Average customer rating:
- Wasn't what I was hoping for...
- A great find
- Worth a Try
- Good Stuff
- MIxing up salsa
|
The Great Salsa Book
Mark Charles Miller , and
Mark Kiffin
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Herbs, Spices & Condiments
| Cooking by Ingredient
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
| African
| Asian
| Canadian
| Caribbean & West Indian
| European
| General
| International
| Latin American
| Mexican
| Middle Eastern
| Native American
| U.S. Regional
Similar Items:
-
The Great Chile Book
-
Salsa Lovers Cook Book: More Than 180 Sensational Salsa Recipes for Appetizers, Salads, Main Dishes and Desserts
-
The Best 50 Salsas (Best 50)
-
Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales
-
The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia: Everything You'll Ever Need To Know About Hot Peppers, With More Than 100 Recipes
ASIN: 0898155177 |
Book Description
This sparkling full-color cookbook features 100 widely varied recipes - tomato and tomatillo, chile, tropical, fruit, corn, bean, garden, ocean, exotic, and nut, seed, and herb. Includes hints on handling volatile peppers, suggested accompaniments, and, of course, a heat scale.
Customer Reviews:
Wasn't what I was hoping for..........2007-09-05
I was looking for a book that would show some really good red salsa recipes. This one has I think 2 total. The rest are not what I would call 'salsa'. But maybe that's because I'm just a hick from Missouri. If you call just about anything mixed up in a bowl 'salsa' then you might like this book, personally I didn't think it was worth the shipping cost.
A great find.......2006-10-01
If you like homemade salsa, this book may be just what you're looking for. THE GREAT SALSA BOOK by Mark Miller is all about salsa. The book includes over one hundred pages of salsa recipes. Everything from tomato salsas to chile salsas to tropical mango salsa and other fruit salsas is coverd. Corn and bean salsas, nut, seed and herb salsas, and plenty of other salsas are covered too. Miller includes color photos of all his prepared dishes as well, making this is truly a great salsa book.
Worth a Try.......2005-08-14
I have only tried 3-4 recipes to date, as I wait for my pepper crop to come in. Each recipe so far was very good, particularly the avacadoe and serrano pepper dip. I will be tweaking to my own taste, but this is a great headstart.
Good Stuff.......2005-07-28
I bought this book as a gift and they love it. It has lots of fruit, veg, and smoked salsas. They use it a lot.
MIxing up salsa.......2004-07-05
Salsa anyone? THE GREAT SALSA BOOK by Mark Miller is all about salsa. If he wanted to be cute, he could have titled his book, "Everything you wanted to know..." and not have been far off the mark. Miller's book includes over one hundred pages of salsa recipes: Tomato and Tomatillo salsas; Chile salsas; Topical salsas (Tropical mango salsa and Mango mash); Fruit salsas (Apple Pasado Salsa, Moroccan Date Salsaa0; Corn and Bean salsas; Nut, seed and herb salsas; and plenty of other exotic salsas. So you see, salsa isn't just that stuff you get at the Taco bar.
As I am trying to eat more vegetables, I find the `Grilled Vegetable Salsa' with chiles, eggplants, shiake mushrooms, zucchini squash, and asparagus, most appealing. Or, if you want something sweet as well as colorful, try is the sweet potato and pecan salsa with maple syrup and cranberries. Miller includes color photos of all his prepared dishes. This is truly a great salsa book.
Customer Reviews:
The Great Chile Book.......2006-11-10
I was delighted when I discovered this jewel on Amazon. Now this book is is my kitchen, as a bible. I must admit that I am some sort of capsaicin addict and my oppinion is not objective.
Outstanding PHOTO/REFERENCE/GUIDE Book.......2005-06-26
I'll tell you what this great little book IS.....not what it isn't.
1.....This GUIDE BOOK rates each chili with a 1-10 temperature scale. Thank you, Mark Miller!!! Why didn't someone do this a long time ago? (In a neat, concise format, that is.) Did you know that bell peppers have a rating of zero? Poblanos rate a 3.....jalapenos a 5.5.....and those smokin' habaneros top the charts with a big fat 10!
