Fermentation expert Sandor Katz takes on a journey around the globe for a look at some of the world’s greatest fermented foods. He tells us about the joys of making sauerkraut and why fermentation may hold the secret to life. Plus, cookbook author Kristina Cho guides us through classic Chinese baking at home, J. Kenji López-Alt reinvents leftover mashed potatoes, and we learn to make Japanese-style curry.

Want to spend more time with Sandor Katz? Sign up now for his livestream fermentation class with the Milk Street Cooking School on March 8.

This episode is brought to you by Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club.

Questions in this episode:

"I am a nutrition teacher. When we made brownies in class, none of the student’s tops were shiny. How do you get shiny brownies?"

"I love Milk Street’s Argentinian Chimichurri recipe and would like to send it to some friends. Can it be canned and/or safely sent through the mail?"

"I want to get my fiancé a really good quality chef’s knife. Could you recommend one?"

"I live in a high rise, which presents some challenges in the kitchen. My hood doesn’t do a great job of clearing smoke. So, how can I make great roast chicken without setting off the smoke alarm every time?"

"Two weeks ago, I baked a carrot cake, adding two new ingredients to a base recipe: grated ginger and golden raisins. When we cut into the cake, we found green spots, about a third of the size of a blueberry. What happened?"