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The Flavour of Spice
A book that celebrates spices, and the integral ways in which they shape what we eat.
Throughout a career spanning thirty years, well-known food critic and writer
(and little-known collector of spice-grinders of eclectic origin), Marryam H. Reshii has had a relentless love affair with spices. Such has been her passion that she has travelled across the country and to various corners of the world – crushing, grinding, frying and tasting – in a bid to understand every aspect of these magnificent ingredients.
The result is The Flavour of Spice, a zesty narrative that brings together stories about the origins of spices and how they evolved in the cuisines we know and love; colourful anecdotes gleaned from encounters with plantation owners and spice merchants; and beloved family recipes from chefs and home-cooks.
From the market yards of Guntur, India’s chilli capital, to the foothills of Sri Lanka in search of ‘true’ cinnamon, and from the hillsides of Sikkim where black cardamom thrives to the saffron markets in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran – this heady account pulsates with exciting tales of travel and discovery, and an infectious love for the ingredients that add so much punch to our cuisines.
Throughout a career spanning thirty years, well-known food critic and writer
(and little-known collector of spice-grinders of eclectic origin), Marryam H. Reshii has had a relentless love affair with spices. Such has been her passion that she has travelled across the country and to various corners of the world – crushing, grinding, frying and tasting – in a bid to understand every aspect of these magnificent ingredients.
The result is The Flavour of Spice, a zesty narrative that brings together stories about the origins of spices and how they evolved in the cuisines we know and love; colourful anecdotes gleaned from encounters with plantation owners and spice merchants; and beloved family recipes from chefs and home-cooks.
From the market yards of Guntur, India’s chilli capital, to the foothills of Sri Lanka in search of ‘true’ cinnamon, and from the hillsides of Sikkim where black cardamom thrives to the saffron markets in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran – this heady account pulsates with exciting tales of travel and discovery, and an infectious love for the ingredients that add so much punch to our cuisines.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published November 1, 2017
34 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 1, 2022
"Journeys, Recipes, Stories" - the cover says it all.
Had a wonderful time indulging in the stories of origins of each spice.
This book has a template for each spice chapter - The country of its origin, the stories behind how they navigated different parts of the world, and a few recipes from famous chefs using those spices.
Coming from a Mewari family, we have encountered all of these spices in day to day cooking. And often hunting for the best of them in the markets.
Even then, a few of them were revelations:
Kalpasi
Radhuni
Panch Phoron
It was funny to see that while each chapter discussed on the famous recipes using the spice, turmeric was one chapter where they discussed on the main course dishes *NOT* using turmeric. Reinstates the use of turmeric in Indian cooking.
India is truly diversified in its usage of spices too :)
While each region has their own specialties, my personal perception from this book is that West Bengal is the jewel crown of Indian culinary in terms of its usage and expertise.
Happy to hear your thoughts if you believe otherwise :)
Overall: Recommended for foodies.
For curious folks who want interesting trivia on the spices they consume.
Had a wonderful time indulging in the stories of origins of each spice.
This book has a template for each spice chapter - The country of its origin, the stories behind how they navigated different parts of the world, and a few recipes from famous chefs using those spices.
Coming from a Mewari family, we have encountered all of these spices in day to day cooking. And often hunting for the best of them in the markets.
Even then, a few of them were revelations:
Kalpasi
Radhuni
Panch Phoron
It was funny to see that while each chapter discussed on the famous recipes using the spice, turmeric was one chapter where they discussed on the main course dishes *NOT* using turmeric. Reinstates the use of turmeric in Indian cooking.
India is truly diversified in its usage of spices too :)
While each region has their own specialties, my personal perception from this book is that West Bengal is the jewel crown of Indian culinary in terms of its usage and expertise.
Happy to hear your thoughts if you believe otherwise :)
Overall: Recommended for foodies.
For curious folks who want interesting trivia on the spices they consume.
July 21, 2022
3.5 stars
Learnt a lot about the almost invisible taste warriors of our day to day lives.
Learnt a lot about the almost invisible taste warriors of our day to day lives.
July 17, 2022
Oh boy! What a ride!!
Wish the author included pictures of the spices - flowers, buds, plants, etc.
Wish the author included pictures of the spices - flowers, buds, plants, etc.
