Explore living-culture foods in NorCal

The latest food trend has its roots in the ancient act of fermentation, using living cultures—colonies of beneficial microorganisms—to convert raw ingredients into alcoholic drinks, cheese, yogurt, leavened breads, and pickled foods of all types. See how it’s done at the Freestone Fermentation Festival in Western Sonoma County in May. Among the activities: tasting artisanal pickles, learning the medicinal benefits of fermented foods, and voting in the People’s Kombucha Award. Keep your eyes peeled for Michael Pollan and other food luminaries.

Interested in pickling at home? Try your hand with these recipes. Or pick up a copy of The One Block Feast, Sunset’s new backyard farming book, for recipes for cheese, wine, beer, and bread.