Overview

The foodie's ultimate herbal encyclopedia Created as the ideal reference for anyone with a serious interest in cooking with herbs, spices, or related plant materials, The Herbalist in the Kitchen is truly encyclopedic in scope. It provides detailed information about the uses, botany, toxicity, and flavor chemistry of herbs, as well as a listing for nearly every name that an ingredient is known by around the world. Richly illustrated with fifty-six images from the Missouri Botanical Garden rare book collection, The Herbalist in the Kitchen promises to enlighten cooks of all levels, from beginning culinary artists to seasoned professional chefs . Even including herbs and spices not yet seen in the United States (but likely to be featured in recipes for adventurous cooks soon), The Herbalist in the Kitchen is organized into one hundred five sections, each consisting of a single botanical family. The book provides all available information about the chemical compounds responsible for a plant's characteristic taste and scent, which allows cooks to consider new subtleties and potential alternatives. For instance, the primary flavoring ingredient of cloves is eugenol; when a cook knows that bay leaves also contain eugenol, a range of exciting substitutions becomes clear. The foodie's ultimate herbal reference book, The Herbalist in the Kitchen also provides guidance about measuring herbs, enabling readers to understand the dated measuring standards from old-fashioned cookbooks.

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9780252031625

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Reviews

Finally, a reference book that won't send you to another reference book to find what you're looking for. The Herbalist in the Kitchen is a one-stop source for herb information. It includes everything from ethnic and scientific names to growing habits and culinary usage--all in a voice that makes you actually want to read it. David Leite, publisher of the James Beard Award-winning Website Leite's Culinaria (www.leitesculinaria.com). Gary Allen's delightful book The Herbalist in the Kitchen amuses as it deftly illuminates and educates the reader. Scholars and food professionals as well as home cooks and gardening aficionados will enjoy this splendid volume. Francine Segan, food historian and author of The Philosopher's Kitchen

Author Information

Gary Allen is a food writer and adjunct professor at the State University of New York’s Empire State College. He is the author of Sausage: A Global History and The Resource Guide for Food Writers.

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