I could eat the pictures

Where Flavor was Born:

Recipes and Culinary Travels Along the Indian Ocean Spice Route

 

by Andreas Viestad, Mette Randem

It’s more than a cookbook, less than a travelogue, and almost informative enough to be a reference book.   Doubled in thickness, it would have made an excellent reference book.  But that apparently wasn’t the publisher’s goal, so I’ll just call this a cookbook with context.   The context is fascinating—history, travel adventure, and lots of tantalizing detail.  For me, it’s a jumping off point for hours of wasted web browsing…or maybe some visits to my local library.  There are certain things at a library that haven’t yet made it online.

I’d love to cook through it.  Some of the ingredients would be hard to find but I suspect most of them would be at my Central Market or the H-Mart Asian Market.  (I might need an interpreter for the latter.)   But since I’ve not yet made a thing, I can’t evaluate any recipes.  He’s liberal about substitutions and optional ingredients, too, which helps.  If it’s a recipe starring cinnamon, for example, I wouldn’t want to try it with cassia.  Note: have I ever tasted “real” cinnamon?  Per the web, it’s only grown in Sri Lanka.   But if it’s a fish recipe starring turmeric, he will suggest a few varieties of fish and then add, “…but any firm-fleshed white fish will do.”