Cookbook Profile: The Spicy Food Lover's Bible

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

by Dave DeWitt & Nancy Gerlach

Even the most creative cooks sometimes need to spice up their menus; and there's nothing like a fiery flavor to add a kick to ho-hum cuisine. From chiles and chipotle to wasabi and ginger, every culture has its own way of making food that sizzles with excitement. In The Spicy Food Lover's Bible, renowned fiery foods experts Dave DeWitt (known among foodies as the "Pope of Peppers") and Nancy Gerlach bring together more than 250 recipes for hot stuff from around the globe, along with a wealth of related food information.

The ultimate book on the subject, this authoritative guide begins by exploring the main ingredients that give the world's food its spice, with details on their history and horticulture, as well as how to use, purchase, and grow them. The recipes that follow in Part Two of the book—Moroccan Charmoula, Gravlax with Creamy Mustard Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Tamarind Mint Shrimp Curry, and many more—display an astonishing range of tastes and preparations, from the mildly piquant to the red-hot. DeWitt and Gerlach provide creative recipes for seasonings and sauces; appetizers and snacks; soups and salads; meat, poultry, and seafood dishes; vegetarian entrees; sizzling side dishes; beverages, breads, and desserts; and the ever-important "cool-down dishes."

In Part Three, the authors feature guidelines for putting together spicy meals with the ideal combination of flavors, colors, and textures, which DeWitt points out is often a clever balancing act. Going one step further, the book pairs the perfect beverage to go with many of these spicy dishes. In Chapter 17, a wonderful selection of menus deliciously brings together an impressive array of spicy feasts from around the world— from a Fourth of July BBQ and Chinese New Year to the Day of the Dead and New Orleans Mardi Gras—that will make anyone's mouth (and eyes) water.

The Spicy Food Lover's Bible is the only book that home cooks will ever need to turn up the heat on their everyday cooking.

About the Authors

Dave DeWitt is the publisher of Fiery-Foods & BBQ magazine as well as the founder of the Fiery Foods Trade Show and www.fieryfoods.com. He has written more than 30 cookbooks, including The Whole Chile Pepper Book, and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows and in national magazines.

Nancy Gerlach, a registered dietician, is the food editor of Fiery Foods & BBQ. She was the founding editor of Chile Pepper magazine, and has written for Travel & Leisure, Eating Well, and the New York Daily News. Gerlach has developed recipes for several of DeWitt's previous books.

Buy the 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
by Dave DeWitt & Nancy Gerlach
Stewart, Tabori & Chang
432 pages; 40 two-color illustrations
Hardcover; $29.95 [$45.00 Canada]
ISBN: 1-58479-411-9
Information provided by the publisher.