November 30, 2018
For a self-described foodie that I am, reading food-themed non-fiction is not my forte. Quite frankly, nonfiction, in general, is not my forte. But reading about food make reading nonfiction easier for me. So, in a bid to read more nonfiction, in the latter half of 2018, I picked up 2 non-fiction books on this subject. One is Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat ( which I still haven't finished ), and the second is The Flavour of Spice by Marryam Reshi. Hoping to add to that count gradually, every year. I cannot assure you if you will love the book, but what I am sure about is that once you are done with the book, you will not look at a grain of mustard or poppy, a piece of cinnamon, a corn of pepper or a strand saffron in the same way as before.
The term "Spices" evokes different images for each one of us. We temper with them, season with them, bake with them, we self-medicate and heal with them, we grind them, we pulverize them, we use them whole, we make potlis with them and add them to biryanis and Chhole, we use them in savories, we use them in desserts, we use them to add rich layers of flavors to a dish, we use them to make ingredients that are tough to digest easier on our gut. We use them when the skies are grey and it is drizzling. We use them when the earth is parched and cracked and there seems to be no respite from the scorching heat. The list is endless, I am sure each one of you will easily be able to add something to it. The one thing that we don't do when it comes to spices is to give them a second thought. We don't pause and wonder about its origin stories, we stop and imagine whether a fellow food lover from seven seas across has taken the same spice and used it in a novelle way. We squabble over the origin stories of Samosas and Jalebies and Rosogullas, but we don't really think of the whole Silk Route something more than a trade route. We don't consider it to be a worthy source of tales. We don't break into spiels and songs about it, in spite of spices being such an intrinsic part of our lives. So closely linked our lives are to spices that as the author mentions in the book, one of the signs of being mourning is to abjure spices. The book "The Flavour of Spice" talks about all of this and more.
The book is majorly divided into 3 main sections, section 1 titled The Big Four - featuring Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric and Coriander - a section on these 4 highly used spices, section 2 titled The Aromatics and finally section 3 titled Seed Spices. Every subsection about a single spice ends in varied recipes using that spices, from curries to spice mixes to desserts. The author has tried to cover the spice's origin story, some numbers about its current production and consumption in various parts of the world and some strange, at times completely bizarre facts about the spice in each subsection. The wonderful part is that every chapter feels like an entry in a travel journal or an anecdote from past travels instead of sounding like a number-crunching report by the spice commission. I found the book well researched and quite engaging on the whole. However, it all depends on how acute an interest you have in knowing about the spices, sometimes even detaching the culinary aspect of the spice from the equation. If curiosity about the spices is not your thing, you may not find it fun, because it is not a guide on how to use the spice and ace your cooking game, though a good knowledge of spices will help you falling for dupes and low grade produce once you are done reading this. All in all, please do not consider this to be a book about recipes, because it is not. It talks about spices and does it justice in ways other than cooking, by means of delving into tales about how the spice took the modern avatar it dorns after several centuries of trading, territorial battles, improvement in transportation technology and globalization in general.
The term "Spices" evokes different images for each one of us. We temper with them, season with them, bake with them, we self-medicate and heal with them, we grind them, we pulverize them, we use them whole, we make potlis with them and add them to biryanis and Chhole, we use them in savories, we use them in desserts, we use them to add rich layers of flavors to a dish, we use them to make ingredients that are tough to digest easier on our gut. We use them when the skies are grey and it is drizzling. We use them when the earth is parched and cracked and there seems to be no respite from the scorching heat. The list is endless, I am sure each one of you will easily be able to add something to it. The one thing that we don't do when it comes to spices is to give them a second thought. We don't pause and wonder about its origin stories, we stop and imagine whether a fellow food lover from seven seas across has taken the same spice and used it in a novelle way. We squabble over the origin stories of Samosas and Jalebies and Rosogullas, but we don't really think of the whole Silk Route something more than a trade route. We don't consider it to be a worthy source of tales. We don't break into spiels and songs about it, in spite of spices being such an intrinsic part of our lives. So closely linked our lives are to spices that as the author mentions in the book, one of the signs of being mourning is to abjure spices. The book "The Flavour of Spice" talks about all of this and more.
