Salt, Pepper, Season, Spice
All the Flavors of the World
by Jacques Pasquet
illustrated by Claire Anghinolfi
translated by Ann Marie Boulanger
Orca Book Publishers, 2024
ISBN 978-1-4598-3998-4
$24.95, 49 pp, ages 7 – 12
orcabook.com
This book tells the stories of common spices we use in Canadian cuisine. It gives the history, the places in the world where each spice is found, the variety of species of the plant, and the methods by which it is prepared for market. The spices featured are ones that children will be familiar with: salt, pepper, mustard, ginger, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate. What makes this book such a delight are the beautiful illustrations and the graphic layout with just the right amount of print on the page, coupled with graphic features that can be humorous but always contain fascinating facts. Clear explanations on how various spices are harvested, dried, fermented, and given other treatments before they arrive at the grocery store help readers understand the transition from plant to the product in their kitchen. Chock-full of fascinating information, it is both a fact-finding journey in understanding the ingredients that flavour our food and a celebration of excellent graphics and design.
Classroom Connections: Bringing ingredients into the classroom and having children learn, discuss, and taste the differences in these common spices will definitely be a highlight for children. This resource can be used for research into a particular spice and can act as a springboard for writing stories of tasting experiences that students may have experienced. Who doesn’t have a memory of chocolate that they’d love to share?
Review by Betty Schultze.
This review is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Spring 2025 issue.
