comments:
i think it was the flavor bible, he bought me a copy of it years ago i’d have to believe from this description it was used for this concept https://a.co/d/0gsuRiAK
This is really it. You don’t need an Indian masala’s worth of spices in most dishes. Start basic like, say, salt, pepper, maybe rosemary or thyme. Get a feel for what those actually do to a dish. Over time, cooking across different cuisines, you start to see which spices have an affinity for each other, and which ones work in places you wouldn’t expect. That just comes from doing it. Read recipes and try them out to get your spice/herb bearings. The main thing is just to cook, taste, and learn from it. If you want something a little more guided and concrete, try starting with The Flavor Bible:https://www.amazon.com/Flavor-Bible-Essential-Creativity-Imaginative/dp/0316118400