The book is majorly divided into 3 main sections, section 1 titled The Big Four - featuring Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric and Coriander - a section on these 4 highly used spices, section 2 titled The Aromatics and finally section 3 titled Seed Spices. Every subsection about a single spice ends in varied recipes using that spices, from curries to spice mixes to desserts. The author has tried to cover the spice's origin story, some numbers about its current production and consumption in various parts of the world and some strange, at times completely bizarre facts about the spice in each subsection. The wonderful part is that every chapter feels like an entry in a travel journal or an anecdote from past travels instead of sounding like a number-crunching report by the spice commission. I found the book well researched and quite engaging on the whole. However, it all depends on how acute an interest you have in knowing about the spices, sometimes even detaching the culinary aspect of the spice from the equation. If curiosity about the spices is not your thing, you may not find it fun, because it is not a guide on how to use the spice and ace your cooking game, though a good knowledge of spices will help you falling for dupes and low grade produce once you are done reading this. All in all, please do not consider this to be a book about recipes, because it is not. It talks about spices and does it justice in ways other than cooking, by means of delving into tales about how the spice took the modern avatar it dorns after several centuries of trading, territorial battles, improvement in transportation technology and globalization in general.
January 19, 2018
Beautifully written, well researched. I think one of the best food books of the recent times
November 21, 2019
The title and subtitle of Marryam Reshi’s The Flavour of Spice: Journeys, Recipes, Stories say it all: this is a book about spices. Seeds, fruit, flowers, leaves, even resin and lichen and other odds and ends—which make Indian food what it is.
Reshi discusses individual spices through the bulk of the book, beginning with the big four—chillies, turmeric, coriander and cumin—and then going on to others, such as aromatics (saffron and asafoetida included), and seed spices (fenugreek, sesame, et al). In each section, she talks about the history of the spice, where it is believed to have originated and how it travelled (I must confess I hadn’t realized just how much the ancient Egyptians seem to have revered spices). Interwoven with this are details of how it grows, where it grows (do you know which is the only state in India which grows black cardamom? I would never have guessed, not in my wildest dreams), how it’s processed, and—of course—how it’s used, both in the kitchen as well as in other areas, especially medicine (and that too especially Ayurveda).
If this sounds too technical, rest assured: Reshi’s signature style—chatty, occasionally self-deprecating, and always shining with her passion for food—makes this a very easy book to read. Informative, yes, but also entertaining.
I learnt a lot from The Flavour of Spice: little-known facts about the processing of spices (the bit about how asafoetida is extracted and where it comes from is just one of the many things that fascinated me here), how other countries use spices, and how different parts of India use the same spice. Each subsection on a spice ends with a bunch of recipes that showcase that spice: Indian recipes, fusion recipes, recipes from around the world.
The last few chapters are devoted to subsidiary information: spice grinders, spices in other countries, and spice mixes.
My main quibble with this book is that it hasn’t been edited as well as it should have been. Several repetitions occur in the course of the book—the anecdote about the cassia bark Reshi bought in Hong Kong, for one; information about the Banda Islands and their role in the spice trade, for another; the dhano-jeere combination… a good editor would have weeded these out. Also, there are some omissions which I wondered about: no discussions of tejpatta or amchoor or star anise? Nothing—in the long discussion of how chillies find a place in different cuisines across the world—of the Koreans and their almost-obsession with chillies? (Not to mention sesame seeds and sesame oil, without which Korean food would be incomplete).
But, see my disclaimer: that’s a quibble. This is a fascinating, delightful, and very interesting book, and a must if you’re at all interested in food—especially Indian food.
Reshi discusses individual spices through the bulk of the book, beginning with the big four—chillies, turmeric, coriander and cumin—and then going on to others, such as aromatics (saffron and asafoetida included), and seed spices (fenugreek, sesame, et al). In each section, she talks about the history of the spice, where it is believed to have originated and how it travelled (I must confess I hadn’t realized just how much the ancient Egyptians seem to have revered spices). Interwoven with this are details of how it grows, where it grows (do you know which is the only state in India which grows black cardamom? I would never have guessed, not in my wildest dreams), how it’s processed, and—of course—how it’s used, both in the kitchen as well as in other areas, especially medicine (and that too especially Ayurveda).
If this sounds too technical, rest assured: Reshi’s signature style—chatty, occasionally self-deprecating, and always shining with her passion for food—makes this a very easy book to read. Informative, yes, but also entertaining.
