Niki Segnit

This is a book that I've been dipping into at regular intervals for the last 18 months or so, and I am very sorry to have come to the end.

The idea is simple: take a hundred different foods or flavour categories (such as 'chocolate', 'cumin', 'blue cheese') and describe how they work together, and why - with examples from cuisines ranging from French and Italian to Thai, Filipino, New England-ish and Curacao-an.

The execution is brilliant, not least because of Segnit's ability to come up with show more unexpected but vivid and funny metaphors: overripe blackberries "dissolve in your grasp like a teenager's handshake", pairing asparagus and peanut is "as incongruous as playing darts in a ballgown".

But more than this, Segnit is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, prepared to try all sorts of combinations, and - like any proper foodie should be - not at all snobbish about the food as long as it tastes good. As well as mentioning great meals she's had in internationally famous restaurants, she credits a pasty she ate in a French motorway cafe and even "one of my husband's signature dishes... simply empty a packet of salted peanuts into a bag of salt and vinegar crisps, clench the bag shut and shake. Mysteriously more delicious than it should be. Good with lager".

She's also good at explaining why things work together. "Lamb and apricot both have an affinity with sweet spices, and while their sharpness cuts through the lamb's fattiness, the intense sweetness of the dried apricots throws that lamb, spices and almonds, all very sweet themselves, into a far more savoury light, making the meat taste meatier".

Some of the entries include recipes, others include recommended brands or varietals of fruit or veg. My copy is now bristling with post-it notes and folded down pages. But I think that this is a book that could be enjoyed by someone without any intention of actually cooking, simply for the pleasure of the writing. show less

This is so much better than it should be. I thought it would be like a dictionary, a reference book, but it is an absolutely delightful read. As well as lots of information & suggestions, it is scattered with simple recipes, anecdotes & opinion. I loved it and will dip back in regularly.

2023-06-03

Segnit took 99 flavours, and investigated how they pair together. The result tends towards free association, with a lot of name and place dropping. She knows a lot about food. Fascinating stuff. Some of the recipes are spelled out, others are more suggested, but they are all good starting points for a competent cook

I would have had several different flavours on my list. In several cases I wanted to add tidbits, and some good pairings are missing. But this is her book, so she gets to do the show more picking and choosing.

What is missing is a good recipe index. For example, there are several good ideas for ice creams, but no way to find them. show less