2.....This PICTURE BOOK beautifully portrays every chili, both fresh and dried, with a bright, colorful, professional photo. I've taken this book grocery shopping to help identify the type of chile I'm buying because grocers don't always give us a name.
3.....This REFERENCE BOOK is an essential guide to identifying chilis...something every cook needs. At a glance the reader sees why Peruvian peppers aren't the best choice for filling with chorizo and rice. We must know what a habanero looks like (and why it doesn't belong in the tossed salad, or in the soup, or the casserole...or almost anything else). This book identifies all the choices that won't scald your tongue...and also those that might.
4.....This INFORMATIVE BOOK offers history, guidance, personal experience and opinion. Lay this on your coffee table to educate your friends and to inspire some "hot conversation." Everyone has a good pepper story to tell........"You think jalapenos are hot? Let me tell you about the time when..."
5.....As an ADDED BONUS...some great basic/authentic recipes are included. Mango-habanero sauce (So that's where those trouble-makers go!)..... guajillo salsa..... chipotles in adobe sauce..... mole amarillo..... spicy grilled shrimp and melon salad..... pipian rojo..... a total of seventeen wonderful recipes.
Mark Miller urges the cook to focus on the flavor and not the heat...ha ha ha. Well, he's probably not kidding, since he's worked with chiles for over 30 years. Maybe I can focus on the flavor of everything below a 7 on the heat scale, and there are many of those to choose from. Because of this book, I can now discuss the merits of poblanos versus those of anaheims, and I can identify any "capsicum" in the world if that need arises. I can definitely choose with confidence from the produce section. All in all, "The Great Chile Book" offers ACCESSIBLE and VALUABLE information that every cook needs to know.
Almost everything you wanted to know...........2004-07-04
Salsa anyone? THE GREAT SALSA BOOK by Mark Miller is all about salsa. If he wanted to be cute, he could have titled his book, "Everything you wanted to know..." and not have been far off the mark. Miller's book includes over one hundred pages of salsa recipes: Tomato and Tomatillo salsas; Chile salsas; Topical salsas (Tropical mango salsa and Mango mash); Fruit salsas (Apple Pasado Salsa, Moroccan Date Salsa; Corn and Bean salsas; Nut, seed and herb salsas; and plenty of other exotic salsas. So you see, salsa isn't just that stuff you get at the Taco bar.
As I am trying to eat more vegetables, I find the `Grilled Vegetable Salsa' with chiles, eggplants, shiake mushrooms, zucchini squash, and asparagus, most appealing. Or, if you want something sweet as well as colorful, try is the sweet potato and pecan salsa with maple syrup and cranberries. Miller includes color photos of all his prepared dishes. This is truly a great salsa book.
Plenty of recipes............2004-07-04
The GREAT CHILE BOOK by Mark Miller is not nearly as great as his SALSA BOOK. Miller includes many colorful photos of chiles, but this book is no encyclopedia. Furthermore, although I found the book interesting, I also found it difficult to use. He divides the text into `fresh chiles' and `dried chiles' followed by a few pages of recipes, but rather than see the same chile shown over and over on several different pages in it's green, red, fresh and dried stages, I would have preferred to have seen various peppers in the same family clustered together so that I could learn to distinguish among them. In his brief overview he explains the origins of the chile pepper -- that it is not in the family that produces the black peppercorn (piper nigrum) but rather all chiles are descended from a South American plant that was dispersed by birds and then cultivated and spread further by humans.
Miller's recipe section, which he describes as a good cross-section of various chile dishes, includes one for Jalepeno ketchup. Now that should wake up any hot dog!! Most interesting, however, is the recipe for Mole Roja, from the Oaxaca and Puebla area of Mexico known as the `Land of the Seven Moles.' Miller explains that some moles contain no chocolate (this one does, however, as well as dried plums or cherries to enhance the flavor of the ancho and mulatto chile peppers). Mole Roja is best served with fowl such as turkey. So, try this instead of cranberry sauce next Thanksgiving!
