Product Description

offers up a riveting, globe-trotting tale of unquenchable desire, fanatical religion, raw greed, fickle fashion, and mouthwatering cuisinein short, the very stuff of which our world is made. In this engaging, enlightening, and anecdote-filled history, Michael Krondl, a noted chef turned writer and food historian, tells the story of three legendary citiesVenice, Lisbon, and Amsterdamand how their single-minded pursuit of spice helped to make (and remake) the Western diet and set in motion the first great wave of globalization. Sharing meals and stories with Indian pepper planters, Portuguese sailors, and Venetian foodies, Krondl takes every opportunity to explore the world of long ago and sample its many flavors. Along the way, he reveals that the taste for spice of a few wealthy Europeans led to great crusades, astonishing feats of bravery, and even wholesale slaughter.

As stimulating as it is pleasurable, and filled with surprising insights, offers a compelling perspective on how, in search of a tastier dish, the world has been transformed.

An altogether rich, perfectly seasoned slice of world history.

As a chef I have always been deeply intrigued by the mystique of spices. Michael Krondls book awakens and transports the reader into this mysterious world, showing us how our lives and history have been transformed by the sensuous odors of cardamom, nutmeg, and turmeric.

Gray Kunz, chef and owner of Caf Gray and Grayz, co-author of

Fascinating . . . spicy reading for food and history lovers alike.

A delicious treat.

Witty and erudite.

Enticing.