The Flavor Bible

I've always been intrigued by new and exciting ingredients in baking, but now I'm to the point that I like to invent my own recipes, or take a recipe and doctor it to my liking. Are you there too? Do you read recipes and think, um, this would be so much better if I added x, y, and then topped it with z?If you are, then please buy this book.

It's not a cookbook. Rather, think of it like a giant thesaurus or reference guide, but for food. Basically, it tells you what goes with what. That's probably a terrible description, so here's an example. Tonight my husband and I are going to a (free!) and outdoor concert, so we've planned to take a picnic of wine, cheese, olives, and bread. The perfect dinner, huh? I think I could live on appetizers. You? So my husband came home with some Mahon cheese (boy I do love him). I looked up "Cheese, Mahon" in the Flavor Bible, and guess what goes with Mahon Cheese? Quince paste. Yeah, I had no idea either. But we'll go get some quince paste to try with the cheese, because this book has been compiled by countless chefs across the country weighing in on what, ideally, goes with what in the culinary world. We're not going to doubt their suggestions. So quince paste it is!

Pretty neat, huh? Have a great weekend! And if you're at the Levitt Shell tonight, we'll be there too...we'll be the couple in the blue folding chairs eating our weight in cheese and olives. Good times!