Essential kitchen equipment.......2001-03-01
The definitive guide to identifying chile peppers, this book is conveniently divided into sections on dried and fresh peppers. Beware - this is NOT a recipe book (although a few more recipes would be nice), nor does it contain more than brief instructions on preparing and using chile peppers. However, with bright colour photographs, taste descriptions, and a clear and accurate guide to hotness from bell pepper (0) to habanero (10), this book is essential kitchen equipment for those who like their cooking fiery.
Average customer rating:
|
Great Bowls of Fire
Dave Dewitt , and
W. C. Longacre
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Soups & Stews
| Meals
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0898159016 |
Average customer rating:
- Decent book, but not what I would call an Encyclopedia
- From a gourmet cook by hobby, and former Educator
- Worth a read.....
- Book should be called the History of Peppers, With Receipes!
- Slightly exaggerated claim.....
|
The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia: Everything You'll Ever Need To Know About Hot Peppers, With More Than 100 Recipes
Dave Dewitt
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Vegetables
| Vegetables & Vegetarian
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Cooking
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Great Chile Book
-
The Spicy Food Lover's Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Buying, Growing, Storing, and Using the Key Ingredients That Give Food Spice with More Than 250 Recipes from Around the World
-
The Great Salsa Book
-
The Whole Chile Pepper Book
-
The Pepper Pantry: Habaneros (Pepper Pantry)
ASIN: 0688156118 |
Book Description
The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia has the answer to just about any question one could ask about chile peppers. Which chiles are the hottest? What country did the first chile plants come from? What popular brand of dandruff shampoo is made with chile peppers? Can chiles really be used to cure headaches? Even the most devoted "chile-heads" will be satisfied. The encyclopedia is researched and written by Dave Dewitt, the country's foremost expert on hot and spicy foods and longtime editor-in-chief of Chile Pepper magazine.
In addition to entries on chile species, culture, terminology, and agriculture, the encyclopedia includes more than one hundred fiery recipes like Madras Fried Chile Fritters from India and Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings are sure to please any hot-and-spicy food lover. Black and white drawings and photographs, charts, and graphs appear throughout, and an eight page insert includes color photographs of dozens of varieties of chiles, invaluable for identification. The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia is an indispensable sourcebook for chile aficionados, gardeners, cooks, and anyone else who has a burning interest in fiery foods.
Customer Reviews:
Decent book, but not what I would call an Encyclopedia.......2007-01-09
I purchased this book with hopes of having some detailed information and color pictures of about most of the major types of peppers out there. That is not in this book.
As a book goes, it's a fairly decent book, plenty of interesting information about peppers, recipes, information about different types, South American cultures and so on, but the photos are only black and white, and no detailed photos of peppers or plants are in the book. I think that calling it an encyclopedia was a misnomer.
From a gourmet cook by hobby, and former Educator.......2007-01-07
I returned this book to Amazon, because there were no color pictures of any of the myriad hot peppers discussed therein. There is no real way to identify a particular type of pepper with only a black and white drawing/photo.
As someone who taught school from elementary to university level, I can say that learners, especially me, would greatly benefit by viewing color photos of the various hot peppers discussed in this publication.
Worth a read............2005-09-20
This is truly an encyclopedia, giving more detail and history than most folks would ever want to know about the chili pepper. For the chili-head, though, it is must have knowledge. I enjoyed it.
Book should be called the History of Peppers, With Receipes!.......2004-10-19
This books gives a history of peppers, not a cooking encyclopedia. I think the editors realized this so they threw in receipes as an after thought. When I first opened opened up the book I anticipating to see titles of chapters on different kinds of peppers, preparation, growing, cooking techniques etc...instead i got a history of several species of peppers that frankly didnt interest me.
