I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Nemo shares the process of developing curing chambers for vegan meats and cheeses in the book “The Artisan Curing Chamber.”

The Synopsis

The Artisan Curing Chamber is the most practical volume in the series: how to build with your own hands the curing chamber that makes everything else possible.

The starting point is understanding what a curing chamber does that a fridge does not, which physical parameters matter, and at what point in your own practice you genuinely need one. Then the shopping list: the base fridge, the Inkbird ITC-308 and IHC-200 controllers, humidifier and dehumidifier, the ceramic fan, the external control box, cabling and accessories, with indicative costs and criteria for choosing well.

Assembly is described in nine phases, from preparing the fridge to drilling the rear wall, from building the control box to routing the cables, from positioning the probes to first start-up, calibration and fine tuning.

The second half is devoted to the profiles: four phases for plant-based charcuterie, from surface drying to final rest, and the cheesemaking profiles, separated into white rind and blue-veined, with humidity, temperature, piercing and the management of door openings.

One chapter explains why plant-based charcuterie and cheesemaking cannot share the same environment, what happens in practice when you try, how to organise two chambers and what distance to keep between them. Maintenance closes the book: the humidifier tank, the probes, sanitising between cycles.

THE REVIEW

This book adds a unique and compelling new entry into this cookbook series. Rather than focusing on specific recipes, this book focuses on the specs and preparation needed to make the equipment that will help generate recipes for these vegan meats and cheeses using this Koji product. The author provides in-depth detail on the equipment needed to cure these meats and other products, and does so in a succinct, matter-of-fact way that helps readers fully understand the process needed to make this a reality.

The detail the author provides is fantastic, as it lets the reader understand not only the materials needed to build these curing chambers, but also how each product makes the chamber function and what it does for the ingredients used to cure these vegan products. The book also goes into depth on why vegan meats and vegan cheeses should be cured separately and what happens if they aren’t, emphasizing how intricately detailed and vital it is to understand these products as a whole.

THE VERDICT

Compelling, thought-provoking, and engaging, Author Nemo’s “The Artisan Curing Chamber” is a must-read guide and manual for building home vegan curing chambers, and an in-depth non-fiction read for those who enjoy vegan cookbooks. The insight and knowledge readers gain from this book not only wrap up the series of books that delve into Koji, but also lay the foundation for building better vegan ingredients for vegan cooking overall. If you haven’t yet, please be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Nemo T.V. is an Italian author and culinary consultant specialising in the vegan transformation of traditional cuisine. His vision represents the intersection of Italy’s rich culinary heritage and a profound philosophy of respect for all forms of life.

At the heart of his work lies more than just flavour; it is an ethics rooted in planetary sustainability and the protection of animal welfare. Through his writing, Nemo offers a proven method for rediscovering heritage dishes through a plant-based lens, demonstrating that cooking can simultaneously be an act of love for tradition and a concrete commitment to the future of the Earth. His work invites readers to embrace a conscious lifestyle, where every ingredient is chosen for its nutritional value and its positive impact on the world around us.