Christine Baumgarthuber is creator of The Austerity Kitchen, a one-of-a-kind culinary history blog hosted by The New Inquiry, where she also serves as a contributing editor. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
How did the very foods that nourished and sustained humans for thousands of generations become increasingly feared and almost forgotten? Baumgarthuber shines a light on the nascent scientific understanding of microbiology and germ theory as it collided with the underpinnings of the early industrialization of our food system. --Kirsten K. Shockey, coauthor of Fermented Vegetables and Miso, Tempeh, Natto and Other Tasty Ferments Main streets and farmers' markets show off sourdough bakers, craft brewers, small winemakers, cheesewrights, soy sauce makers, and more. Such artisans reclaim fermented foods, which modern industry appropriated, compromised, and made mysterious. Now Baumgarthuber fascinatingly renews our acquaintance with the long list of ancient microbiological wonders achievable domestically. --Michael Symons, author of Meals Matter: A Radical Economics Through Gastronomy