I guess I will have to write a true pepper cooking encyclopedia book myself.
Slightly exaggerated claim............2004-07-04
The CHILE PEPPER ENCYCLOPEDIA by Dave DeWitt, should be an encyclopedia, right? I picture an encyclopedia about peppers as a comprehensive book with many sections each illustrated with a colorful photo of the subject. That is not the case with this book, however. DeWitt's encyclopedia is yet another cookbook. He included many recipes which he has organized origin not by dish, or type of pepper.
For example, "A" is for Africa and African dishes such as "South African Hot Lamb Curry" which include American peppers and probably originated with natives from India using British lamb. "A" contains a section on `Aji' peppers (of interest to me), but I did not find the Aji pepper I grow in my garden and want to know more about (Aji Colorado). From Africa, we move onto Amazonia, which digresses into African slaves and Catholic saints.
DeWitt is obviously quite knowledgeable about peppers. I just wish his editors could help him get organized. And, pictures of Chinese peasants sorting peppers is interesting, but please add color photos of the peppers or don't call this an encyclopedia about peppers.
Amazon.com
Old Monsieur Gator is very slow. He moves "slower than saw grass grows" and "slower than a snail with sore feet." He can no longer catch any of his tasty fellow bayou creatures to eat, "And--oh ho!--them critters sure know it." The possum, skunk, and otter taunt him, wiggling and sashaying just out of his reach. Finally, Gator gets hot (red hot) and hatches a crafty plan--he will make gumbo. When he asks who will help him, Little Red Hen-style, the creatures don't say "Not I," but "I ain't," (a reply more fitting for a Louisiana bayou). But when Gator finishes his okra and crawdad soup, and asks "Who' gonna help eat it?" the chorus chimes "Me! Me!" Gator agrees to let the otter, skunk, and possum take a sip, but when they lean over the pot, slurping and slipping, "Them animals go into the pot." A harsh fate for Gator's sassy tormenters? Perhaps, but revenge is downright tasty for Monsieur Gator.
If all this bayou cooking (albeit with characters from the book as ingredients) gets your mouth a-watering, a recipe for "Maman's Spicy-Hot Gumbo" adorns the back cover of the book. Sally Anne Lambert (of Barkus, Sly and the Golden Egg captures the expressions of the tortured old gator and the taunting bullies with great skill, and her use of color and composition is no less than exquisite. A spicy-hot read-aloud, straight from the bayou. (Ages 5 and older) --Karin Snelson
Book Description
A new take on The Little Red Hen -- Cajun style
Poor Monsieur Gator is getting old and is moving so slow he can't catch himself a taste of possum or otter, or even a whiff of skunk. Day after day those animals tease and taunt him until, finally, he decides to cook up some gumbo just like Maman used to make. But who will help him boil, catch, sprinkle, and chop? Certainly not rude Mademoiselle Possum, ornery Monsieur Otter, or sassy Madame Skunk. But when the gumbo is ready, they're more than eager to enjoy the result of Gator's hard work and as they run to get a taste - "Slurp! Slip! Plop! Them animals go into the pot." "Mmm-mmm," says Monsieur Gator. "Now, this is gumbo just like Maman used to make."
Illustrated with wit and whimsy, this mischievous tale will have young readers laughing out loud.
Customer Reviews:
Nice illustrations.......2006-11-10
This french speaking gator is old and cannot catch his meals any longer. He is teased by the other "critters". He decides to trick them by offering them a taster of the gumbo he finally makes. They fall in and the gator finally gets his stew. Very similiar to the Little Red Hen story only it has a HOT twist.
The only problem is that the language is difficult for some early readers.
A cautionary tale.......2006-04-02
This Cajun-style version of the little red hen has a real twist at the end of the story. There are wonderful rhythms and repeats that invite listeners to chant along with the story. Kids who are used to "happy, clappy" endings were open-mouth when has some of the characters come to a very bad end! I love cautionary tales!
