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You are here: Home » Fermenting & Culturing » The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods — Available!

Everything you need to know about the healthful, probiotic, soda-like beverage Kombucha... how to make it, store it, flavor it, SCOBY care, troubleshooting, and MORE! Click here to download the “Ultimate Kombucha Guide” eBook FREE!

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods — Available!

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

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My book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods, is out today!

How I Came to Write this Book

Last summer, an acquisitions editor from Alpha Books wrote to me to see if I would be interested in writing a book on fermentation for The Complete Idiot’s Guide series. The production schedule was already set because they were already certain about getting this title written. I was interested, though it took me a week or two to figure that out!

Then I went through the process of creating a Table of Contents and writing a chapter for the editors — to see if my style and approach was a good match. Then we came to an agreement (otherwise known as a contract). And then the writing began! It was a whirlwind because I had about three months to finish the entire book.

Thankfully, this was during the summer of 2011. Lots of produce around for recipe testing. Homeschooling took a break. My children even went to California for a few weeks (which strangely, made the writing harder… ). I have to be honest and say that it was really tough to get it done. I found myself getting up early and staying up late, and not keeping up with housework. Still, by early September 2011, I submitted the entire manuscript.

The editors each took a turn with the book, including our dear friend Shannon Stonger from Nourishing Days, who stepped in as technical editor and brought her great insight and comments to the book.

Then the manuscript came back to me for a final edit. I think that was in October sometime. After that, it was out of my hands and in production. Since then, I’ve been waiting… like all of you!

In fact, though the book goes on sale today, I have yet to receive my copies. 😉 Maybe you all will see it before I do!

What’s in the Book?

  • History of fermenting
  • Traditional fermenting v. modern pickling methods
  • The nutrition of fermented foods
  • How fermentation works
  • Equipment, tools, and ingredients for fermentation
  • How to ferment virtually every food group — vegetables, fruits, condiments, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), beans, grains, dairy and cheese, meats and fish
  • Over 150 recipes!

How Does This Book Differ from my Online Class on Lacto-Fermentation?

I’ve been getting this question a lot. This book includes more recipes overall, as well as non-lacto types of fermentation. However, the online class includes video instruction and forum support. In a nutshell, the overall ideas are the same between class and book, but the format brings the biggest differences. Choose accordingly — or choose both! 🙂

Big, Big, Big Thanks!

First, I thank my God and Savior Jesus Christ who has blessed my life and gave me this opportunity.

I also want to thank all the people who helped this book come to be. Your recipes, insight, encouragement, testing… I am proud of this book, but I am even more proud and blessed to know and work with all these great people!

My family both near and far — thank you for cheering me on and giving me space to work. I dedicated this book to my parents — you all will see why when you read it!

Thank you to the great fermenters and friends who shared favorite recipes. Yumm, yumm!

  • Marillyn Beard from Just Making Noise
  • Donielle Baker from Naturally Knocked Up
  • Jerri Beddell from Homesteader Supply
  • Sylvia Britton from Christian HomeKeeper
  • Michael Bunker, author of Surviving Off Off-Grid
  • Annette Cottrell from Sustainable Eats and author of The Urban Farm Handbook
  • Amy Davis, friend and eCourse member extra-ordinaire
  • Christina Dickson from GNOWFGLINS
  • Jami Ellis from GNOWFGLINS
  • Julie Feickert from Cultures for Health
  • Liam from Umpqua, Oregon
  • Gerard Van Assche from the Umpqua Valley Brewer’s Guild
  • Erin Vander Lugt from GNOWFGLINS
  • Stanley Marianski and Adam Marianski, authors of The Art of Making Fermented Sausages

These special friends tested recipes and shared impressions: Connie Burt, Kimarie Card from The Cardamom’s Card, Buffi Frazier, Nikki Hughes from Christian Mommy Blogger, Deborah Ledet, and Elisabeth Tull. Thank you for your kind and helpful comments.

