This book by Dr. Stuart Farrimond examines the science behind spices, including their chemical compounds, flavor profiles, and culinary applications. It covers spice science, world spice traditions, and recipes.
This document is a book titled 'The Science of Spice' by Dr. Stuart Farrimond. It is intended for cooks and food enthusiasts interested in understanding the chemistry and flavor connections of spices to improve their cooking.
The first chapter, 'Spice Science,' defines what a spice is, explaining that spices come from various plant parts like seeds, fruits, roots, stems, flowers, or bark, and are dried for potency. It discusses volatile compounds and essential oils that create flavors.
The chapter details different spice sources: bark (cinnamon, cassia), fruits (allspice, sumac, vanilla, chilis, black pepper), and seeds (cumin, cardamom, mustard, fenugreek, nutmeg, star anise). It explains how each part's chemical compounds contribute to flavor and aroma.
The book includes a table of contents showing sections on spice science, a periodic table of spices, creating spice pairings and blends, understanding spice flavor, world spice regions (Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, East Asia, South Korea, Japan, France), spice profiles (sweet warming phenols, warming terpenes, fragrant terpenes, earthy terpenes, penetrating terpenes), and recipes.
Recipes listed include Chinese Steamed Salmon with Chilli and Star Anise, Black Lime Harissa, Asian Larb Salad with Curried Duck and Khao Kua, Date and Tamarind Granita with Caramelized Pineapple, and Black Sesame, Liquorice, and Cardamom Ice Cream. The book concludes with a table of spices and their flavor compounds, an index, and acknowledgements.