Harry V. Keefe Library, Boston Latin School: Wolfpack Reads!

Hot take on spicy food

The Science of Spice by Dr. Stuart Farrimond - 5/5 stars

Published: 2018, DK

Genre: Cookbook

Reviewer: Eduard O., Class I

People often say “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, but this book’s cover enthralled me the moment I saw it. The Science of Spice covers all the flavors, origins, and combinations of spices needed to create amazing dishes. The book also has popular food partners, spice blends, and the various ways to release the flavor in the spice. I found it really interesting to read about how some of them came to be used, for example cacao was originally used to create a thick, unsweetened drink, which eventually led to it being sweetened with cane sugar and becoming a valuable commodity. In modern day, we use the seeds of the cacao plant, and source it from Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. Additionally, the book gives aspiring chefs plenty of recipes utilizing various spices, recipes such as apple pastry rosettes, chicken and eggplant biryani, steamed salmon with chili and star anise, and spiced scallops with saffron beurre blanc. The sheer amount of information in the book made it a great read, and a good starting point for beginners who are interested in cooking. As someone who wants to be able to cook for themselves, this book was very informative on the best way to use spices and what flavors they compliment. I recommend this book for any level of cook, beginning or advanced, because there is something to learn in it for everyone; if you do choose to read this book, I hope you enjoy the visuals and esoteric information as much as I did.