I have many cookbooks in my kitchen. There are only two that I keep out because I use them ALL the time.
One is my Healthy Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book. The other is my ‘the Flavor Bible’
Which is really not a cookbook at all.
It is a book that I use to look up an ingredient that I have and the Flavor Bible will give me a list of flavors that go with said ingredient.
Right now I have cherries in my kitchen. When I look up cherries it gives me an alphabetical list of flavor that are good with that particular fruit:
allspice, ALMONDS, amaretto, apricots, Armgnac, bourbon, brandy, butter, buttermilk, cake, caramel, cassis, cheese: Brie, goat, ricotta, cherries dried, CHOCOLATE, ESP. DARK,WHITE cinnamon, cloves, coconut…
The list goes on and on…
The type will tell you how well the flavors go:
Flavors mentioned in regular type are pairings suggest by one or more experts.
Those in bold were recommended by a number of experts.
Those in BOLD CAPS were very highly recommended by and even great number of experts.
Those in *BOLD CAPS* with and asterisk (*) are “Holy Grail” pairings that are the most highly recommended by the greatest number of experts.
This book as completely revolutionized my cooking and baking. I have taken many old recipes and ‘jazzed’ them up with new flavors. At nearly 400 pages you will find almost anything that could possibly inhabit your kitchen in this book.
I have taken and combined ingredients that I would never have considered.
Here are some that are recommended for cherries…
cherries+almonds+cream+kirsch+vanilla
cherries+chocolate+walnuts
cherries+coconut+custard
cherries+coffee+cream
cherries+goat cheese+ice wine vinegar+black pepper+thyme
cherries+honey+pistachios+yogurt
cherries+mint+vanilla
I actually made my kids a dish of plain yogurt that I sweetened with honey, stirred in lots of fresh, finely chopped cherries and on top sprinkled chopped pistachios…you would have thought I had given them a bowl of ice cream! That is how good they said it was! I would never had considered that combination if not for this book.
Seriously people this book will rock your cooking world.
A map for the adventurous home chef to discover a world of new delights!
*****
Kim can also be found at the inadvertent farmer where she raises organic fruits, veggies, critters, kids, and…a camel!
Oooh! That looks like a wonderful book. I’m heading over to Amazon right now!! Thanks for sharing.
I know!!! I love that book!
Exactly what I was looking for … thanks!
I’ve been hoping my library would get this book so I could check it out, but so far no luck. Perhaps I’ll have to just buy it based on the excellent reviews I’ve read. I need all the creative help I can get in the kitchen!
I love that book too! Can’t wait to get to the point someday where I can make up my own rec ipes.
That is one that I have never heard of! I will have to find a copy of it.
I looooooove this book. I use it ALL the time, especially when I’m coming up with new pickle/jam flavors.
If you’re into wine, their ‘what to drink with what you eat’ book is a similar concept, but about food and wine [and beer and tea, etc] pairing.
Wow, this is just what I need in my kitchen. I don’t follow recipes and like to be adventurous with my cooking, sometimes a bit too adventurous. Perhaps I will give it to Hubby for our anniversary and promise to use it. 🙂