THE TASTE OF CONQUEST: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THREE GREAT CITIES OF SPICE

Our author factually points out that “that people across the globe made piles of money from the European desire for pepper, cinnamon and cloves” which logically draws one to “truly understand Europeans’ taste for conquest.” Great cities around the world thrived on spice trading, “But nowhere were the Asian condiments the lifeblood if prosperity as in the great entrepots of Venice, Lisbon, and Amsterdam.” Often portrayed as a means of making spoiled food edible, Krondl’s approach as a chef and food writer/historian, indicates that in his research of old cookbooks he relates that “The idea is an affront to common sense” and they “typically suggest adding spices toward the end if the cooking process” much as in quisine in todays world. Through the concentrated detail of this book to these cities of spice control and fame, an enjoyable trail readily follows how spice impacted the fortunes of merchants and governments, as well as the needs and eating habits of likely every population throughout the world.