Many cooks are intimidated by spices. All too often,
a pot of spice is bought for a recipe then pushed into
the gloomy depths of the back of a kitchen cupboard,
where it remains untouched for many years. This
should not be so, for spices are the life blood of
countless dishes. Neglecting spices does a disservice
to a cook’s culinary talents. They not only enhance
the natural flavours of a dish, but can bring new
flavours and aromas to familiar foods, exciting all our
senses. To cook without spices is like composing an
orchestral opus without a string section; cooks who
view spicing as a grind of black pepper or a spoon
of curry powder need to embrace the richness that
spices can offer.
This book is for cooks who want to experience
new flavour combinations that will both excite and
delight. Prescriptive recipes can frustrate the creative
cook, but until recently, the only way to know which
spices would blend together was by trial and error.
Personal experience, tradition, and a sprinkle of
intuition were the ingredients for making spice
mixes. Not any more, because scientific discoveries
have turned old-fashioned ideas on their head.
Spices can be blended and added to dishes that had
not previously been considered, and no-one should
be shackled by recipes from chefs, internet “gurus”,
or family tradition. This book is the culmination of
an ambitious, never-before-attempted project that
aims to serve up some easy-to-follow, science-based
principles that will hopefully transform the way you
use spices in your cooking.
It is important that ancient wisdom is not cast
aside, however. Centuries of cookery experienceare the bedrock of every country’s food heritage, and
here you will explore the traditional range of spices
used in key regions and countries around the world.
A variety of top chefs who specialize in different
regional cuisines have contributed some of their
favourite spice mixes and recipes. Rather than
starting from a blank canvas, you can use the spice
blends as a foundation upon which new creations can
be built. The recipes showcase some of these blends,
and also suggest using innovative spice combinations
to add a tantalizing twist to familiar dishes.
Whether you’re an experienced cook or a complete
beginner, I hope that you will be inspired and
empowered to unleash your culinary talents. Add a
sprinkle of flavour science or ladle in dollop-loads;
let this guide open up a world of sensational new
gastronomic delights. Never again will your spice
jars languish in the dark!Dr Stuart Farrimond
FOREWORD
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