I learnt a lot from The Flavour of Spice: little-known facts about the processing of spices (the bit about how asafoetida is extracted and where it comes from is just one of the many things that fascinated me here), how other countries use spices, and how different parts of India use the same spice. Each subsection on a spice ends with a bunch of recipes that showcase that spice: Indian recipes, fusion recipes, recipes from around the world.
The last few chapters are devoted to subsidiary information: spice grinders, spices in other countries, and spice mixes.
My main quibble with this book is that it hasn’t been edited as well as it should have been. Several repetitions occur in the course of the book—the anecdote about the cassia bark Reshi bought in Hong Kong, for one; information about the Banda Islands and their role in the spice trade, for another; the dhano-jeere combination… a good editor would have weeded these out. Also, there are some omissions which I wondered about: no discussions of tejpatta or amchoor or star anise? Nothing—in the long discussion of how chillies find a place in different cuisines across the world—of the Koreans and their almost-obsession with chillies? (Not to mention sesame seeds and sesame oil, without which Korean food would be incomplete).
But, see my disclaimer: that’s a quibble. This is a fascinating, delightful, and very interesting book, and a must if you’re at all interested in food—especially Indian food.
March 21, 2021
Reshii takes us through a delightful tour of spices that are commonly found in an Indian kitchen. Each chapter attempts to make sense of the spice through angles of history, geography, botany and most interestingly through its myriad uses in Indian communities, 'peppered' with Reshii's fun anecdotes. At the end of each chapter are a few recommendations for recipes feat. the star spice (no, not star anise).
This read was filled with interesting tidbits. But more importantly a realization; perhaps no other aspect of life than food, and within food, the use of spices, displays India's diversity in all its glory. And because of this unusual and corny reason, I highly recommend "The Flavour of Spice".
This read was filled with interesting tidbits. But more importantly a realization; perhaps no other aspect of life than food, and within food, the use of spices, displays India's diversity in all its glory. And because of this unusual and corny reason, I highly recommend "The Flavour of Spice".
June 7, 2019
This book is an ode to spices. We are surrounded by them. They feature in our meals, in mouth fresheners, in pooja-samagri, in home-remedies. Through this book, Marryam takes us through the lifecycle of spices.
Traversing through fields, to the warehouses, to markets and spice-traders and then to cuisines across India, this book is delightful and instructive at the same time.
Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric, Coriander, Cinnamon, Saffron, Nutmeg, Mace, Pepper, Cardamom, Clove, Asafoetida, Kalpasi, Fenugreek, Mustard, Poppy.
The next time you walk into your kitchen, or you happen to cross a spice market, you'd see these spices in a new light, with a renewed sense of understanding. Read this book to be amazed at how unifying spices are, in their diversity of usage in kitchens across India, and world.
Traversing through fields, to the warehouses, to markets and spice-traders and then to cuisines across India, this book is delightful and instructive at the same time.
Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric, Coriander, Cinnamon, Saffron, Nutmeg, Mace, Pepper, Cardamom, Clove, Asafoetida, Kalpasi, Fenugreek, Mustard, Poppy.
The next time you walk into your kitchen, or you happen to cross a spice market, you'd see these spices in a new light, with a renewed sense of understanding. Read this book to be amazed at how unifying spices are, in their diversity of usage in kitchens across India, and world.
August 7, 2018
I read this book because as an American, who collects cookbooks and is a self-described foodie, I felt that my knowledge and background on spices was sorely lacking. And now having completed the book it is quite apparent how much it was lacking.
I found her approach to each spice interesting and I sincerely appreciated the recipes that catered to each discussed spice at the end of the chapters. My only wish is that she included some sketch or diagram at the beginning of each chapter illustrating the spice that would be discussed. There are so many spices I have not used or heard of, and I would have appreciated seeing what some of them looked like without having to leave the book to go Google what it looked like.
But aside from all that, I found this an easy and interesting book to read and can confidently say my view of spices is much more well rounded because of this book.
I found her approach to each spice interesting and I sincerely appreciated the recipes that catered to each discussed spice at the end of the chapters. My only wish is that she included some sketch or diagram at the beginning of each chapter illustrating the spice that would be discussed. There are so many spices I have not used or heard of, and I would have appreciated seeing what some of them looked like without having to leave the book to go Google what it looked like.
But aside from all that, I found this an easy and interesting book to read and can confidently say my view of spices is much more well rounded because of this book.
