Help Please. Need ideas for a gift of a cookbook & related spices (explained inside)

D

deb-in-mi

Well-known member
We've been invited to a high school graduation party and the graduate is really into cooking. He's asked for 'exotic spices' (I think he means not typical spices) so I thought I would give him a cookbook and spices used in the book. For example, a Mexican cookbook with spices X, X & X. Unfortunately I'm pulling a complete blank with w/ spices would compliment a particular cuisine (Italian, Mexican, Indian, etc). Your ideas would be greatly appreciated as well as cookbook suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

 
An idea.... What about a trip to the asian market? You can purchase

Small rice cooker, rice, the green seaweed used for making rolls, sesame oil, rice vinegar, the bamboo mats used to make rolls, chop sticks, the thin rice papers; which I completely forget what they are called.... etc.

There is something really cool about making your own rolls!

 
The Flavor Bible

While not exactly a cookbook, this is by far the most useful book in my kitchen. The tie-in to his request is that it is a resource for using spices (and everything else) when cooking without a recipe or makins substitutions.

 
I love Plenty (by Yotam Ottolenghi)...it's mostly vegetarian (with eggs on top of a few dishes)

Here's an example of the spices in "Two-Potato Vindaloo"

cardamom pods
cumin seeds
coriander seeds
cloves
turmeric
paprika
cinnamon
mustard seeds
fenugreek seeds

The visuals in this book are amazing. I've tried so many dishes JUST because of the photos. And I haven't had one fail me yet.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1452101248/ref=rdr_ext_tmb

 
What a wonderful gift! Can you find out what they are "used to" eating so you can go another way?

 
I love the Flavor Bible....I have put together so many interesting combinations of ingredients

that I would never have thought went together. It is wonderful and what a great idea. Also, Penzeys has gift boxes of exotic spices and I also think you can make up your own. The jars are the smaller ones, which I think is great, then if your graduate loves them, he can order the larger one after the smaller one is used up.

 
I think an Indian spice cabinet could be the most useful--if you have the spices

(often the longest part of an Indian recipe) you can put together the dish in a short period.
There is an Indian cookbook in paperback by Madhur Jaffrey I think.

 
I agree with the Masala Dabba. I use mine a lot & love it

If you can find an Indian market spices are also dirt cheap. I have an embarrasing number of big bags of them.

 
this is a great thread! I actually never thought about a "cookbook" centered on spices, but some of

these mentioned would be so useful. thanks

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top