My name is Alex Lewin.
I am an author, fermenter, software engineer and architect, health coach, real food activist, trained chef, raw milk drinker, musician, bicyclist, and motorcycle and scooter rider. I write the blog, Feed Me Like You Mean It. I think that Ball jars are the ultimate glassware. My favorite plants are nasturtium and sow thistle. My heroes include Sandor Katz, Sally Fallon, Vandana Shiva, Kurt Vonnegut, Anthony Bourdain, and Alan Turing.
I serve on the advisory board of The Fermentation Association, and am an advisor to Dr Hops Real Hard Kombucha (and president of the fan club).
I am an anarchist and nihilist, with strong animist and bleeding-heart tendencies.
My first book, Real Food Fermentation, came out in June 2012. It is a fully illustrated, step-by-step guide to creating simple fermented foods at home.
My second book, Kombucha, Kefir, and Beyond, co-authored with Raquel Guajardo, came out in September 2017. Its focus is on fermented drinks that you can make at home, as simply as possible, with a minimum of special equipment.
My engineering career has spanned Internet biggies, supercomputer companies, financial companies, consumer electronics manufacturers, food software companies, and adventure companies. I studied math as an undergraduate at Harvard, and I have since been to school to study cooking and nutrition.
I cultivate health through food and action, by helping people set health goals for themselves and meet them; advocating for real and healthy food; educating people and communities about health, wellness, food safety, and food preserving; and empowering people to retake control of their food. I do all of these things through my blog; through my work with non-profits; through other projects, including cooking demonstrations and a food sustainability book club; and through day to day interaction with people!
I have been featured for my work in various media including Harvard Magazine, Edible Boston, Stuff Magazine (Boston), and on public radio.
Andrew Weil was one of the first influences on my food consciousness. He taught me that pharmaceuticals are not generally the answer for chronic health problems. Barry Sears showed me that what we eat, and when we eat it, can have a huge influence on our energy levels. Others have shown me that the Standard American Diet is just that--SAD. For a long time, I read all the health and wellness books I could find. Many of them struck a chord, but I always felt like I was getting only a small piece of the story. Then Sandor Katz revealed to me the magic of fermentation; Sally Fallon showed me how to fit more of the puzzle pieces together; and the "Paleo movement" and an ever-increasing number of brave farmers and practitioners are leading the way towards a healthier world.
My goal is to share with anyone who's interested basic truths about how humans and animals are meant to live, hope for a long and healthy life on the earth, the legacy of Dr. Weston A. Price and of our indigenous forebears, and my love of food in general and of sustainable meat, fermented vegetables, and real dairy in particular. I believe that the key to creating sustainable and healthy food supply chains throughout the world is for each of us to demand real food, local food, and healthy food, and for us to prepare that food in a conscious manner.