These special friends helped with editing the manuscript: Shannon Stonger from Nourishing Days, Rand Dickson, Sonya Hemmings from Hemmings Half Dozen, and Gerard Van Assche of the Umpqua Valley Brewer’s Guild. I also loved working with the editors for Alpha Books and Penguin Group — thank you to Brook, Jen, Janette, and Jan for your enthusiasm and help!

Please… if you’re listed above, do not buy the book. I’ll be sending you a copy! 🙂

 

In the News!

The local newspaper, the News-Review, published an article about me and my book last week. Click this link or click the picture below to download the PDF. It is large at 5.2mb.

If you are a blogger or website owner interested in reviewing the book, interviewing me, or otherwise promoting the book, please contact Wilks Communication via their website or at (708) 434-5006. Thank you!

Whew…

Thank you all, dear friends, for sharing my excitement about the book. If you have questions or comments, please leave a note below.

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

Posted in: Fermenting & Culturing Resources

About Wardee Harmon

Wardee lives in the Boise area of Idaho with her dear family. She's the lead teacher and founder of the Eat God's Way online cooking program as well as the author of Fermenting, Sourdough A to Z, and other traditional cooking books. Eat God's Way helps families get healthier and happier using cooking methods and ingredients from Bible Times like sourdough, culturing, and ancient grains.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michael Bunker via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 8:54 am

    Ordered mine this morning. Can’t wait to read it.

    Reply
  2. Becki Garner Wright via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 8:56 am

    reading the ebook right now, its a fabulous book, SO MUCH info!!!!

    Reply
  3. Heba Saleh via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 8:58 am

    Awesome. Can’t wait to get a copy!

    Reply
  4. Marg says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:00 am

    Woohoo! Congratulations!!

    Reply
    • Wardee says

      April 3, 2012 at 9:10 am

      Thank you, Marg!

      Reply
  5. Greta Trocki via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:02 am

    Congratulations Wardee!!

    Reply
  6. GNOWFGLINS via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:11 am

    Michael — I’m sending you a copy. Any way you can cancel that order? 😉

    Reply
  7. GNOWFGLINS via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:11 am

    Thank you, Becki, Heba and Greta! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Michael Bunker via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:13 am

    No ma’am, I want extras to give away! Congratulations!

    Reply
  9. Last Days Hippy via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:24 am

    CONGRATULATIONS!! It looks awesome!

    Reply
  10. Rebecca Singletary via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Wow! That’s great! Congratulations!

    Reply
  11. Angela Boblitt via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Can’t wait to read it!

    Reply
  12. Claudia Vasquez says

    April 3, 2012 at 10:07 am

    Ordered mine a few minutes ago… Congratulations and may you continue sharing your knowledge and hard work. Thank you! CV

    Reply
  13. Lea H says

    April 3, 2012 at 10:44 am

    SOOOOO exciting!! I can’t wait to see it!!

    Reply
  14. Adrienne Percy via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 11:13 am

    I plan to order it ASAP!

    Reply
  15. Angela says

    April 3, 2012 at 11:20 am

    Congrats!

    Reply
  16. Modern Alternative Mama via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 11:38 am

    Congratulations!

    Reply
  17. Julen Key says

    April 3, 2012 at 11:53 am

    Yay!! I can’t wait to read my copy 🙂 glad I could support you Wardee!!

    Reply
  18. Sonya Goodwin Hemmings via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    I’ve ordered the book, but I am hoping to have it signed by you in person at the WAPF conference in November. 🙂 So excited for you today!

    Reply
  19. Anne says

    April 3, 2012 at 2:23 pm

    Oh my, nice a great book. I just bought the Kindle edition and I see now that I will have to return it 🙁 I cant read the recipes. The ingredients are printed so small and even when I increase the text size they don’t get any bigger. Big bummer.

    Reply
    • Anne says

      April 3, 2012 at 2:30 pm

      Can someone that has actually seen the book tell me how big the text for the recipes is? I tried checking the free sample but it doesn’t go that far into the book.

