From Booklist
More and more herbs and spices appear in American kitchens daily, encouraged by television chefs and promoted through new ethnic cuisines entering the mainstream. Jill Norman's Herbs & Spices comes at exactly the right moment to guide readers through the tangle of leaves, seeds, and berries. Norman thoughtfully organizes herbs into major classifications by their predominant bouquets. This approach immediately assists the cook looking for substitutions. Norman's tasting notes, borrowing a vocabulary identical to that used for wine, establish a standard language for characterizing each item's salient aromas and flavors. Full-color, close-up pictures aid in identification. Text outlines culinary uses and purchasing and storing data and gives information on growing one's own herbs. A short recipe section offers examples of how specific herbs and spices are used in cooking. A directory of mail-order sources further assists those who lack local access. Norman has made a vital contribution to reference collections for quick identification of species and for the use of herbs and spices in cooking. Mark Knoblauch
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Book Description
The first illustrated guide to cover the whole spectrum of herbs and spices for culinary use. Herbs & Spices is an indispensable reference that shows how to prepare fresh and dried herbs, how to use herbs and spices in cooking, and details everything that other books on the subject leave out. Containing a unique collection of recipes, from herb and spice mixes to rubs, pastes, salsas, and marinades, these authentic formulas will encourage cooks to think creatively and experiment on their own. Grouped by aroma and taste, with step-by-step preparation techniques and beautiful full-color photography, this book describes 60 herbs and the benefits of using them fresh or dried, and focuses on 60 spices from around the world, with a look at the early spice trade and how cross-cultural fusion has impacted on contemporary cooking.
About the Author
Jill Norman is the author of DK's The Complete Book of Spices and has an extensive knowledge of food and cooking styles from around the world.
Herbs and Spices: The Cook's Reference FROM THE PUBLISHER
The first illustrated guide to cover the whole spectrum of herbs and spices for culinary use.
Herbs & Spices is an indispensable reference that shows how to prepare fresh and dried herbs, how to use herbs and spices in cooking, and details everything that other books on the subject leave out. Containing a unique collection of recipes, from herb and spice mixes to rubs, pastes, salsas, and marinades, these authentic formulas will encourage cooks to think creatively and experiment on their own. Grouped by aroma and taste, with step-by-step preparation techniques and beautiful full-color photography, this book describes 60 herbs and the benefits of using them fresh or dried, and focuses on 60 spices from around the world, with a look at the early spice trade and how cross-cultural fusion has impacted on contemporary cooking.
Author Biography: Jill Norman is the author of DK's The Complete Book of Spices and has an extensive knowledge of food and cooking styles from around the world.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Food writer Norman (The Complete Book of Spices; Classic Herb Cookbook) certainly knows her herbs and spices. Opening with a brief introduction in which she explains that she uses the European definition of these ingredients rather than the American definition, in which dried herbs can be classified as spices, Norman gives each its own separate section, subdividing them by dominant aroma and flavor (e.g., citrus and tart, nutty, sweet). Ranging from one to four pages each, the entries for 60 different herbs and 60 different spices include an overview, tasting notes, the parts of the herb or spice used in cooking, buying and storage information, culinary uses, and some details on cultivation. Separate chapters on preparation, recipes for blending herbs and spices (as in sauces and pastes), recipes that draw on cuisines around the world, and purchasing sources are also included. The text is illustrated with gorgeous photography throughout. While basic information about many herbs and spices can be found in standard culinary references such as Larousse Gastronomique and The Oxford Companion to Food, Norman's volume excels at giving the practical details and clear illustrations cooks need when it comes to using these ingredients in the kitchen. Perfect for public libraries; buy copies for both reference and circulating collections.-John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
Art & Photography
Book Info
