If there is one person I could listen to endlessly, it is Ian "Herbie" Hemphill, a truly interesting and entertaining gentleman who talks passionately and knowledgeably about the spice trade.
Herbie grew up on his parents' herb farm and, according to Rosemary Hemphill, his mother, "Herbs and spices are in his blood. He absorbed a tremendous variety of fragrances ... [as he] helped gather and dry wild roses and scented-leave geraniums for making into gifts; picked bay leaves from trees, prepared and packed them for sale; assisted his father in mixing dried herbs for different cooking needs; and blended spices for curry powders ... [etc]." Herbie's Spice Notes is a lavish and expertly-written exploration into spices. The 497 page hardcover compendium is packed with a wealth of information, including explanations on the difference between herbs and spices; buying and storing; and uses in cooking. There is an A-Z (Ajowan to Zedoary, see page 417 for an explanation!) of spices, with origins and history; and references on the art of combining spices into blends. Spice Notes by Ian Hemphill (Pan Macmillan) was first published in 2000 and is a classic addition to every food enthusiast's kitchen bookshelf. There is also Spice notes and recipes, a new edition by Ian Hemphilll, with recipes by Kate Hemphill.
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Given that his first trip to Thailand was as the result of a mistake, Michelin-star chef and restaurateur, David Thompson, has certainly never looked back. Thailand became his second home and a major factor of his repertoire. Thompson combined 20 years of experience in his book, Thai Food (Viking).
A note on the cover of Guy Mirabella’s latest offering Hungry - Food from My Heart reads “This is the food I cook for my friends, my customers and my family. It’s the food I love to cook, for the people I love to be with. Enjoy”.
Mirabella’s portfolio of cookbooks includes Mirabella Food - Eating Simply, Eating Well; A Garden of Earthly Delights; Pasta e Basta; and Eat Ate, which won the Best Designed Cookbook at the Australian Publishers’ Association Design Awards. Like those, Hungry is a masterpiece, with Mirabella’s twenty-five years of experience in book design evident on every delicious page. Followers of the acclaimed Red Lantern Vietnamese restaurant in Sydney’s Surry Hills will know and love Pauline Nguyen’s first book Secrets Of The Red Lantern: Stories and Vietnamese Recipes from the Heart - With Recipes By Luke Nguyen and Mark Jensen (Murdoch Books).
Together with The Songs of Sapa by her brother, Luke Nguyen, this tome has become a treasured and much used addition to my cookbook library. Watching Australia's Masterchef 2010, Adam Liaw, throughout the series it seemed inevitable that this humble and very talented young man would grace centre stage at the finals.
If there's one delicious coffee table book I'd recommend for every food enthusiast or produce markets aficionado it would definitely be Food Markets of the World by Nelli Sheffer and Mimi Sheraton (Harry N. Abrams). Over 204 pages, author and food critic, Mimi Sheraton, and photographer, Nelli Sheffer, lead the reader through a colourful adventure into the food markets of Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Safaran Africa and the USA.
In the introduction, Mimi Sheraton writes "Nelli Sheffer roams the world's food markets taking pictures with his camera. I roam those markets taking pictures in my mind. His glowing results and gathered here to entice all who care to look. Mine are more private, summoned into view by a sort of mental slide lantern, illuminating memories I hope will never dim." Sheraton explains that her love affair "with these opulent, lively markets" began when she was a child and her father was in the wholesale fruit and produce business at the Washington Market in lower Manhattan. With rich descriptions accompanied by Sheffer's stunning photographs, she goes on to introduce us to Xi'an in China, Christkindlmarkt in Munich, Les Halles in Paris, Moscow's Central Market, London's Covent Garden and many others. Though the book was published in 1997, copies should still be available from book stores and online sellers, such as the UK Book Depository. My favourite foodie 'picture book'. |
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