The Book Of Spice From Anise To Zedoary

At once familiar and exotic, spices are rare things, comforting us in favorite dishes while evoking far-flung countries, Arabian souks, colonial conquests and vast fortunes. John O'Connell introduces us to spices and their unique properties, both medical and magical, alongside the fascinating histories behind both kitchen staples and esoteric luxuries. A tasty compendium of spices and a fascinating history and wide array of uses of the world’s favorite flavors—The Book of Spice: From Anise to Zedoary reveals the amazing history of spices both familiar and esoteric. John O’Connell’s erudite chapters combine history with insights into art, religion, medicine, science, and is richly seasoned with anecdotes and recipes. Discover why Cleopatra bathed in saffron and mare’s milk, why wormwood-laced absinthe caused eighteenth century drinkers to hallucinate and how cloves harvested in remote Indonesian islands found their way into a kitchen in ancient Syria. Almost every kitchen contains a bottle of cloves or a stick of cinnamon, almost every dish a pinch of something, whether chili or cumin. The Book of Spice is culinary history at its most appetizing.

"Dangerous Tastes offers a fresh perspective on these exotic substances and the roles they have played over the centuries. The author shows how each region became part of a worldwide network of trade - with local consequences ranging from disaster to triumph."--BOOK JACKET.

The new edition of the IACP-award-winning book on spice. Cooks everywhere use spices and herbs to enhance food flavors and to create new taste combinations and sensations. From bay leaves to lemongrass to vanilla beans, a well-stocked kitchen must have a wide selection of herbs and spices. This expanded and completely revised new edition is the culmination of Ian Hemphill's lifelong experience in the spice industry. It is a fascinating and authoritative guide. Hemphill describes a wide range of global herbs and spices used in modern kitchens either alone or in wonderful blends. He completely demystifies the art of combining herbs and spices and home cooks can meet and enjoy a world of flavors previously found only at internationally inspired restaurants. He provides the inside story based on his extensive experience in this ancient and stimulating industry. The third edition features 6 new spice entries (for a total of 97), 102 new recipes, 33 new curry spice blends and 17 new spice blends. There is also a new and fascinating section, Travels in the Spice Trade, that includes his personal anecdotes and travel stories. The interior pages have been completely redesigned and reorganized with full color throughout. All the entries are listed alphabetically with a detailed color photo of every herb and spice. There are also comprehensive and handy storage suggestions with details for every herb and spice. A full-circle culinary experience in the world of herbs and spices, this new edition is still the definitive reference in its field.

From the Emmy-nominated host of the award-winning Top Chef, an A-to-Z compendium of spices, herbs, salts, peppers, and blends, with beautiful photography and a wealth of explanation, history, and cooking advice. “A beautiful book by Padma Lakshmi featuring an extensive catalogue and helpful recommendations on how best to use these ingredients to create full-flavored dishes. A great resource for any chef or home cook.” -- Eric Ripert Award-winning cookbook author and television host Padma Lakshmi, inspired by her life of traveling across the globe, brings together the world’s spices and herbs in a vibrant, comprehensive alphabetical guide. This definitive culinary reference book is illustrated with rich color photographs that capture the essence of a diverse range of spices and their authentic flavors. The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs includes complete descriptions, histories, and cooking suggestions for ingredients from basic herbs to the most exotic seeds and chilies, as well as information on toasting spices, making teas, and infusing various oils and vinegars. And no other market epitomizes Padma’s love for spices and global cuisine than where she spent her childhood—lingering in the aisles of the iconic gourmet food store Kalustyan’s, in New York City. Perfect for the holiday season and essential to any well-stocked kitchen or cooking enthusiast, The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs is an invaluable resource as well as a stunning and adventurous tour of some of the most wondrous and majestic flavors on earth.

