Sandor Katz is a culinary author, DIY food activist and self-described "fermentation revivalist." He has taught hundreds of food fermentation workshops around the United States and his book Wild Fermentation has been called a classic. On Taste Matters, hear what fermentation is all about as Mitchell Davis has a conversation with Sandor about the nature of the process, the growing trend of home fermentation and the war on bacteria. Find out why fermented foods are so safe and learn about the history behind the transformative action of microorganisms. From sauerkraut to sourdough pancakes, get the scoop on all things fermentable from a man who knows more than most. This program was sponsored by Route 11 Potato Chips.

"Fermentation is an art and a science. Science has given us the tools to understand what's happening as we practice the art of fermentation. The fermentation of alcoholic beverages has been practiced for at least 9,000 years. They didn't have technology back then, but they learned a lot about how to manipulate environmental conditions to get what they want." [08:00]

"For a food that's as utterly simple to make as sauerkraut, an element of fear has been introduced. The number one question I get from people is 'how can i make sure I'm getting good bacteria growing rather than bad bacteria?' " [20:00]

"Fermentation has been a strategy for safety as well as preservation." [21:00]

"You can ferment any vegetable, it doesn't have to just be cabbage. That's not to say every vegetable will ferment wonderfully!" [27:00]

--Sandor Katz on Taste Matters

On Cutting the Curd we have talked about the intersections between cheese and art on previous shows, but this week host Diane Stemple highlights three personal journeys with guests Aaron Kirtz of Forever Cheese, Beth Griffenhagen of Murray's Cheese and Adam Moskowitz of Larkin Cold Storage. Find out how each guest found cheese and ended up transitioning artistic energy into their respective cheese careers and how the two worlds are not so dissimilar. Whether you're a food professional with a creative passion or an artist with a love for food, this episode provides great insight into the fusion of expression, art and gastronomy. This program was sponsored by The International Culinary Center.

"The overarching thing for me is always being able to take risks - so i jumped into a field that i really didn't know much about but wasn't afraid of." [03:15]

-Aaron Kirtz of Forever Cheese on Cutting the Curd

"I love taking a big idea and making it small - it's my favorite way to create things and look at the world." [07:35]

--Beth Giffenhagen of Murray's Cheese on Cutting the Curd

"Once you become an artist, you're an artist. Once you understand what it means to be an artist you just are." [09:37]

"When you taste cheese it proves god is an artist because the whole flavor profile of cheese comes from biochemistry!" [26:30]

--Adam Moskowitz of Larkin Cold Storage on Cutting the Curd

On THE FOOD SEEN today, Yael Raviv, director of the Umami Food and Art Festival, is joined by the event’s curator, Ame Gilbert, and participating artist Terri Hanlon, as they ready themselves for Edible Architecture: Umami 2011 Gala Event on Monday, March 28th, a fundraiser to support future Umami projects.

“The Umami Food and Art Festival, was created in 2008 as a non-profit biennale event. It offers a meeting ground to people who use food as a medium and who present their audience with a multi-sensory experience in the dining room, or gallery space. The festival’s objective is to open avenues of collaboration between these artists and culinary professionals and expose them to new audiences from both the art and the culinary worlds. Choosing food as a common thread allows Umami to present new ways to look at art and to integrate art into daily life. Umami offers an environment for non-commercial, time-based art and encourages artists who work with non-traditional mediums and forms.”