101 Chilies to Try Before You Die

Floyd follows his debut, The Hot Book of Chilies, with this highly useful reference text. It's easily navigable, educational, and authoritative without condescension, and it provides an excellent entry point into the field. As with many epicurean pursuits, the cultivation and enjoyment of chili peppers (also referred to by their species, capsicum) are pursued by specialists, novitiates, and the merely curious, and Floyd's guide, written with a conversational tone, will be useful to all of them. Each entry consists of a visual reference, a species identification, pod description, growing information, shorthand reference for seed suppliers (tied to a list in the back of the book), and any alternate names or usages. Focusing more on capturing the pepper-consumer's experience than on enumerating Scoville heat units, the entries are organized into individual sections from "Sweet & Mild" to "Superhot." The book also includes a highly informative introduction in which Floyd lays out basic concepts and terms. A smart design complemented by full-color photos throughout makes this a beautiful book as well as a useful one. (Oct.)