Re: Is pickling the same as fermenting?

Some people use the words interchangably, so perhaps. It would depend on the exact process.

From what I understand, the fermentation recommended in Nourishing Traditions involves soaking a food in brine (or a brine/whey combination). This promotes the growth of lacto-bacteria and breaks down protein.

Pickling that involves boiling the food with vinegar added might break down the protein, but it also kills most beneficial enzymes.