August 9, 2020
This book is full of great information, and I learned alot. However, if the intended audience is the casual foodie and not a student writing an essay, the author could have emphasized her stories and people and downplayed the rather formulaic set-up of each section. The information is wonderful and I recommend this book. Just be aware that it begins to feel repetitive if you read straight through.
March 13, 2020
The way I look at the spices has now changed because now they say a story about their existence and evolution.
May 24, 2018
my first book on the subject. Indeed a very well written and informative book. Photos could have been added for better explanation.
Some topic could have been more detailed.like differentiation between the various varieties etc...
Some topic could have been more detailed.like differentiation between the various varieties etc...
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December 14, 2018Spices are an integral part of our culture and identity as Indians and this beautiful and very informative book “The flavor of Spice” by @marryam drives that point home very successfully.
As a young immigrant in the UK (I lived there for 2 years) in 2004, the only other thing besides my clothes that I had carried with me was a suitcase full of spices. Having heard stories of how the British liked their food bland I couldn’t fathom how I would live without my pickles and masalas so I paid for extra luggage and took everything I could with me to survive. What I never realized was that there were generations of Indians before me who had made it their home and the same spices were an essential part of their lives.
Meticulous research, anecdotes and a lot of history on the origin of every spice that sits in my spice rack, this book made me look at all of those spices that I took for granted in a new light. The book is divided into 3 sections each one as informative as the other.
Section 1 lists down the prominent four spices without which all our desi meals would lose their identity. Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric, and Coriander. While I knew that there were many varieties of chilies, I had never thought of really giving Cumin any bhav (attention). Did you know that the Cumin seeds in most countries it is used in looks and has a different flavor profile? I was also ignorant of the fact that Turmeric was an entirely Indian spice. Eaten fresh, pickled and used as a powder in almost every single Indian curry it is one spice that really is Indian in origin.
Section 2 lists down all the aromatics, spices that not just add flavors but also impart a distinct smell to the food they were added to. Cinnamon, Saffron, Nutmeg, Mace, Cardamom, Cloves, Pepper, Asafoetida and Kalpasi or Dagad Phool. Each and every spice unique and vital in it's on the right. Can you imagine a life without them?
Section 3 talks about the Seed spices Fenugreek, Mustard, Poppy to name a few.
There are recipes, stories, spice grinders, and different spice mix that you didn’t even know existed. This book is indeed a celebration of Spice and why they are so crucial to us in our everyday life.
As a young immigrant in the UK (I lived there for 2 years) in 2004, the only other thing besides my clothes that I had carried with me was a suitcase full of spices. Having heard stories of how the British liked their food bland I couldn’t fathom how I would live without my pickles and masalas so I paid for extra luggage and took everything I could with me to survive. What I never realized was that there were generations of Indians before me who had made it their home and the same spices were an essential part of their lives.
Meticulous research, anecdotes and a lot of history on the origin of every spice that sits in my spice rack, this book made me look at all of those spices that I took for granted in a new light. The book is divided into 3 sections each one as informative as the other.
Section 1 lists down the prominent four spices without which all our desi meals would lose their identity. Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric, and Coriander. While I knew that there were many varieties of chilies, I had never thought of really giving Cumin any bhav (attention). Did you know that the Cumin seeds in most countries it is used in looks and has a different flavor profile? I was also ignorant of the fact that Turmeric was an entirely Indian spice. Eaten fresh, pickled and used as a powder in almost every single Indian curry it is one spice that really is Indian in origin.
Section 2 lists down all the aromatics, spices that not just add flavors but also impart a distinct smell to the food they were added to. Cinnamon, Saffron, Nutmeg, Mace, Cardamom, Cloves, Pepper, Asafoetida and Kalpasi or Dagad Phool. Each and every spice unique and vital in it's on the right. Can you imagine a life without them?
Section 3 talks about the Seed spices Fenugreek, Mustard, Poppy to name a few.
There are recipes, stories, spice grinders, and different spice mix that you didn’t even know existed. This book is indeed a celebration of Spice and why they are so crucial to us in our everyday life.
January 7, 2021
The Flavour of Spice : Journeys, Recipes, Stories - Marryam H. Reshii
History of spices makes this book interesting. There are a lot of spices in this nonfiction piece. The term 'Spices' evokes different images in one's mind. I am calling this nonfiction has a "Ode to Spices."
