perhaps Katz’s ‘ greatest achievement is that he looks at how industrialized mega mass production of food affects nutritional quality, the environ- ment, the economy, and how human’ soc'iéti‘es that have evolved in part around food are disrupted by the food production methods of modern times, and he presents it as information, not as a diatribe or a sermon. Katz then proceeds to offer lots of recipes, something for everyone from relatively unknown (in the US) Japanese Nuka Bran Pickle to the more familiar sourdough breads. This book has enough recipes to keep a cook busy and gastronomically satiated for some time. I am going to try my hand at making Mead, honey wine, using the recipe in Wild Fermentation. I had an opportunity to speak with Sandor Katz, the author of Wild Fermentation. I found him to be personable, intelligent and articulate, with a definite sense of humor. Sandor said he was glad to have his book receive attention in the GL press. He told me that apparently someone has come up with the idea that one way to prevent transmission of HIV through breast milk is to make yogurt from the breast milk before feeding it to baby. The bacteria that turns milk to yogurt apparently kills HIV. There was a story on CNN recently about a lactobacillus that kills HIV in the mouth. Sandor cautioned that he is not proclaiming that any miracle cures will result from eating cul- tured foods. We agreed, though,‘ that cultured foods can definitely have a positive effect on one’s health. OITM: Have you come up with any interesting new fermented foods since writing the cook- book? I sandor‘K‘atz: Yes absolutely. The fun of doing food demon- strations is talking with people, hearing about their cultural tradi- tions, exotic foods, variations on familiar foods. A woman shared her grandmother ’s sauerkraut recipe version from Poland which has fried potatoes and onions layered in with the chopped cabbage before fermen- tation. The realm of cultured foods is huge, the book just scratches the surface. lt’s an infi- nite field of inquiry. OITM: What is the most weird- sounding yet delicious thing you’ve ever eaten‘? SK: Sauteed cicadas in butter and garlic. They’re crunchy on the outside, squishy on the inside. Bugs are full of protein and are eaten around the world. I’m really a food adven- turer. ' OITM: How do you integrate your political worldview with the reality of life in the US? SK: I was born in the US. I'm against nationalism. lfl lived in anotlier country I’d be suspi-