James Read is on a mission to smuggle bacteria into our kitchens. In Of Cabbages & Kimchi, he takes the ten greatest 'living' ferments - fermented foods that are neither cooked nor pasteurized - and places them under the microscope, before cooking with them in all their delicious versatility.

From the fiery funk of kimchi to the velvet tang of kefir, James describes the microbial process, then shares his recipes for recreating these wonders in your own kitchen - no specialist equipment required. Alongside his recipes, James investigates the extraordinary cultural and historic backgrounds of fermented foods, exploring how the microbes that bring them to life have developed alongside our culinary evolution.

Featuring over fifty recipes - including Mushroom and Sauerkraut Pierogi, Chilled Radish Noodle Soup and Green Chilli Fermented Salsa - and packed to the brim with Marija Tiurina's gastro-surrealist watercolour illustrations, Of Cabbages and Kimchi will help you create, understand and appreciate fermentation's bubbling magic.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ANDRÉ SIMON AWARD 2024

‘There are already several excellent books about fermentation (The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz remains the benchmark), but Read brings a freshness to the subject, which gave me an itch to do more of it. The real test of a recipe book is not what it tells you but how it affects your life in the kitchen and, judging by the clutter of glass jars accumulating in my fridge, this one is a hit.’ BEE WILSON, The Financial Times

‘A fantastically through introductory guide to the wild wonderland of fermentation, with imagery that would make Lewis Carroll proud’ DAVID ZILBER, co-author of The Noma Guide to Fermentation

‘A fizzing global tour of the magic and mysteries of fermentation, from sauerkraut to yogurt, soy sauce to kombucha – both a fascinating read and a practical kitchen guide. Clearly I must start making my own soy sauce!’ FUCHSIA DUNLOP, author of The Food of Sichuan

‘A book that has it all, with rich stories, clear techniques, and a collection of delectable recipes – a gift to anyone who wants to dive into fermentation’ LARA LEE, author of Coconut & Sambal

‘What the world needs now is a brilliant book about bubble and burp. Really. Tune into the wit, wisdom and sheer joy of a first-time author who can really write. Everything you'll ever need to know about a weird and wonderful process that happens naturally every day, everywhere, for as long as little green apples fell off trees. And Marija Tiurina's illustrations are gorgeous - funny, too’ ELISABETH LUARD, author of European Peasant Cookery