The book of miso (1976)

This landmark 1976 volume introduced Western audiences to the ancient art and nutritional brilliance of traditional Japanese soybean fermentation. Shurtleff and Aoyagi illuminate how Aspergillus oryzae enzymatic digestion neutralises complex legumes, turning dense proteins into readily absorbed amino acids and gut-soothing seasonings. Richly illustrated and culturally grounded, it remains the definitive chronicle of East Asian fungal craft.