The New Food Lover’s Companion’s newest edition means no one need wonder what an aamsul is: a dark purple kiwi-size fruit native to western India with a “somewhat fruity” flavor and a “sour, astringent character.”
Aamsul is a new word in the Companion, and it kicks off some 7,000 A-to-Z entries that end with a return appearance of zwieback, the dry digestive bread whose name is German for “twice baked.”
With 500 new listings for many international foods, notably Korean, Persian and South American, this fifth edition of the Companion (Barron’s, $16.99) is more global then past volumes. And with a beefed up section on food labels and more nutrition facts, the 918-page softbound book is also more health-oriented.
The Companion is an indispensable source for finding the definition of an unusual food item or unfamiliar cooking technique, the official spelling of a particular ingredient or how to pronounce the word. It also offers conversion tables for temperatures and measurements, meat charts, a pasta glossary, a list of food additives and even blood alcohol guidelines for men and women.
— Bill Daley
Chicago Tribune