Author interview: Preserved
Darra Goldstein, Cortney Burns, and Richard Martin, the authors of Preserved: Fruit and Preserved: Condiments, discuss the co-writing process and the importance of fermentation.
• What makes this series so special?
Each volume takes a deep dive into a single category of foods, looking at its subject through recipes, history, and visual materials. Though each volume is narrowly focused, the books come together as a series to offer an expansive look at how food has been preserved over the centuries and around the world, showing a lively interplay between tradition and modern science. By mapping the diverse histories of global preservation techniques, the series takes readers' understanding of the art and craft of preserving to a deeper level.
• Why do food lovers need these books?
Because the books explore both microbial cultures and the diverse human cultures that harness them, they are useful both as practical guides and as food history companions. We include recipes for homemade versions of favorites like Worcestershire sauce, apple butter, and hoisin sauce but also offer techniques for making less well-known preserved foods like fruit cheese, brined watermelon, and salsa macha. The small-book format makes the series easy to dip into, with recipes designed to speak to beginners and more seasoned practitioners alike.
• You are a trio of authors with different backgrounds and experience. What would you say each of you bring to this project?
We think the books benefit from the different perspectives we’ve brought to the project: a chef’s expertise in recipe development and innovative flavor profiles, a scholar's commitment to understanding the past through history and food culture, and a journalist’s pop culture sensibilities. Our different types of expertise also mean that the recipes have been tested by three kinds of cooks to ensure that they work for everyone: a cutting-edge fermentation expert, a professional cookbook writer/avid home fermenter, and a skilled home cook without deep experience in fermentation.
• Preserved: Fruit and Preserved: Condiments are the first two books in this exciting series. What are you thinking will be next?
The next two volumes are Drinks and Vegetables. They’ll appear in October 2024. The last two books in the series will focus on grains and dairy.
