Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs

<p><strong>From the Emmy-nominated host of the award-winning <em>Top Chef</em> an A-to-Z compendium of spices herbs salts peppers and blends with beautiful photography and a wealth of explanation history and cooking advice.</strong></p><p><strong>A beautiful book by Padma Lakshmi featuring an extensive catalogue and helpful recommendations on how best to use these ingredients to create full-flavored dishes. A great resource for any chef or home cook. -- Eric Ripert</strong></p><p>Award-winning cookbook author and television host Padma Lakshmi inspired by her life of traveling across the globe brings together the world's spices and herbs in a vibrant comprehensive alphabetical guide. This definitive culinary reference book is illustrated with rich color photographs that capture the essence of a diverse range of spices and their authentic flavors. <em>The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs</em> includes complete descriptions histories and cooking suggestions for ingredients from basic herbs to the most exotic seeds and chilies as well as information on toasting spices making teas and infusing various oils and vinegars. And no other market epitomizes Padma's love for spices and global cuisine than where she spent her childhood--lingering in the aisles of the iconic gourmet food store Kalustyan's in New York City.</p><p>Perfect for the holiday season and essential to any well-stocked kitchen or cooking enthusiast <em>The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs</em> is an invaluable resource as well as a stunning and adventurous tour of some of the most wondrous and majestic flavors on earth.</p>