As a big fan of probiotic foods, I thoroughly appreciate the accessibility of Hayley’s book–she explains why and how probiotics (and prebiotics) are so important and then provides 10 foundation recipes that all of her recipes are built on, including yogurt, kombucha, and my personal favorite, crème fraîche. I never knew how easy it is to make your own crème fraîche!! The ensuing recipes go on to cover everything from appetizers to main dishes to desserts. I was especially intrigued by her recipes for dressing, from Tahini Kombucha Dressing to Green Goddess Dressing. (When I was a kid, I always wondered what the heck that weird green stuff was supposed to be. As it turns out, it’s green because it’s made with basil and parsley. Yum!)
A big bonus for the recipes utilizing whey as the fermenting medium is that whey is a natural byproduct of making yogurt, whether you make your own from scratch or you re-strain plain whole-milk Greek yogurt to get cream cheese. Finally! Now I know what to do with the whey I usually wind up pouring down the drain–making sweet pickle relish is a LOT more appealing than wasting a valuable ingredient. Especially when I can use that sweet pickle relish to make Confetti Herbed Potato Salad and “Everything” Hot Dog Sauce.
Thank you, Hayley, for creating such a beautiful book that demonstrates what so many folks still don’t quite get: the food that tastes the best IS the best for you! And making your own fermented foods doesn’t have to be arduous or confusing, either. Having made my own sauerkraut, I can say that about 10 minutes of effort yields great (and inexpensive) rewards. Fermenting foods is fun!