The medicinal value behind each spices are weaved beautifully. From the seed to final product of each spice is well explained. The process of Cumin gave me a shock, Ghost chilli and it's strength threw me in horror, corrinder seeds and corrinder leaf cultivation timings opened a new window to weather conditions in each places. These little..little things about each spices adds value to the narration and it's style.
At the end, the writer has tried to talk about the grinders to grinde these spices and spices used in abroad. The writing looks in colourful anecdotes with various reference. If cooking is your favourite area, just grab and read.
History of spices makes this book interesting. There are a lot of spices in this nonfiction piece. The term 'Spices' evokes different images in one's mind. I am calling this nonfiction has a "Ode to Spices."
The medicinal value behind each spices are weaved beautifully. From the seed to final product of each spice is well explained. The process of Cumin gave me a shock, Ghost chilli and it's strength threw me in horror, corrinder seeds and corrinder leaf cultivation timings opened a new window to weather conditions in each places. These little..little things about each spices adds value to the narration and it's style.
At the end, the writer has tried to talk about the grinders to grinde these spices and spices used in abroad. The writing looks in colourful anecdotes with various reference. If cooking is your favourite area, just grab and read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2019
A very interesting book from which I learnt a lot about a tantalizing subject. The humourous, conversational style makes it a fun read as well.
My only caveat is that while the author knew certain cuisines well, she made certain statements like, for e.g., turmeric is never fried in oil, which are simply not true. Turmeric is part of fried spices in my home cuisine (Maharashtrian vegetarian) and in South India as well. That said, Indian regional cuisines are many, and it is not possible to know everything. The author has managed to cover a lot of ground.
She was also working in a context where information about spices was surprisingly lacking (I think because for Indians spice are akin to the air they breath) This was revealed, for e.g., when she wanted to get a chemical analysis of a spice but all the labs were ready to do were an adulteration test!
My only caveat is that while the author knew certain cuisines well, she made certain statements like, for e.g., turmeric is never fried in oil, which are simply not true. Turmeric is part of fried spices in my home cuisine (Maharashtrian vegetarian) and in South India as well. That said, Indian regional cuisines are many, and it is not possible to know everything. The author has managed to cover a lot of ground.
She was also working in a context where information about spices was surprisingly lacking (I think because for Indians spice are akin to the air they breath) This was revealed, for e.g., when she wanted to get a chemical analysis of a spice but all the labs were ready to do were an adulteration test!
July 27, 2020
Eye Opener. I really enjoyed reading this combination of Spice + History + Stories + Recipe. We had "Anjara petti" in every kitchen and used the spices for anything and everything. I believed that most of the spices are our own before reading this book because of the inextricable nature of spice usage in our dishes.
I really appreciate the effort taken by Marryam in writing this book. Now i know what details to look for while trying a different cuisine and stories to look for while traveling.
I really appreciate the effort taken by Marryam in writing this book. Now i know what details to look for while trying a different cuisine and stories to look for while traveling.
December 20, 2020
This book has changed the way I cook
Having been a reasonably good Indian home cook, spices have been essential part of most dishes. However, knowing about where the spices came from, where they are grown and the sheer variety of itheiir use now has inspired me to pay attention to how I use spices.
The provenance of the spices and history carries through every chapter and makes the reading so much enjoyable.
The recipes are simple and clearly focus on specific spices. I will surely try a lot of them from this book and look for the specific notes of spice coming through.
Having been a reasonably good Indian home cook, spices have been essential part of most dishes. However, knowing about where the spices came from, where they are grown and the sheer variety of itheiir use now has inspired me to pay attention to how I use spices.
The provenance of the spices and history carries through every chapter and makes the reading so much enjoyable.
The recipes are simple and clearly focus on specific spices. I will surely try a lot of them from this book and look for the specific notes of spice coming through.
June 6, 2019
Read this book and you will never be able to look at the spices in the same way as you did before. You will be able to appreciate each and every spice for its unique flavour and history. The book has helped me to be more aware of my cooking because now i understand the role and function of every spice that goes in my dish. This is a must read for anybody who likes history and is intrigued by everyday things of life.
October 11, 2019
The author has delved deep into the world of spices, that too not just from India but all over the world!!. I read it as I liked cooking and love experimenting with the food I cook, so it gave me a lot of things to experiment on.
