Just Add Spice

Spices are nature's gift to the home cook. They add depth, aroma and complexity to the simplest of foods, turning a barbecue into a feast and a family roast into a culinary event.

Lyndey Milan, much-loved food and wine personality, and Ian 'Herbie' Hemphill, the king of spice, join forces to show you how to give ordinary dishes a flavour renovation with the simple addition of spice.

Using nothing more exotic than the contents of the average spice rack, you will learn how to pep up pumpkin soup with curry paste and ginger; reinvent scrambled eggs with chilli and chorizo; and turn up the heat with a robust vindaloo curry.

Learn how to match spices with ingredients, and unlock the secrets of successful spice mixes, such as garam masala, dukkah and Chinese five-spice. Discover the properties of different spices: the sweetness of cinnamon, the pungency of star anise, and the fieriness of chilli. And see how different cooking methods, from a slow simmer to a quick pan-fry, draw out these wonderful tastes and aromas. Follow the 'grog' notes to achieve what many of us find so difficult - the successful matching of spicy food with wine and beer.

Beautifully photographed and packed with practical information, Just Add Spice is your guide to creating sophisticated, restaurant-style flavours with a minimum of fuss, expense and time.