On the spice route

 

Reviewed by Geetu Vaid

Spicestory
by Hugh and Colleen Gantzer. Niyogi.
Pages: 268. Rs 1500 Geetu Vaid

 

 

 

 

 

Who isn't looking for a spicy story and this latest offering by travel-writer-couple Hugh and Colleen Gantzer is just that. It wouldn't be an over-statement to say that from cover to cover this ‘story’ has all the ‘spice’ in the world. So much for grabbing your attention, but before I am accused of misleading the readers, let me rephrase to set the perspective right ...this story has all the spices one can think of.

 

Well, with Spicestory the pioneers of travel writing in India have embarked on a spice trail, this time to introduce the readers to the world of magnificent spices that have made explorers set out to discover distant lands. The aroma, flavour and mystique of these seeds, pods, barks, bulbs, corms and flowers had made India a favourite destination of explorers centuries ago and still are keeping it among the top-league countries as far as trade and cultivation of these is concerned.

 

Rich in flavour and therapeutic virtues, these spices are an integral part of not just Indian cuisine, but also of our rich culture, traditions and folk beliefs. So we have the whole lot of common as well as more intriguing spices, right from turmeric to cloves to black pepper to chillies to cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla, saffron, etc. spreading their aroma on the pages of this volume.

The wonderful stories associated with the cultivation and discovery of each of these make the book truly engrossing. Did you know that it’s a woman’s touch that makes cardamom flowers form seeds and the vanilla flowers are pollinated by hand in the absence of the natural pollinators, bees and humming birds? Or the skill involved in peeling the bark from cinnamon branches and turning these into quills and sticks, the complicated and tedious process of sweating and drying the vanilla beans, the immaculate timing of harvesting the saffron flowers. All this and much more is what the Gantzers have put together beautifully in their Spicestory.

 

 

 

The ‘story’ moves seamlessly as at the end of each ‘spice tale’ the reader is handed over the thread to move on to the next ingredient. So if you thought you knew your cumin and star anise, then think again and pick up this volume to add an interesting story and an anecdote or two the next time you are a part of a ‘spicy’ discussion.

 

The Gantzers not only take readers from Kerala to the North East and to the deserts of central India while explaining facts about each of the spices, but also give a glimpse of world history from a ‘spice’ perspective. They have also added spicy anecdotes from their travel diaries to give a global perspective on the topic, which is what adds life to the whole book, making it different from the run-of-the-mill coffee table books. Here one gets the feel of listening to a story while sitting in a cozy kitchen corner with the aroma of each spice wafting into the air from a slow cooking pot.

 

Stunning visuals are the additional storytellers that bring alive the richness and the intrigue associated with each of the spices covered, be it the brilliant red of the chillies, the glistening maroon of the mace or the rich yellow of turmeric. A brief overview of the work being done by the Spices Board of India and some interesting recipes serve as the perfect finale to the well-prepared literary gourmet dish.

 

All in all, a delightful coffee-table book that one can go back to anytime to add a ‘spicy’ touch to a friendly tete a tete or to enrich one's knowledge of the tiny tastemakers. Check it out if you truly love a good spicy story.