Spice Odyssey

Reviews / Votes

As the title suggests, Merrett's book explores creative ways to use spices (and strong flavoring agents that aren't technically spices) from just about every continent. It's not a five-ingredient cookbook, like the one we featured last week. For more advanced cooks who are itching for new ideas for every kind of paprika on the market, this is a good place to start. -- Addie Broyles Austin American-Statesman, 8/29/2014 The cookbook, Spice Odyssey by Paul Merrett (Kyle Books, $24.95) offers exotic recipes from all parts of the globe... Amid the recipes for Hot & Sour Seafood Broth, Blackened Chicken, After Work Stovetop Biriyani, Mango and Almond Tart and Butternut and Tofu Laska, he talks about his travels to African spice markets and Asian spice gardens. He also presents information on storage, buying grinding and dry-frying spices, and putting together rubs and marinades. There are lots of beautiful photos in this hardcover cookbook, and you can almost smell the aromatic spices as you thumb through the pages -Nutmeg, mace, ginger, lemongrass, chiles, coriander, cloves, star anise, cumin, turmeric and others. -- Valerie Phillips Chew & Chat, 8/31/2014 Spice is a natural part of cooking-but Michelin-award winning Chef Paul Merrett is here to reassure beginners: Not all spicy food has to be mouth-burning hot. In fact, according to him, much of the finest spicing is also the most subtle. In Spice Odyssey, you'll find 100 mouth-watering recipes, including classic dishes (inspired by countries and continents around the world) and some that are home-invented by Merrett himself. For example: Homemade Labneh with Suman, Pomegranate & Basil, Spiced Chicken Skewers with Plaintain Chips, Mango & Red Pepper Jam and more. Other favorites include the Moroccan Lamb Burger with Tomato Chile Jam and Zucchini Tzatiki and the Yogurt and Black Pepper Ice Cream. Whatever dish you cook up, the take-away is clear: When it comes to spices, don't be afraid to experiment! Zester Daily, 9/7/2014 Kyle Books has put together a cookbook of many wonderful, spicy dishes from all over the world with recipes ranging from appetizers, main dishes, condiments and sides. The dishes span the globe, so you should be able to find something to whet your appetite. While the main problem is probably going to be finding the ingredients needed, the section on shopping for spices is extremely helpful in tracking down spices locally or online. The instructions are simple and easy to follow, and there's nice pictures throughout the book. You will find a wide variety of dishes to choose from to spice up your kitchen. -- Dana S. Book Bargains and Previews, September 2014 The new cookbook Spice Odyssey by Paul Merrett offers a vegetarian version of laksa that's perfect for fall butternut squash season. The recipe starts with a laksa paste of red chiles, shallots, ginger, garlic and curry powder, which can be made in advance, and is easily doubled and tripled so that you always have some on hand to make a quick supper. Merrett's laksa features bean sprouts, which can still be found in Asian markets. Because the sprouts are cooked, there's no danger of foodborne illness, but they can also be left out, though the soup will be less hearty. The broth is seasoned with fresh curry leaves, which have a very different flavor than ground curry powder, and give the dish its complexity. To boost the dish's protein, Merrett adds fried tofu cubes, which can be made at home, but are also available pre-fried at some stores. -- Grant Butler The Oregonian, 10/7/2014
 
As the title suggests, Merrett's book explores creative ways to use spices (and strong flavoring agents that aren't technically spices) from just about every continent. It's not a five-ingredient cookbook, like the one we featured last week. For more advanced cooks who are itching for new ideas for every kind of paprika on the market, this is a good place to start. -- Addie Broyles Austin American-Statesman, 8/29/2014 The cookbook, Spice Odyssey by Paul Merrett (Kyle Books, $24.95) offers exotic recipes from all parts of the globe... Amid the recipes for Hot & Sour Seafood Broth, Blackened Chicken, After Work Stovetop Biriyani, Mango and Almond Tart and Butternut and Tofu Laska, he talks about his travels to African spice markets and Asian spice gardens. He also presents information on storage, buying grinding and dry-frying spices, and putting together rubs and marinades. There are lots of beautiful photos in this hardcover cookbook, and you can almost smell the aromatic spices as you thumb through the pages -Nutmeg, mace, ginger, lemongrass, chiles, coriander, cloves, star anise, cumin, turmeric and others. -- Valerie Phillips Chew & Chat, 8/31/2014 Spice is a natural part of cooking-but Michelin-award winning Chef Paul Merrett is here to reassure beginners: Not all spicy food has to be mouth-burning hot. In fact, according to him, much of the finest spicing is also the most subtle. In Spice Odyssey, you'll find 100 mouth-watering recipes, including classic dishes (inspired by countries and continents around the world) and some that are home-invented by Merrett himself. For example: Homemade Labneh with Suman, Pomegranate & Basil, Spiced Chicken Skewers with Plaintain Chips, Mango & Red Pepper Jam and more. Other favorites include the Moroccan Lamb Burger with Tomato Chile Jam and Zucchini Tzatiki and the Yogurt and Black Pepper Ice Cream. Whatever dish you cook up, the take-away is clear: When it comes to spices, don't be afraid to experiment! Zester Daily, 9/7/2014 Kyle Books has put together a cookbook of many wonderful, spicy dishes from all over the world with recipes ranging from appetizers, main dishes, condiments and sides. The dishes span the globe, so you should be able to find something to whet your appetite. While the main problem is probably going to be finding the ingredients needed, the section on shopping for spices is extremely helpful in tracking down spices locally or online. The instructions are simple and easy to follow, and there's nice pictures throughout the book. You will find a wide variety of dishes to choose from to spice up your kitchen. -- Dana S. Book Bargains and Previews, September 2014 The new cookbook Spice Odyssey by Paul Merrett offers a vegetarian version of laksa that's perfect for fall butternut squash season. The recipe starts with a laksa paste of red chiles, shallots, ginger, garlic and curry powder, which can be made in advance, and is easily doubled and tripled so that you always have some on hand to make a quick supper. Merrett's laksa features bean sprouts, which can still be found in Asian markets. Because the sprouts are cooked, there's no danger of foodborne illness, but they can also be left out, though the soup will be less hearty. The broth is seasoned with fresh curry leaves, which have a very different flavor than ground curry powder, and give the dish its complexity. To boost the dish's protein, Merrett adds fried tofu cubes, which can be made at home, but are also available pre-fried at some stores. -- Grant Butler The Oregonian, 10/7/2014