Great source of information and recipes that can be tried out whether you are a vegetarian or non vegetarian.
Great source of information and recipes that can be tried out whether you are a vegetarian or non vegetarian.
November 21, 2021
Very well researched. But, as the topic is so wide, it's understandable how she could not include many other spices or the regional dishes that use the ones that were mentioned. Such as, she didn't mention that mustard oil is widely used in Jharkhand's cuisine as well and not just Bengali. But maybe she is not familiar with Jharkhandi cuisine, so as I said, it's understandable.
March 6, 2018
It's a good read but somehow gets lost amongst telling the story of the history of Indian spices or their ethnography. It works more as a reckoner. For those who are interested there are recipes at the end of every chapter!
March 7, 2018
Well-intentioned and enthusiastic, but not edited well. Riddled with contradiction, and lots of rambling. I struggled to finish - odd as I ordinarily have lots of patience for food-related rambles. Enjoyed the recipes included, fairly varied.
November 3, 2018
The history, science, economics and varied uses about the spices that permeate Indian cuisine, all packed in an easy to read yet comprehensive manner. And you will not miss Marryam Rishi’s obsessive love for the subject.
December 8, 2019
The book gets into details. Origins, usage, geography and people related to the major spices in use. Plethora of knowledge for those who are new to the world of spices and the reason why it is loved and celebrated in India and across the world.
June 10, 2020
Though it was pleasure to read this book it is written in authentic storytelling manner. I felt some how the proper index of refrences is missing in the end . Otherwise it is flavoured book, full of different intresting travelogues.
February 28, 2018
My Review can be read here
http://booklibraryreviews.blogspot.in...
http://booklibraryreviews.blogspot.in...
March 17, 2018
Interesting
December 27, 2019
I loved it - the book goes through the major spices used in Indian cuisine, their history, where they are grown and how, and ends each chapter with Indian recipes
February 14, 2023
3.75 stars
For a more 'educational' genre of non-fiction, this book is written in a very easy to consume, engaging style. Naturally, I was far more interested in Reshii's anecdotal experiences with the pantheon of spices, as her narrative style was great for such story telling. The diversity in India, and also the world at large, will never cease to amaze me, and it was truly fascinating to read about how spices are grown, harvested, travel the world and are used so differently (and in some cases, so similar to home) by different communities. My knowledge of spices definitely has had a boost now!
I do feel that Reshii's references are a bit dated, and because they're so few, I'm more prone to view this book as a narrative of stories & journeys, rather than a history book. I also wish there had been pictures in the book - it would have definitely enhanced the content and reading experience.
Nevertheless, I feel like the greatest gift this book gave to me was the recipes. I have bookmarked a total of 7 recipes that I'm very excited to try out, and I hope that they turn out to be as good as they sound!
"Indian food is so inextricably interwoven with spices that not only is one unthinkable without the other but the sign of being in mourning is to abjure spices."
For a more 'educational' genre of non-fiction, this book is written in a very easy to consume, engaging style. Naturally, I was far more interested in Reshii's anecdotal experiences with the pantheon of spices, as her narrative style was great for such story telling. The diversity in India, and also the world at large, will never cease to amaze me, and it was truly fascinating to read about how spices are grown, harvested, travel the world and are used so differently (and in some cases, so similar to home) by different communities. My knowledge of spices definitely has had a boost now!
I do feel that Reshii's references are a bit dated, and because they're so few, I'm more prone to view this book as a narrative of stories & journeys, rather than a history book. I also wish there had been pictures in the book - it would have definitely enhanced the content and reading experience.
Nevertheless, I feel like the greatest gift this book gave to me was the recipes. I have bookmarked a total of 7 recipes that I'm very excited to try out, and I hope that they turn out to be as good as they sound!
February 26, 2018
This book is essential for the kind of food dialogues we are having now. It's time to look at spices as more than just agents of flavour. Reshii's book makes it clear that these are agricultural products which have the nuances that we often talk about in other foods like coffee, wine, and chocolate. By looking at spices the lens of culture, agriculture, origins and history, this book gives spices the podium they deserve.
Complete review and an interview with the author on : http://www.theyellowturmeric.com/flav...
Complete review and an interview with the author on : http://www.theyellowturmeric.com/flav...
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