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THE SPICE AND HERB BIBLE Second Edition by Ian Hemphill with recipes by Kate Hemphill Robert Rose September 2006 $22.95/trade paperback Full-color photographs throughout ISBN: 0-7788-0146-2 (Canada: $29.95/ISBN: 978-0-7788-0146-7) Sample recipe

Contact: Trina Kaye
Lisa Ekus Public Relations
310-915-0970
TrinaKaye@tkopr.com

Like Julia Child, who shared with Americans her fascination and love of French food, and Marcella Hazan, who taught us the ins and outs of Italian cuisine, Ian Hemphill is working to demystify the world of spices and herbs. His passion has taken him to near and distant corners of the world, and has blossomed into a successful retail business in a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is also the motivation behind his latest book, THE SPICE AND HERB BIBLE: Second Edition.

Filled with beautiful full-color photographs, THE SPICE AND HERB BIBLE: Second Edition is designed for serious and "armchair" cooks alike. The 608-page tome provides background on more than 100 herbs and spices from around the world, and contains dozens of innovative recipes, all of which were created by Hemphill's daughter, Kate. Readers will also find:

• Instructions for growing, drying, and storing
• Information about processing, essential oils, extracts, and oleoresins
• Techniques and recipes for spice blending
• Easy-to-interpret Spice and Herb Combination Pyramid
• Suggestions for matching wines with spices

Spices and Herbs 101

"Many home cooks think special skills are required to use spices effectively and fear a small mistake will ruin their meal," said Hemphill. "That couldn't be farther from the truth. With a little basic knowledge, spices are quite easy to use. And my book gives all the pertinent facts, while consciously avoiding technical or botanical terms, so it is easy for anyone to use."

The book is broken into three sections:

• The World of Spices section discusses the importance of spices in our lives and explains the basic differences between spices and herbs. It also offers a wealth of valuable information about growing, drying, and storing, and identifies spices and herbs found in popular cuisines.
  
  
• Spice Notes provides a listing of more than 100 spices. The alphabetical reference — which begins with Ajowan and ends with Zedoary — provides historical, processing, storage, and usage information for each spice or herb, along with a color photograph and recipe.
  
  
• The Art of Combining Spices offers 57 pages about making and using spice blends. It contains recipes for more than 35 common and exotic spice blends — many of which Hemphill created.

Not surprisingly, Hemphill's love for spices and herbs is passing to a second generation. His culinary-trained daughter, Kate, created an innovative, yet easy-to-prepare recipe for each listing in the book. Rather than simply inserting spices and herbs into existing recipes, Kate has given her recipes careful thought, developing unique dishes where the spices and herbs complement the food and vice versa.

A sample of the collection includes:

• Banana and Lavender Pastillas
• Caraway and Lime Leaf Pork Burger
• Lemon Myrtle Scallops with Citrus Salad
• Spiced Baked Salmon
• Berries with Vodka and Star Anise
• Vanilla and Cauliflower Soup
• Fennel and Parsley Dressing for Crustaceans
• West African Beef Stew
• Akudjura Risotto

From front cover to back, THE SPICE AND HERB BIBLE: Second Edition is a fascinating, authoritative reference book and cookbook. It builds upon the success of Hemphill's 2002 best-seller, The Spice and Herb Bible: A Cook's Guide — which sold more than 30,000 copies in North America — and offers both novice and experienced cooks the opportunity to explore what Hemphill describes as an "ancient and stimulating industry."

Ian Hemphill AKA "Herbie," a native of Sydney, Australia, grew up working in his family's spice business. He managed a spice company in Asia for many years before returning to Sydney and opening his own specialty spice shop. Today, Herbie's Spices boasts the largest selection of herbs and spices for sale and export in the Southern Hemisphere. Hemphill and his wife, Elizabeth, live above the store and welcome visitors to their shop everyday. Herbie's spices can be ordered online at www.herbies.com.au.