I like this book so much more than Naomi Duguid's "Taste of Persia" which I reviewed a few years ago. Ms. Duguid dives deep into the chemistry of salt as a preservative and a flavoring. I wish she had delved more into the history of the salt trade but I'm not sure how many readers beyond me would care about it.

The book has several themes that are nicely interwoven in the text: Where salt comes from, how it is harvested, how location and harvesting methods affect the character of different salts, and how salt is used in the cuisines of the world with a strong lean toward Asia. (Too bad.) The recipes are of different kinds too. How to flavor salt. How to use salt to preserve food. How to use preserved foods and flavored salts in cooking.

This is a cookbook I will buy in hardback. ( )