Customer Reviews

The Spice Bible: Essential Information and More Than 250 Recipes Using Spices, Spice Mixes, and Spice Pastes

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a beautiful book, and is well made. The problem is, there isn't much info about the spices themselves. I was hoping for more of an encyclopedia. I mean, I know it had recipes -- I had read the description. But recipes is ALL that is has. The descriptions of the spices are one page, and in big type. And the recipes themselves are okay, but nothing spectacular. I can find recipes for fattoush anywhere. I was hoping for recipes for various rubs, sauces, seasoning mixes, etc. It's definitely not going to be the spice "bible" I had hoped it would.

The book is separated into chapters according to parts of plants used. A description of each spice within the group is accompanied by a picture of the spice, often in an exotic spice box. The description of each spice contains, as well as background and uses of the spice, alternate names for the spice and plants that are related. This is all very interesting material, and by itself would have made a lovely volume that would enhance any cookbook shelf.

The downfall of the spice bible is the recipes. Again, each is accompanied by a beautiful illustration. However, the inconsistencies are glaring. For example, the book contains a detailed background and description of the vast number of chilies, including their relative heats. Yet, the recipes that include chiles call for "small red chiles." Those three words could describe dozens of chiles that are available to cooks around the world. The author is not so vague about some measurements. A ham recipe calls for "15 pounds 12 ounces" of meat. A chicken recipe specifies "3 pounds 5 ounces" of chicken. Can't get much more specific than that, yet other recipes call for "small" onions, for example. Baking recipes are even more vague. Various recipes call for "heaping" cups of flour, sugar, or butter. This is where the weights of the ingredients, or even exact cup measurements would seem essential.

This is a great book. Informative background information about each spice and spice/herb blend. Very unique and interesting recipes from all parts of the world. I did not realize that so many cultures use the same spices. I highly recommend it for all cooks whether they are beginners or experts.

I live in an urban area with all sorts of Indian, Mediterranean, Vietnamese, Morroccan, Asian, Chinese, Labanese restaurants. I have always wanted to unlock the secret of the spices that are unique to these regions -- and this book is extremely useful in unlocking those mysteries and carefully explaining exactly what is in these various regional spice mixes and (more importantly) how to make them yourself. I especially appreciate that the recipes tell you specifically how long a particular spice paste or spice mix can be kept and how best to keep them fresh. If you don't have access to an international market or grocery, you may have a bit of trouble making full use of this book. One other criticism I have is the lack of specifics in some of the ingredients. For example, "Red chilies" is not helpful. All in all, I love this book -- I've tried many recipes which I found straightforward to make and delicious. I really appreciate the way it is arranged and the wide variety of recipes. This book has banished a number of "myths" I had about Indian and/or Lebanese cooking. For example, I always thought that Naan bread required a special type of oven. Not so. This book has a terrific recipe for baking Naan bread in a regular oven with a few invaluable "how to" tips. I would recommend it to all who love to cook and who love cooking with spices.

This spice book is fantastic for healthy recipes.All the recipes are organic,and ninty-nine percent natural.Spices bring out the best of your cookery,the aroma and fragrance enhance your meals. There are many interesting ethnic dishes presented,more than 250 recipes,from around the globe.Asian cooking is becoming popular thesedays,as well as Middle Eastern cuisine and Carribean dishes.One could argue that the multitude of photos ,make this cookbook more of a picture book.Yet,I feel that this visual addendum promotes the culinary creations and presents the final product well.The history of each spice is explained ,along side of the full recipe.This spice cookbook is expensive,but worth every penny.If the book can be purchased ,at a discount rate,all the better.It's definitely a good investment for your kitchen literary collection and an excellent tool for developing your spice rack.

I found this book to be very informative and great to have in the kitchen not just for the recipe ideas, but for a better understanding of certain spices and how best to use them. It is broken into several sections: Seeds and pods, berries and flowers, roots and bark, spice pastes, and spice mixes. It includes 250 recipes, a very nice number, but also descriptions of many, many spices and their qualities and similarities.

The production quality is outstanding, along with the photos. I only with the authors could have explored some of the spices a bit more indepth, but still, an outstanding book.

I've written a number of cookbooks, all with a chili pepper focus, and this will be invaluable as we embark on our future collections.

The book is a treasure for anyone who wants an education in the world of spices. There were many that I had never heard of but have purchased and I'm delighted with the results. If you buy this book you will not be disappointed.

I am very happy with the book I bought from amazon.com I had been looking for this book for quite a while and was unable to buy it from any bookstore. I was able to purchase this book from another book seller online but it was three times dearer than purchasing it from amazon.com

I purchased the book second hand and it was in pristine condition. In future I will return to this online bookshop first for any other book purchases I make. The book arrived in the specific time frame that I was notified of and I have been using ever since.

Thank you
Maree Moroney

I bought this book for my mom since she loves to cook and learn about the ingredients she uses. This book includes a detailed description of various international spices and then provides recipes that include them. It's a great cookbook for the curious cook!

Great book. Fascinating information and unique recipes that make it a must for every kitchen library. I like the layout and the interesting descriptions regarding the history of each spice. I have not seen any like it and the information alone makes it a treasure but the special recipes make it all the more a "must have." I am pleased it is on my shelf among many others I can't do without.

Tieg Veinot