Savoring Spices and Herbs: Recipe Secrets of Flavor, Aroma, and Color [Hardcover]

Julie Sahni (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1996

Sahni's surprisingly simple yet extraordinarily delicious recipes will transform readers into kitchen alchemists. Employing eye-opening explanations of the chemical properties and sensory qualities of more than 100 herbs and spices, Sahni teaches readers how to unleash and enhance food flavor. 200+ recips. of color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In recent years, cooks in this country have enjoyed an unprecedented access to an entire world's worth of herbs and spices. A dozen years ago, for example, a Thai staple like lemon grass was practically unknown. Today, you can find it fresh in almost any good-sized grocery store in America. In her new book, Julie Sahni sets out to expand our awareness of the of the wealth of flavors that home cooks can use. Well-known for her Indian cooking, she has produced a book that will be valuable for novices and experts alike.

From Publishers Weekly

Helen of Troy had nothing on cardamom when it came to launching ships. Sahni (Mogul Microwave; Classic Indian Cooking) begins this combination reference and recipe collection with general information on the leaves, buds, stems and barks that have given so many cultures wars, trade and great pleasure over the centuries. She distinguishes between spices ("dried aromatic parts of woody plants") and herbs ("highly fragrant leaves and tender stems of plants" that never develop bark-covered trunks). Before proceeding to recipe-filled chapters organized by courses, she acquaints readers with building-block mixtures: Fragrant Spice Rub, recommended for small game birds and lamb, calls for mustard, cumin and fennel seed, peppers, cloves, rosemary and thyme; Sofrito, the base for many Spanish-Caribbean dishes, uses Annatto Oil (itself a blend of olive oil and annatto seeds), vegetables and spices. The recipes that make up the bulk of the book cover a wide range of foods and cultures (from Black Bean and Mango Salad with Herb Citrus Dressing to simple Raisin and Caraway Rolls). The recipes are clear and tempting, but experienced cooks are likely to value this more as a reference on spices and herbs than as a recipe book.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 301 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (June 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688069762
• ISBN-13: 978-0688069766
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #776,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing find, August 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Savoring Spices and Herbs: Recipe Secrets of Flavor, Aroma, and Color (Hardcover)

While Julie Sahni is very well-known for her Indian cookbooks, this one is an unsung joy. She has an incredible way of mixing different tastes together to create something wonderful. If you like to experiement with spices and ethinc flavors, this is a must-have book for your. She layers on the flavors in some of the recipes in combinations that are surprising but delicious. My favorites include Blueberry-Saffron pie, Chicken Escabeche and her salsas and sauces.

Enjoy!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tantalise your taste buds!, August 1, 2008

By 

Sharon Picone "The Savvy Chef" (Oviedo, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Savoring Spices and Herbs: Recipe Secrets of Flavor, Aroma, and Color (Hardcover)

No doubt about it, Ms. Sahni knows her spices and herbs. Starting with a familiar and everyday cooking ingredient such as allspice, her book runs the gamut to more unfamiliar or uncommon herbs and spices: ajowan, annatto, epazote and sumac to name a few.

Not only does she share the best way to use them all in cooking, but she also informs us of their country of origin and medicinal uses. The recipes included in the book highlight the aromatic characteristics of each of the herb or spice used. She even has 10 recipes for spice and herb blends: Cajun spice, jerk spice, herb citrus and BBQ spice are some examples.

A handy spice and herb reference guide and recipe book rolled into one.