Jeremy Umansky is a chef/owner of Larder: A Curated Delicatessen &
Bakery in Cleveland, Ohio, nominated by the James Beard Foundation
as the Best New Restaurant in America in 2019. He has
been featured in numerous publications like Bon Appetit and Saveur
and was named “The Deli Prophet” by Food & Wine in the March 2019
Makers Issue.
Rich Shih is one of the leading culinary explorers of koji and miso
in the United States and an in-demand food preservation consultant.
He is also the Exhibit Engineer for the Museum of Food and Drink
(MOFAD) based in New York City. Find out more on his blog at
OurCookQuest.com.
Sandor Ellix Katz is a fermentation revivalist. A self-taught
experimentalist who lives in rural Tennessee, his explorations in
fermentation developed out of his overlapping interests in cooking,
nutrition, and gardening. He is the author of four previous books:
Wild Fermentation, The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved, The Art
of Fermentation—which won a James Beard Foundation Award in
2013—and Fermentation as Metaphor. The hundreds of fermentation
workshops he has taught around the world have helped catalyze a
broad revival of the fermentation arts. The New York Times calls
Sandor “one of the unlikely rock stars of the American food scene.”
For more information, check out his website:
www.wildfermentation.com.
“Koji Alchemy unveils the magical mold that pushes culinary
boundaries far beyond Japanese tradition.”—Forbes
"[Koji Alchemy] offers next level fermentation fodder. . . . Part
biology textbook, part celebration of the fungus, part explanation
of flavor, and part recipe book and how-to guide for pastes,
sauces, cheeses, brewing, and aging meat."—The Boston Globe
“They say a gram of koji contains millions of spores. Shih and
Umansky equal that with insights, bringing scientific understanding
to koji’s magical powers of transformation (without spoiling any of
the magic). Koji Alchemy is an immensely informative read.”—Dan
Barber, chef/co-owner, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns;
author of The Third Plate
“I have always been intrigued by the technical and thoughtful
fermentation practices of many cultures. Reading Koji Alchemy has
opened my eyes to how simple working with koji can actually be,
while remaining incredibly innovative and exciting. This book is
not only full of information, it’s scientific, and most of all
thrilling. It’s a great reminder that we all have a lot to learn
about the art of fermentation.”—Daniel Boulud, chef and
restaurateur, Daniel
“Before this book, what Jeremy and Rich have done with food I
would’ve thought impossible. As someone who has always had a deep
love for the curing, brining, aging, and smoking of meat, I would
have never thought these time-honored processes could be sped up
without producing lesser results. Well, was I ever proven wrong. To
take an ingredient like koji, which has been available and used for
hundreds of years, and use it to speed up processes like pastrami
and still maintain its integrity is truly astonishing. In Koji
Alchemy, they show you what to me feels like magic, and guide you
through every step so you can now make dishes at home or at your
restaurants that would have previously taken not only lots of time
but also space. They have opened my mind to koji’s limitless uses
and will do the same for you. Jeremy and Rich, thank you for always
pushing culinary boundaries and reminding us all that there is
something new to learn and be inspired by every day.”—Chef Michael
Symon
“Science is a very useful resource for understanding food, and,
very importantly, it shows us how to make better food. This book
succeeds in ‘translating’ the language of science and its practical
applications to everyday users. Exploiting and harnessing the
effects that microorganisms have on food is a great tool that any
cook can add to their repertoire, and Koji Alchemy will show you
how. I hope Merriam-Webster adds the word ‘kojify’ to the
dictionary soon.”—Francisco Migoya, head chef, Modernist
Cuisine
“Koji Alchemy is the most in-depth study on the subject that I’ve
ever seen. As someone basically starting at zero, I’m inspired to
dig in and learn from the masters.”—Jeremy Fox, author of On
Vegetables
“Rich and Jeremy have dedicated years to researching and
experimenting with both traditional and utterly novel uses for
koji. With Koji Alchemy, they open their notebooks to the rest of
us, sharing their deep knowledge and infectious enthusiasm for this
remarkable mold. This book, at once comprehensive and approachable,
will prove invaluable to any curious cook looking to make more
flavorful food, reduce kitchen waste, or experiment at the frontier
of an exciting world of fermentation.”—Dan Souza, editor-in-chief,
Cook’s Illustrated
“Alchemist, chef, and master charcutier, Jeremy Umansky is the
Albert Einstein of koji. Koji Alchemy—his book with Rich Shih, a
first-rate koji explorer—is fascinating, hunger-inducing, and the
final word on the spore responsible for miso, soy sauce, sake, and
so much more.”—Steven Raichlen, host, PBS’s Project Fire and
Project Smoke
“Like a magician revealing their tricks, Koji Alchemy has lifted
the veil on the complex nature of some of the world’s most beloved
foods. The authors brilliantly demystify the ‘alchemy,’ giving the
reader a straightforward view into the world of koji’s secrets.
Never before has a book broken down the building blocks of koji and
its products so completely and in such a useful way in the
kitchen.”—Kyle Connaughton, chef and owner, SingleThread Farms
“Rich and Jeremy have done an amazing job in creating an
indispensable manual for both home cooks and pro chefs. Koji
Alchemy offers a fresh set of transformative cooking fundamentals
and a master class on fermentation.”—Rick Tramonto, executive chef
and vice president of culinary operations, Tramonto Cuisine
Group
“It’s not every day that deeply passionate, creative, and
collaborative people take on the demystification of a revered
ingredient. But herein lies just that: a truly educational,
comprehensive, and delicious exploration of one of the most
versatile molds out there. So grateful for this book.”—Cortney
Burns, chef; author of Nourish Me Home and coauthor of Bar
Tartine
“Koji Alchemy will make you want to immediately start
experimenting. The fungus behind koji—Aspergillus oryzae—is one of
the top three most important transformative organisms in food, and
this is the only book devoted to it. Shih and Umansky have put in
years of intensive learning and testing of all aspects, both
traditional and new, of this magical mold and have generously
shared their insights and given us a roadmap to follow.”—Dave
Arnold, author of Liquid Intelligence; Museum of Food and Drink
“Koji Alchemy is ideally suited to this moment in food history when
the nutritive and ecological benefits of fermentation as a means of
processing food to greater edibility have become baldly apparent.
