Where Flavor Was Born
Recipes and Culinary Travels Along the Indian Ocean Spice Route
By Andreas Viestad
Reviewed by Nancy Huang
From 2000 B.C. to modern times, the exotic spice trade has played a prominent role in shaping economics and culinary diversity throughout the world. In his new book, Where Flavor Was Born, author Andreas Viestad travels along the historic Indian Ocean Spice Route, exploring the many spices and flavors that make the area’s cuisine so unique.
Journeying from East Africa to the Middle East and on to Southeast Asia and Australia, Viestad discovers the spices that make up the local landscape: cardamom, curry, lemongrass, cinnamon and many more. Each chapter focuses on one spice and its accompanying recipes. Dishes such as Sor Patel from Zanzibar and Tom Yam Kung from Thailand showcase the diversity of Viestad’s travels, and his personal anecdotes for each recipe are heartwarming and funny. With mouthwatering photographs by Mette Randem, Where Flavor Was Born is as much a beautiful travel journal as it is an exotic cookbook. It’s a fantastic read for any culinary explorer.
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