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

Jane Lawson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2008

The only book on spices that any chef or aspiring cook will ever need, The Spice Bible is a fully comprehensive guide to the fascinating history and enticing culinary uses of 45 fiery foods from around the world. Each entry—from ajowan through wolfberry—includes a description of the spice’s origin and uses, guidelines on how to integrate it into your own cooking, and a trove of other helpful information. (Which are the best spices to pair with saffron? When is the right time to throw away that leftover ginger?)

Like its companion volume, The Produce Bible, this must-have book also features more than 250 recipes—for appetizers, soups, entrees, side dishes, breads, desserts, and more—that highlight each ingredient’s distinctive taste and character. Carrot soup with caraway butter, seared salmon with sesame and cucumber, and beef filet poached in Asian-spiced broth are among the delectable dishes presented here, all created with flavorful spices and easily mastered by any cook.

The book also includes tips on purchasing and storing spices, along with sections on spice mixes and pastes such as curry, zaatar, and chermoula. Filled with evocative photographs throughout, The Spice Bible is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for a pinch of personality in their cooking—or a dash of inspiration.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jane Lawson, who worked as a chef in Sydney for many years, is now a consultant to a variety of food-related businesses and publications in Australia. The author of several cookbooks, she lives in Balgowlah, a suburb of Sydney.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584796952
• ISBN-13: 978-1584796954
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #261,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not really what I was expecting... December 31, 2008

By M. Hofbauer

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A reference, not a cookbook March 19, 2011

By Fillmoe VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Unlocks the mysteries at Last! September 14, 2011

By Joseph T

Format:Paperback

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.