For Salt Rising Bread, expert bakers Susan Brown and Jenny Bardwell set out to rediscover the secrets and the science behind the bread's "wild microbes," unique fermentation and memorable taste. Their search took them from the parlors of Appalachian bread-making elders to the laboratory of a renowned pathologist, the pages of rare cookbooks, bread museums and pioneer diaries. Salt Rising Bread is a richly illustrated, recipe-filled treasure of American culinary lore.