Our Fermented Lives

My newest book, Our Fermented Lives, is now available!

Our Fermented Lives was listed as one of Smithsonian Magazine’s Top Ten Food Books of 2022 as well as Salon’s favorite books for 2022!

For more information or to purchase a copy, please visit the Storey Publishing site here.

Scroll down to see my upcoming book events, and get in touch if you’d like to see an Our Fermented Lives event near you!

About the book:

From craft beers and sourdough bread to kimchi, coffee, tea, and cheese, fermentation is a popular topic in both food and health circles. In Our Fermented Lives, food historian and fermenting expert Julia Skinner explores the fascinating roots of a wide range of fermented foods in cultures around the world, with a focus on the many intersections fermented foods have with human history and culture, from the evolution of the microbiome to food preservation techniques, distinctive flavor profiles around the globe, and the building of community.
Fans of fermentation, chefs, and anyone fascinated with the origins of various foods will enjoy this engaging popular history, which is accompanied by 42 recipes adapted from historic sources, including sauerkraut, corn beer, uji (fermented grain porridge), pickles and relishes, vinegars, ketchup, soy sauce, Tepache (fermented pineapple drink), vinegars, beet kvass, and more.

Upcoming events



Our Fermented Lives Party
with Dr. Julia Skinner


Saturday, October 22, 2022
5-8 PM
Cultured South (in Lee + White), Atlanta

Come celebrate the launch of my new book, Our Fermented Lives! This event is a love letter to Atlanta, to thank you all for your support of my work over the years. My book wouldn’t exist without you!

This free event includes:
*Kombucha mocktails with Julia’s wildcrafted goldenrod vinegar
*Snacks from Cultured South
*Books for sale from Charis Books & More
*Drink tickets to Best End Brewing
*Recipes demos from the book
*Fire cider samples from Julia’s recipe
*Q+A and book signing
*Optional donations collected for Umi Feeds & The LEE Initiative

Please stop by and bring a friend!

2022 Book Tour

Decatur Book Festival
Saturday, October 1, 2022
First Baptist Church of Decatur, Decatur, GA
https://decaturbookfestival.com/

Book Talk & Vinegar Infusion Workshop SOLD OUT
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
6 PM
Bold Fork Books, Washington, DC
https://www.boldforkbooks.com/events

Book Talk & Vinegar Infusion Workshop SOLD OUT
Saturday, October 9, 2022
12 PM
Archestratus, Brooklyn
https://archestrat.us/collections/events

Our Fermented Lives Book party!
Saturday, October 2022, 5-8 PM
Cultured South, Lee + White in SW Atlanta
(see details above)

Fermentation, Preservation, and Community Talk
Fermentation Fest ATL
November 6th (festival runs from 12-7 PM)
https://www.atlantafermentationfest.com/

Virtual Events

Instagram Live with authors Julia Skinner, Meredith Leigh, and Kirsten Shockey
November 9th, 11 AM EDT
Follow along at @rootkitchens

Our Fermented Lives Talk (virtual)
Beer Culture Summit
November 10th, 11-12 pm CDT
https://www.chicagobrewseum.org/bcs-full-schedule-of-events

Our Fermented Lives: A Conversation with Julia Skinner and Linda Conroy (virtual, free)
Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference
November 17, 6 pm CDT
Sign up here

2023 events:

Between Past and Future: Fermentation as a Living Tradition
In celebration of Skinner’s new book Our Fermented Lives, MOFAD is thrilled to welcome Dr. Julia Skinner and world-renowned fermentation revitalist Sandor Katz for a virtual conversation about fermentations influence on our past, present, and future.
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 @ 7-8 PM
Virtual Event: Zoom link will be sent with ticket confirmation email

New Orleans (Southern Food & Beverage Museum, date TBD)

Greensboro, NC (Machete restaurant and Scuppernong Books), January 2023

Boston event with Koji Alchemy author Rich Shih (details TBD)

Europe (locations and dates TBD)