Southern Culture on the Fizz

An Effervescent Guide to Fermented Foods and Beverages from the American South

Brett Taubman

• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9781469685410
• eBook ISBN: 9781469685427
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Culinary Arts

From beer and kombucha to hot sauce and kimchi, fermented foods and drinks are everywhere. Though it once might have felt like a fleeting trend, fermentation has a long culinary history, especially in the southern United States, where the hotter climate and agricultural tradition of the region helped foster the use of fermentation as a means of preserving foods. With Southern Culture on the Fizz, Brett Taubman offers an easy-to-use and fun fermentation guide, complete with fermentations that focus on southern ingredients. Each section provides in-depth coverage of the history of these ferments, the science behind the ferments, an overview of the current landscape of fermented products in the South, and a look to their future.

Filled with dozens of recipes, expert guidance on the process, and safety considerations, as well as the necessary equipment, this guide ensures readers have the information they need to start fermenting or take their fermentation game to the next level. This book also provides readers—novice and experienced fermenters alike—with the historical context and relevant scientific information lacking in other books and keeps them engaged from beginning to end.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Halftitle Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction. A Primer on Fermentation and Southern Culinary Culture
• Part I. Fruits and Vegetables
• Part II. Meat
• Part III. Dairy
• Part IV. Fermented Beverages and Alcohol
• Appendix. Unit Conversions
• Works Cited
• Index
• About The Author