The Flavor Thesaurus: More Flavors: Plant-Led Pairings, Recipes, and Ideas for Cooks

Times food columnist Segnit explores the power of unexpected flavor combinations in this tantalizing and inspiring follow-up to The Flavor Thesaurus. Focused on plant-forward ingredients, this handy reference offers tasty vegetable match-ups for creative cookery, organized within 19 “flavour families.” The “Floral Fruity” category, for example, recommends pairing “lusty” tomato with honey for a sweet ripening effect. “Caramel Roasted” pairings include miso and yogurt, imparting a deep salty flavor tempered by fattiness, and rye and avocado, which “soothes” rye’s “hotter, rougher side.” Mushrooms, prunes, or white beans gain extra dimension in combo with the allium family (garlic, leeks, and chives), while “leguminous” lentils benefit from the “acidic shock” brought by Japanese pickled ginger. Chocolate-infused halva becomes “not unlike a Milky Way that has melted in your beach bag then resolidified in the fridge.” Recipes primarily take the form of suggestions or formulas, often presented as reminiscences by the author, whose easygoing prose draws on culinary science, sensory appeal, and the spirit of experimentation. With its flavor pairings conveniently cross-referenced, this guide is as practical as it is mouthwatering. Agent: Zoë Waldie at Rogers, Coleridge & White. (May)