San Antonio College Library

"Spices and aromatics are woven into human history. Since antiquity they have taken pride of place in the markets of the world for their irresistible contribution to food, drink, health, perfume, sex, religion, magic and ritual. Hunger for spices lies behind some of the great explorations and has led to wealth, conquest and even genocide." "Dangerous Tastes offers a fresh perspective on these exotic substances and the roles they have played over the...

What effect do spices have on the way we see and taste the world? Chef Raghavan Iyer explores the world ofcurry with Columbia University neurologist Stuart Firestein, a specialist in the neuroscience of olfactory senses.

Over 100 entries provide information on herbs, spices, and condiments that can have nutritional value, medical benefits, adverse effects, and nontraditional uses.

The best way to learn about an unfamiliar culture is through its food. This book shows the splendors of an ancient and wonderful country, untouched by the outside world for generations, whose simple recipes delight and satisfy and whose people are among the most gracious on earth.

From the extravagant use of pepper in the Middle Ages to the Protestant bourgeoisie's love of coffee to the reason why fashionable Europeans stopped sniffing tobacco and starting smoking it, Schivelbusch looks at how the appetite for pleasure transformed the social structure of the Old World.