Fun book about alligators.......2006-03-02
Very nice book, very fun, great characters, nice graphics and a high learning curve and this is better than Disneyland.
A fun twist on the Little Red Hen.......2005-09-11
Both my 3 year old son and my 7 year old cousin love this book so it covers a lot of age ground. You don't have to be good at accents to read this book because the wounderful choice of words turn any readers voice into "bayou speak". I've gotten several copies to give as gifts and in all a couple of pages have blurred type (obviously not intentional) so that is my only reservation in recommending it.
The Louisiana Rendition of The Little Red Hen.......2005-02-10
Candace Fleming takes the well-known story of "The Little Red Hen" and adds a southern twist by setting it in the Louisiana bayou and replacing the characters with swamp dwelling animals. French/Louisiana influence is apparent in the characters' names along with choice of cuisine - "gumbo." The theme of working hard to earn an end result is slightly skewed in this story with a suprise ending involving the predator. While we, as teachers, were able to connect this story to a familiar favorite, we felt that young children would need some background information on Louisiana in order to enjoy the book and fully understand the characters. This book is a cute but quirky read.
Amazon.com
More than 150 spicy and healthy recipes from Southeast Asia, the West Indies, the American Southwest, Mexico, Madagascar, and other hot spots. Sonoran Enchiladas, Sri Lankan Eggplant Surprise, Hot Lemon Peel Soup with Roasted Garlic and Peppers, Bangkok Nachos, and more. Includes appendices on the healthful properties of chile peppers and growing your own chile garden.
Book Description
New Mexico Pumpkin Seed Dip, Jalapeno Pasta, Chili Con Queso Overkill--who needs meat with fiery treats like these? This collection eliminates the meat but increases the heat.
Customer Reviews:
Who needs meat for heat.......2000-04-08
In a world where healthy eating is becoming more and more important this cookbook is wonderful. If you are a fan of hot and spicy food and want to eat less meat in your diet this is the cookbook for you. The first recipe in the book is for a Rich Vegetable Stock which is used in the majority of the recipes and tastes good alone as well. The recipes don't just come from Mexico but from the Carribean, Southeast Asia, and India, for example. The vegetables and spices blend together perfectly for a spicely, tangy flavor. I have not found a bad recipe. With each recipe it is explained you can vary the amounts of certain ingredients to change the taste or heat of the dish. I ate some wonderful beer cheese soup at a restaurant in Colorado once. With the Cheesy Chipotle Soup I can enjoy this soup at home. This is not a recipe book that I purchased and sits on the shelf used once a year. I make one to three of the recipes each week. I love it.
Book Description
140 recipes.
Traditional Bahamian cooking is imaginative and creative, It offers something to suit all tastes. There are wonderful blends of spices in these delicious breads, vegetarian meals, side dishes, salads, appetizers, meats, beverages, soups and desserts. Simple to prepare.
Customer Reviews:
Use this Book for Awhile and You too ill be Cooking Like a Bahama Mama.......2007-02-20
The other day I went through my cookbooks, to see if I could weed some out, because I have too many to mention. It's hard getting rid of a cookbook, especially one with a few recipes in it that you've come to love. But I've scanned the recipes I need to keep forever into my MacBook. However, there were an even dozen I couldn't part with. These are books I turn to time and time again, even though I consider myself somewhat of a gourmet chef.
BAHAMA MAMA'S was one of the one's I kept because over the last couple years I've found myself going to it time and again. I make "Mama's Best Gingerbread" all the time. Like most of the recipes in this book, it's easy and impossible to screw up and it tastes delicious. For a quick and good gumbo I've done the "Crawfish Gumbo" on page 59 and like it a lot. True, I consider myself somewhat of a gourmet, but I don't always have the time to spend in the kitchen I'd like, so sometimes it's nice to have a recipe book on hand that you can count on for tasty and authentic meals.