This is a handbook explaining how the distinctive enzymatic effects
of koji, a mold domesticated in Asia in deep antiquity, produce
richer flavor (more than just umami), easier digestibility, and
more beneficial interactions with gut microbes than other cooking
agents. You learn how to grow it, apply it, and think about the
possible interactions with different grains and starches. The
authors explain how koji performs its transformations in all of the
traditional Asian categories of fermented food—the amino pastes,
alcohols, meat cures, and pickles—then venture into transformations
of eggs and dairy and western foodstuffs. More an invitation to
work with koji to blaze creative paths in cooking than orders about
how to ferment using Aspergillus oryzae, this book stresses the
wonder of this fungus’s ability to give rise to subtle fragrances,
comforting tastes, and a feeling of wholesome repleteness in
food.”—David S. Shields, Carolina Distinguished Professor,
University of South Carolina; chair, Carolina Gold Rice
Foundation
“Koji Alchemy opens up a whole new world of endless gastronomic
possibilities. Koji will be the next great wave for fermentation
enthusiasts, and these authors are its heralds. I have watched from
the sidelines with great anticipation and am now ready to dive in
myself with this book as my guide.”—Ken Albala, professor of
history, University of the Pacific
“In Koji Alchemy, Umansky and Shih have amassed and arranged koji’s
mystifying powers into an easily digestible reference for the whole
world to use! Both seasoned veterans in the field of fermentation,
they speak to enchanted newcomers and inquisitive professionals
with the certain euphoria that Aspergillus oryzae has
long-deserved. Koji Alchemy gives praise to past and present
traditions, while bringing modern concepts forward. This book, like
koji itself, will turn the confounding into commonplace, blandness
into flavorsome, emboldening your appetite for more umami.”—Michael
Harlan Turkell, author of Acid Trip
“Koji Alchemy is about discovery. It is about collaboration with
microbes and humans. It is about cultural exchange, and most
importantly, it is about making flavor. Jeremy and Rich gracefully
navigate this ancient art and its modern renaissance that breaks
from tradition, bringing us a complete look at this versatile
domesticated fungus.”—Kirsten K. Shockey, coauthor of Miso, Tempeh,
Natto and Other Tasty Ferments and Fermented Vegetables
“Koji Alchemy is part science experiment, part history book, part
love letter to the art and skill of using koji to elevate food both
humble and refined. Shih and Umansky make the world of koji
accessible to cooks at every level with this in-depth manual that
shares their immense knowledge and passion with readers.”—Lee
Wolen, chef and partner, Boka and Somerset restaurants
“Rich and Jeremy have dedicated their lives to the art of making
koji, and it shows very evidently in their work. Koji Alchemy is
one of the most comprehensive pieces of literature regarding this
amazing mold in the industry today. This book is a tool every
kitchen should be using.”—Chef Ryan Poli
“In an ever-evolving culinary world, Koji Alchemy will help define
the next generation of cooks and eventually become a timeless
resource for both those who are beginning their journey and those
looking to add and improve on an existing skill set. An ancient
technique broken down for the modern age. Old school flavor, new
school style.”—Carlo G. Lamagna, chef and owner, Magna Kusina
“When I first met and became friends with Jeremy Umansky in 2014,
he exposed me to what he had been working on with regard to koji.
It was the kind of culinary awakening that opened my eyes to what
is possible with food in order to create deliciousness, and this
has carried over into everything that I do in the kitchen to this
day. I couldn’t be more excited for the knowledge in his and Rich
Shih’s beautiful book to be widely available. Koji Alchemy will
change you.”—Kevin Sousa, chef and owner, Superior Motors
“What an extraordinary book Koji Alchemy is. I leapt headfirst into
the section on vinegar, but from there couldn’t resist discovering
all the other ways that Shih and Umansky expound on the flavour
impact of koji. It’s a book for ingredient geeks, for sure (which I
mean as a compliment), but written engagingly enough to appeal to
anyone with a serious interest in food. My culinary mind is
blown.”—Angela Clutton, author of The Vinegar Cupboard
“Koji Alchemy is a great, well-written book that draws you in from
the start, equipping readers with the knowledge needed to discover
more about this mysterious ingredient. Koji is well-documented as a
core ingredient in Japanese cooking, a starting point with plenty
more to be discovered. I love that this book demonstrates how its
use for imparting and discovering flavour can be continuously
explored in all cuisines. Koji Alchemy is the road map that sets
you on that journey.”—Yuki Gomi, Yuki’s Kitchen; author of Sushi at
Home
“Koji Alchemy dissolves the boundaries of traditional koji methods,
while still heeding the wisdom and power of cultures who have
collaborated with these microbes to develop unparalleled flavors.
Put koji on it.”—Lindsay Whiteaker, Harvest Roots Ferments
“Koji Alchemy is a vital and timely book. Not only does it go
deep into the culture of koji and how we can use it to produce
amazing misos and charcuteries, it also includes practical advice
on how to integrate this knowledge into your existing kitchen
system with an HACCP plan. Koji is about flavour through
preservation, and this book goes beyond the everyday to demonstrate
the beautiful alchemy that arises when you allow koji into your
life.”—Jp McMahon, chef and culinary director, EatGalway Restaurant
Group
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