      Reply
      • Anne says

        April 3, 2012 at 2:34 pm

        Ok, never mind, I just found out that you can zoom in on the recipe itself so now I can read it!! Thank goodness, I am so excited!

        Reply
  20. Doxie Deb says

    April 3, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Congratulations!! It’s on my wish list on Amazon, so hopefully one of these days I’ll have a little money so I can get it! I haven’t gotten into that part of your classes much yet but am hoping to get to it soon, so I can learn to do some of that with fresh produce from the garden…the book would be nice to go along with it. I’m so happy you were contacted to write the book! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Sara Webber via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    Im confused. On Amazon it says there is already 5 used copies for sale and they are more expensive than new ones. ???

    Reply
  22. penny thompson says

    April 3, 2012 at 3:18 pm

    just ordered mine. best wishes to you.

    Reply
  23. GNOWFGLINS via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    Sara- I’m confused too! Some weird Amazon merchant logic, I guess! The book is not used. 🙂

    Reply
  24. Sara Webber via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 3:57 pm

    LOLZ.. Ok then. I am going to order it anyway. Postage to OZ might be interesting. Can I find it also on bookdepository.com any time soon as they ship worldwide for free?

    Reply
  25. Sara Webber via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    wait..wait.. YES! punches the air!! your book is also on BOOKDEPOSITORY.COM with free shipping. I LOVE YOU XO

    Reply
  26. Sara Webber via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 4:02 pm

    http://www.bookdepository.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Fermenting-Foods-Wardee-Harmon/9781615641505

    Reply
  27. Kelli says

    April 3, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    Wardee! I am so happy and proud of you! I have been waiting for a book from you for years! Have fun- and take the time to remember this always!

    Reply
  28. Divine Health via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    Way to go!! Can’t wait to get a copy!

    Reply
  29. Christie says

    April 3, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    Exciting! I’ve been reading gnowglins for several years, and took the sourdough class, so I’m a big fan! I’ll be ordering your book. Congrats on your achievement.

    Reply
  30. RaisingZ says

    April 3, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    Congratulations! Can’t wait to get mine 🙂

    Reply
  31. Carol Oliver Sharp via Facebook says

    April 3, 2012 at 8:06 pm

    I got my copy today. Its beautiful. I can’t wait to try some of these receipes that I haven’t tried yet. Great job Wardee.

    Reply
  32. Dawn says

    April 4, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    Congratulations, Wardee! Thank you for this gift to the world! Can’t wait to read it!

    Reply
  33. Nikki says

    April 6, 2012 at 6:46 am

    So happy your book is finally done! I know you worked SO hard on it! I can’t wait to read it! And share about it (of course!)! P.S. I have moved so I have a new address 🙂

    Reply
  34. Lisa says

    April 7, 2012 at 6:42 am

    Congrats to you, Wardee! By the way, I’m loving the weekly email I’m now getting from gnowfglins; now I won’t miss any of your posts. 🙂

    Blessings to you this Easter weekend!

    ~Lisa

    Reply
  35. Cari says

    April 7, 2012 at 7:17 pm

    AWESOME!!! I also can’t wait to get a copy!! 🙂

    Reply
  36. Jenn says

    May 9, 2012 at 8:06 am

    Yay just got my copy today!!!!!

    Reply
  37. amy says

    January 9, 2013 at 8:31 am

    Hello Wardeh! Somehow (gee I wonder why?) I am just now seeing this post. So awesome! Thank you for the acknowledgement. I will certainly go onto Amazon & review for you! I actually ended up ordering one, and it’s a good thing – I lost my fermented cranberry relish recipe, so having your cookbook was a “life saver” last Thanksgiving! 🙂 So so so happy for you! I am amazed at your doing this, quite a task & accomplishment, friend! 🙂

    Reply

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I’m Wardee Harmon and I help Christian families who know they should eat healthy but are tired of complicated, time-consuming, weird-tasting, and unsustainable “healthy” diets…

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