I realise I don’t talk about books that I like as much as I should. And that’s about to change with this post on my new favourite book: The Flavour Thesaurus.
The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit is hardly a cookbook, but a treasure trove of endless inspiration with 99 flavours divided into 16 categories (roasted, meaty, cheesy, earthy, etc.) grouped into 100s and 1000s of pairings, and accompanied with short, descriptive essays on how to use those flavours together.
I love everything about this book – right from the colourful cover (that made me pick up the book in the first place) to the personal note from the author. It’s hard to put the book down because I am so curious about what the next flavour pairing might be. Because of its anecdotal approach and ingenious concept, you are not going to miss the lack of photos. It is a lot less intimidating than Harold McGhee’s On Food & Cooking, too.
The book is packed with information and eclectic advice – how to make peanut and chilli like they do on the streets of Mexico, an excerpt published from an 1846 French cookbook, and tips from Italian gastronome Pellegrino Artusi. Some flavour pairings will make you go ‘Aha!’ (goat cheese & chocolate) while the others can make you squirm (chocolate & beetroot), and some will sound just plain bizarre (strawberry & avocado). It’s the classics (apple & cinnamon) that put you at ease.
That’s not to say that you need to get this book only if you’re an avid cook. The book makes for an absorbing read, and the author’s wit and poetic charm alone are worth investing in this compendium of flavour combinations. ‘Potato & Egg: The simplest, cheapest proof that you don’t need to be an oligarch to eat like a king. A fleshy, fluffy chip dipped deep in runny yolk. Or a fried egg on a pillow of potato puree. Add a little onion and you’ve got all you need for a Spanish tortilla: sweet, cakey omlette, soft, earthy potatoes, bittersweet caramelised onions.’
The Flavour Thesaurus is a fascinating book for a culinary geek, and bundled with Michael Ruhlman’s Ratio, it makes for the perfect set of books for the minimalist.