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.