I've served the "Stuffed Tomatoes" here so often that I know the recipe by heart and I've found they go very well with the "Whiskey Chicken on page 105, which is just about my hubby's favorite meal. This is a terrific cookbook and I think you'll find if you use it for any length of time, you too will be cooking like a Bahama Mama.
Book Description
Treat yourself to savory meals from the spicy islands!
Hot & Spicy Caribbean is a comprehensive survey of more than 150 delicious hot and spicy dishes culled from the authors’ 25 years of culinary escapes in the islands. Along with mouthwatering food, you’ll find amusing anecdotes revealing local color and history, a complete glossary of spicy terminology, and a listing of mail-order sources for hard-to-find ingredients. But most of all you’ll learn how to prepare sensational recipes, including:
• Jamaican Pepper Pot Soup
• Flash in the Pan Snapper
• Spicy Caribbean Black Beans
• Creole Congo Pepper Sauce
• Caribbean Crab Gumbo
• Rum Drenched Duckling
• Bajan Coconut Milk Sorbet
• Antigua Orange Cake
• and many more hot tropical treats!
Each savory recipe is rated for heat, so you can make it mild, medium, hot, or super-hot! You’ll also find a sampling of cool-down accompaniments to round out your culinary tour of the islands.
“DeWitt is professionally wired for high voltage food.”
—
Barbara Durbin, Portland Oregonian
Customer Reviews:
Could Have Been A Great Book.......2005-08-14
The author never really focusses on a paricular audience. She speaks to those who have never grown peppers, but then provides an encyclopedia of varieties which should be grown. Unfortunately, seed and plant sources for many of the varieties are not provided. This is dissapointing, and makes me suspect of the book. Describing a fantastic variety in detail, but not providing a source to obtain it, is wrong. I could write lots of books like that.
Recipes look good.
Great book for the novice...........2004-06-27
In THE EDIBLE PEPER GARDEN, Rosalind Creasy demonstrates a variety of ways to grow both sweet and hot peppers (beds along the driveway,in the flower bed next to the street or in containers). I very much appreciated some of her tips about pepper plants such as warning the reader that temperatures can be either too hot or too cool, especially for potted pepper plants, and that PH balanced soil is important for happy peppy plants. Apparently, not only can pepper fruits experience sunscald, the pepper plant roots can literally be cooked on the south side of the pot. And, pepper plants like soil on the sweet side.
I knew very little about hot peppers before 2004 (I'm growing them for my parrots who likes them very much), but I found most of what I need to know in Creasy's book. This spring, I purchased six pepper plants from Seeds of Change, and promptly mixed them up when I repotted them. Creasy includes many great photos and a section with pictures with text descriptions of the main pepper plant categories, so thanks to her I think I've just about sorted them out. This book is not an encyclopedia however, and as a result of my carelessness, I am still trying to determine the identity of two of the plants. Type matters, apparently, as Creasy says some peppers are best harvested green while others should be allowed to ripen. If you are interested in growing peppers in pots or garden beds, this is a great place for the novice to begin.
One of the better pepper books.......2003-08-15
I have a hugh selection of pepper books, this is one of the best. Great illustrations, good listing of pepper types and sources, and great, yet simple receipes. If you grow peppers , as I do, the section on gardening is straight forward. A hint, always grow larger types in a cage.
Fun and informative for the beginner.......2000-03-28
As a do-it-yourselfer of limited skill, I'm always excited to see Ros Creasy come out with a new book. She covers a lot of ground (no pun intended) in how to use peppers as a decorative plant as well as one to bring into the kitchen. Bravo!
Product Description
If you are one of those spicy-food lovers who constantly strives to test your heat capacity -- or if you're just one of those people who really appreciates the nuances of piquant cuisines, this fun and feisty collection of recipes is for you. Author Cliff Wright has followed the equator in search of authentically spicy dishes, and he recreates them here with Meat-Stuffed Chiles from Peru, Chile Verde from New Mexico, "Tablecloth Stainer" from Oaxaca, Egusi Soup from Nigeria, "Sauce that Dances" from Algeria, Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup from Thailand, "Ants Climbing a Tree" from China, and about 300 more deliciously fiery foods. Each recipe has a heat index, so you know what's going to be subtly spicy and what's truly incendiary. If you are looking for that next "hot" thing, this is where you'll find it.