For centuries herbs and spices have been an integral part of many of the world’s great cuisines. But spices have a history of doing much more than adding life to bland foods. They have been the inspiration for, among other things, trade, exploration, and poetry. Priests employed them in worship, incantations, and rituals, and shamans used them as charms to ward off evil spirits. Nations fought over access to and monopoly of certain spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg, when they were rare commodities. Not only were many men’s fortunes made in the pursuit of spices, spices at many periods throughout history literally served as currency. In Culinary Herbs and Spices of the World, Ben-Erik van Wyk offers the first fully illustrated, scientific guide to nearly all commercial herbs and spices in existence. Van Wyk covers more than 150 species—from black pepper and blackcurrant to white mustard and white ginger—detailing the propagation, cultivation, and culinary uses of each. Introductory chapters capture the essence of culinary traditions, traditional herb and spice mixtures, preservation, presentation, and the chemistry of flavors, and individual entries include the chemical compounds and structures responsible for each spice or herb’s characteristic flavor. Many of the herbs and spices van Wyk covers are familiar fixtures in our own spice racks, but a few—especially those from Africa and China—will be introduced for the first time to American audiences. Van Wyk also offers a global view of the most famous use or signature dish for each herb or spice, satisfying the gourmand’s curiosity for more information about new dishes from little-known culinary traditions. People all over the world are becoming more sophisticated and demanding about what they eat and how it is prepared. Culinary Herbs and Spices of the World will appeal to those inquisitive foodies in addition to gardeners and botanists.

An A to Z Catalog of Innovative Spices and Flavorings Designed to be a practical tool for the many diverse professionals who develop and market foods, the Handbook of Spices, Seasonings, and Flavorings combines technical information about spices—forms, varieties, properties, applications, and quality specifications — with information about trends, spice history, and the culture behind their cuisines. The book codifies the vast technical and culinary knowledge for the many professionals who develop and market foods. While many reference books on spices include alphabetized descriptions, the similarity between this book and others ends there. More than just a list of spices, this book covers each spice’s varieties, forms, and the chemical components that typify its flavor and color. The author includes a description of spice properties, both chemical and sensory, and the culinary information that will aid in product development. She also explains how each spice is used around the world, lists the popular global spice blends that contain the spice, describes each spice’s folklore and traditional medicine usage, and provides translations of each spice’s name in global languages. New to this edition is coverage of spice labeling and a chapter on commercial seasoning formulas. Going beyond the scope of most spice books, this reference describes ingredients found among the world’s cuisines that are essential in providing flavors, textures, colors, and nutritional value to foods. It explores how these ingredients are commonly used with spices to create authentic or new flavors. The author has created a complete reference book that includes traditionally popular spices and flavorings as well as those that are emerging in the US to create authentic or fusion products. Designed to help you meet the challenges and demands of today’s dynamic marketplace, this book is a complete guide to developing and marketing successful products.

"Let food be your medicine, medicine your food."-Hippocrates, 2400 B.C.When the "Father of Medicine" uttered those famous words, spices were as important for medicine, embalming, preserving food, and masking bad odors as they were for more mundane culinary matters. Author James A. Duke predicts that spices such as capsicum, cinnamon, garlic, ginger

Spices and herbs, also called seasoning, are an important part of cooking, if not the most important. They can transform an ordinary tasting dish into an incredibly delicious dish. All spices originate from plants. Some are used entirely but some plants have specific parts that are used, like the flowers, roots, barks, leaves, stems and seeds. Making spice mixes at home is a lot cheaper than buying them in the store, especially when you buy large quantities of them. Just buy a big bag or container of each individual spice and start mixing them at home. Store them in jars and you won't have to buy any spices for years to come. And with the variety of these spice mixes you'll be able to use them for anything and make everything so much more delicious! Some spices like garlic and cinnamon don't only improve the taste of the dishes but also help in preserving due to their ability to limit bacterial growth. Lots of spices, like turmeric, ginger, garlic, cloves and many more are also very healthy, they contain antioxidants and various other nutrients depending on the spice and herb. They can possess anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties. All the recipes in this book are dry spice mixes only and have been categorized according to the region where these spice mixes originated. You'll find spice blends from all over the world, including spice mixes for desserts. So go stock up on some spices and get ready to taste an amazing array of new flavors in your home cooking.