“The Spice Cookbook,” by Avanelle Day and Lillie Stuckey

First, I will say this is one of the finer pieces of cookery literature I have read, which does not include much. This book is a resource and great ally to anyone who desires to cook, especially those wishing to understand spices better. I like the line on the front, "variety is the spice of life," which well describes the mood of this book. It is a supply of knowledge on spices and how to use them and also a cookbook of many fine recipes. I believe this makes an invaluable combination. It starts out by defining “cookery” in a true and also humorous way with a quote from John Ruskin. I feel the ethos of this book comes in with the acknowledgments and the foreword. In these sections quite a few people are thanked as being sources or supporters for the book. Two of those mentioned are Doctors, one in chemistry who is the husband of co-author Lillie Stuckey, the other in Home Economics, who wrote the foreword and offered insight for the book. In the foreword the work experience, learning experience, and professional experience of the authors is noted, especially Avanelle Day’s Masters Degree in Home Economics. The book holds a pretty steady theme and cohesion. The organization, I would say, is perfect. It starts with spice history, uses, charts, and techniques then moves on to the recipes which are organized alphabetically by dish type. After the recipes are more resources on techniques, weights and measures, and then suggestion menus for special occasions. One feature, among many, that struck me was the glossary right before the recipes. This prepares the reader with knowledge of terms for the recipes, and once it has been seen, the reader can quickly return to it. The book is illustrated from cover to cover with had drawn pictures. They are well placed and pertain either seriously or humorously to their subject or recipe. They are all of a similar style and there are not too many nor too few, thus producing a steady coherence. They are enough to spark ones interest, but not distract. There are also quotes and little comments throughout, either pertaining to recipe origins, uses, or just a comment by the writer, which I find to be nice. All in all, I would recommend this book to any with an interest in cooking, especially with spices.

“Pacific and Southeast Asian Cooking,” by Rafael Steinberg and the editors of TIME-LIFE BOOKS

I enjoyed reading this book. This book almost felt more like a documentary. I probably would not go to it first thing if I were looking for a cookbook, but it is still a great resource. This book provides the reader with an understanding of the culture and foods of Pacific and Southeast Asia. The ethos aspect of this book is pretty good. In the beginning, a part I actually passed over, where it mentions the author and people who worked on the book, are little passages about the author, editors, consultants, and sources along with their credibility. Most of these people are writers, teachers, chefs, or authorities on food. The fact that is published by a well known company of informative books adds to the credibility. The author also writes some about his experience with food in the introduction, in a more nice personal way than professioinal. The book is well organized. Each chapter is about a different area or country. The chapter is full of information on that areas people, culture, foods, his experiences and more. They also contain many vivid images of the people, places, events, activities, and foods that he is talking about. The recipes section is well laid out. The recipes are very clear and there are many illustrations and images to aid in the preparing and cooking process. There are also images of the foods during and after preparation. Throughout the chapters and recipe sections there are boxes or side notes placed to the side with helpful tips pertaining to the subject on hand. These are a great tool and feature, however, if one is not reading through the chapter or chapters, these helpful tips could be missed. The images in this book offer a great sense of cohesion to the chapters and recipes. They help you experience and see the food and people. There are many of them, and they can be bright, which for some may distract, but I think they are fairly well placed and very informative. Overall I would say this is a great resource. I would probably say this book is more a for someone looking to learn about other cultures and foods as well as cook, not just someone who is looking for something out of a cookbook. It contains a great wealth of knowledge, beautiful images, and great food. I recommend it.