Customer Reviews:
Piquant Passion.......2006-07-30
Simply put this book is our house Bible. We're Anglos with a hunger for hot & spicy food. We have our local library to thank for showing us this tremendous guide. Originally borrowed, it soon became apparent that we must own the book to truly benefit from it. It's both a pleasure to read about the history and science behind these spicy foods and to learn how to prepare them.
Once you get the ingredients from your supermarket's ethnic section, local ethnic markets, or online most dishes can be made in about 1/2 - 1 hour. Some are even easier than that and all pack a colossal flavor.
One of the books best features is the 1 - 5 spice rating scale, cleverly noted above each recipe. Don't be afraid to try a recipe rated 5. This is usually given because it calls for some ridiculous amount of peppers, which can be halved or quartered. If you find you like the dish and can handle more spice, you can up the (pic-)ante the next time you make it.
There are a few recipes that I find daunting (i.e. Dora Wat). I want to make them but am turned off by the fact that I have to make specialty spice combinations (i.e. niter kebbeh or berbere) in advance. While the author gives suggestions for substitutions I'd prefer the real thing or nothing at all. One of these days, I'll get around to doing the pre-work and have a reserve of the stuff on hand.
Note: Fans of Sichuan must have this book. It makes Sichuan cooking easy and the creative cook can make it healthy by minimizing the amount of oil used.
WARNING!
If you are new to cooking with chilies, take extra CARE. I always wear gloves when handling chilies. Perhaps a real chef with chew me out for this but there's nothing worse than discovering you have pepper juice on your finger and rub your eye.
Finally, I just can't say enough great things about this book. It's a jewel for cooks the world over!
My 'book of the month'.......period!.......2005-12-16
It might even be my book of the year. This is the book for spice lovers and 'chile-heads' who want a truly GLOBAL appreciation of their passion. The recipes I've tried are superb and easy to follow. More importantly, the anecdotes, sidebars, historical notes, and especially the internet listings are indispensible to fully appreciating the beauty of spiced cuisine. I never dreamed I would be making my own HARISA (it's fairly easy) and applying it to homemade Algerian dishes.
Thankyou Clifford! BTW this is my first book review hence the handle :)
Great Read and Hot Recipes. Buy It!.......2005-10-19
`Some Like It Hot' by noted culinary writer, Clifford A. Wright is a real gem. I was surprised to find such a book written by Wright, who is one of the leading scholarly experts on food of the Mediterranean, and, as he so elegantly illustrates himself, the Mediterranean is hot a hotbed of spicy foods.
Therefore, Wright's primary focus is on the various world spicy cuisines. He identifies the following centers of spicy food culture:
Western South America, primarily Peru and Bolivia.
Mexico and Southwestern U.S.
Cajun Cuisine
Jamaica
Western coast of Africa, primarily Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria
North Africa (the Madgreb) of Algeria and Tunesia
Eastern Africa, especially Ethopia
Yemen
India and Pakistan
Thailand
Sichuan and Hunan provinces in China
Korea
These cuisines are discussed in detail in sidebars scattered throughout the recipe chapters.
The very odd thing about this list is how widely separate these regions are, especially since the single plant genus, the chile, grows so easily in all sorts of tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates. I am quite happy to see Wright confirm a hunch I had about capsicum genus (composed of five different species from the very mild bell pepper to the thermonuclear Habanero) that it's arrival in Europe and Asia simply blew away all piquant competion by its being so much stronger and so cheap to grow.
