Noted fermentation expert Sandor Katz of Woodbury is famous as one of the world's experts when it comes to food activism and DIY fermentation and preservation methods. His treatise on the subject, The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World, was recognized
with a James Beard award for Best Cookbook-Reference or Scholarship in 2013.
At the recent Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium in Oxford, Miss., Katz was awarded the Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition that the SFA says is "given to innovators whom all thinking eaters should know, the sort of people who have made indelible marks on our cuisine and our culture, setting regional standards and catalyzing national dialogues."
Katz was chosen for his leadership of an entire generation of food activists as he has shared techniques for natural fermentation that he believes can restore health to individuals and communities as they free themselves from the need for large corporations to contribute to their sustenance. SFA board vice-president Rob Long interviewed Katz live in front of the assembled crowd at the symposium, where they discussed "topics including identity, the heritage and practice of preservation, and the connections between activism and foodways." It's not online yet, but hopefully you can listen to the proceedings of the symposium soon after they are posted to the SFA's Soundcloud page.
In a further honor to Katz, SFA's resident documentary film maker Joe York has shot a short video on Katz titled, Ferment. It's only seven minutes long, but it's an illuminating look at the man and his mission. Open up some kombucha and a side of sauerkraut and give it a watch.
