Qimin Yaoshu ("Essential Arts for the People's Welfare"), an agricultural treatise first published in 540 CE, details in 92 chapters how a 5th/6th century estate in North China would have been managed.  Beyond its value as a working history for agricultural practices, the Qimin Yaoshu contains numerous recipes for cooking, fermentation and other preservation practices including the first complete recipes for making Qu, or what has become more widely known today as Koji. Join Mara King in a deep dive into the Qimin Yaoshu. What does it mean for a food system to have an agricultural guide? Delving in to the recipes in the Qimin Yaoshu, what do these guides for creating fermented foods from 5th Century China teach us about building robust and low waste systems today?

From ecology to fermentation, in pop culture and in medicine - mushrooms are everywhere. Author Doug Bierend has written In Search of Mycotopia to uncover the vanguard of mycologists; growers, independent researchers, ecologists, entrepreneurs, and amateur enthusiasts exploring and advocating for fungi’s capacity to improve and heal. From decontaminating landscapes and waterways to achieving food security, he examines how humans can work with fungi to better live with nature—and with one another.

Koji Alchemy authors Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih—collectively considered to be the most practical, experienced, generous educators on the culinary power of this unique ingredient—deliver a comprehensive look at modern koji use around the world. Using it to rapidly age charcuterie, cheese, and other ferments, they take the magic of koji to the next level, revolutionizing the creation of fermented foods and flavor profiles for both professional and home cooks.

After decades of research, Robert believes that fermentation should be credited with saving the human race from starvation as well as creating some of the most craveable foods and beverages across the continents. Join author and R&D Chef Robert Danhi on a multimedia adventure across Asia to discover the origins of all fermented bean pastes, their migration across Asia and how they have become building blocks of flavor for home cooks, chefs, product developers, and food scientist globally. 

Hannah Crum, from her perspective both as President of Kombucha Brewers International (KBI) and as a kombucha educator, discusses the state of the industry. She will touch on the biggest challenges and opportunities facing  producers, along with the current major initiatives at KBI.

Fermentation expert and educator Kirsten Shockey will take a deep dive into the long history of vinegar and its many varied uses,  sharing insights into vinegar-making traditions around the world.