The most important `academic' study Wright covers is why some groups of people like hot food. He reviews and dismisses fourteen different common and not so common hypotheses, reaching the one that simply says people like the way they taste. What Wright does not do is explain why these particular regions embraced hot food and so many other regions did not. Why, for example, is Spanish cuisine so in love with the sweet bell pepper (capsicum annuum) which came from Mexico (note all those red pimentos, which are pickled sweet peppers) yet they do not embrace the chiles with high heat. It is easy to understand South America, Mexico, and Jamaica, as genus capsicum is native to these lands. It is also easy to understand India and Pakistan and Sichuan and Hunan, as both cuisines have a history of creating spicy dishes based on the pre-chile spices of black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, galangal, and tamarind. But what about the west coast of Africa, Ethopia, and Yemen? Wright never gets around to answering this question, but we quickly loose interest in the academic questions when the Professor gets down to the recipes.
While Wright claims to not be a chile head, he cannot escape the fact that the capsicum chile is by far the strongest source of culinary heat. Therefore, virtually all recipes include one or more varieties of chile in the ingredients.
The recipes are all organized by type of dish, with chapters on:
Startling Starters
Sexy Salads
Searing Soups
Electrifying Eggs
Hot Chicks, Wicked Ducks, and One Killer Rabbit (with apologies to Monty Python)
Blazing Beef and Indendiary Lamb
Piquant Pork
Sassy Seafoof
Volatile Vegetables
Pizzazz Pasta, Napalm Noodles, and Fiery Rice
Hot Accompaniments
Cool Accompaniments
Basic Sauces, Pastes, and Seasonings
Within each chapter, recipes are organized by location, following the same geographical order laid out above, always beginning with the New World source of chiles. And, not all cuisines are represented in all chapters.
In these recipes, Wright has done some adaptation to American kitchens and markets, but not much. That means that like just about any good survey of a regional cuisine (other than one native to North America), you will have to do a little culinary spelunking to locate some of the more important ingredients. And, since the books covers many cuisines from around the world, this means you will be stocking up on a LOT of esoteric ingredients to do these recipes. This is not only various kinds of chile, but also special sausages, fats, pastes, and sauces. Wright suggests some substitutions, but also confesses that most substitutions simply cannot give you the flavor of the original. It also means you will be doing a lot of cooking with animal fats such as lard and duck fat.In addition to being very close to authentic, all recipes are described with exceptional care.
To handle this problem, Wright provides two very important tools. The first is his last chapter of recipes for `Basic Sauces, Pastes, and Seasonings'. The second is one of the longest listings of Internet sources I have yet seen, including the great section in Paula Wolfert's exceptional book on the cooking or southwestern France.
Like Wolfert's book, this book is worth it even if you do nothing more than read it and pick out just those few recipes for which you can find ingredients easily. But, if you love your heat, you will really want to explore some of the more esoteric dishes, simply to get the different flavors from the many different varieties of chiles and the sauces and pastes into which they are made.
If you like hot food, this book is a must. If you are simply a foodie, this book is a must read, as Wright rarely missteps in his analysis of culinary matters.
Books:
- The Heart of Burgundy: A Portrait of French Wine Country
- The London Ritz Book of Afternoon Tea
- The Low-Carb Comfort Food Cookbook
- The Naturally Sweet Baker : 150 Decadent Desserts Made With Honey, Maple Syrup, and Other Delicious Alternatives to Refined Sugar
- The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal Hearts and Homes
- The Rice Diet Solution: The World-Famous Low-Sodium, Good-Carb, Detox Diet for Quick and Lasting Weight Loss
- The Rough Guide to Trinidad and tobago 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
- The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids Favorite Meals
- The Soup Bible
- The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- After the Washington Consensus: Restarting Growth and Reform in Latin America
- The Chicken Health Handbook
- Havens in a Storm: The Struggle for Global Tax Regulation
- Into the Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press
- Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time
- The Clinton Crack-Up: The Boy President's Life After the White House
- People, Land and Time: An Historical Introduction to the Relations between Landscape, Culture and En
- Electronic Projects for the 21st Century
- Insurance Statistics Yearbook 1988-1995
- A Change of Heart: A Harmony Novel
