Peppers: A Story of Hot Pursuits

A personable dissertation on the history, culture, cuisine, medicinal properties and popularity of the chili pepper. Nice little illustrations throughout as well, which are done by the author. I was especially pleased that they took the trouble to insert various pepper silhouettes throughout the index.

Amal Naj did his research through interviews and visiting various places on earth where the chili pepper is adored. He tries to get a picture of who loves them, what those peoples and individuals are like and why they pursue the chili so eagerly.

From this book, I learned why pepper pods from the same plant have different piquancy, why one man spent 50 years fighting to protect the exclusive right to the name "Tabasco", and which group of people actually like to eat the hottest (habanero) pepper in the world. Fasinating stuff!