The Flavor of Wood: In Search of the Wild Taste of Trees, from Smoke and Sap to Root and Bark

"Part travelogue and part culinary adventure... a quirky, entertaining ramble through the many ways wood lends its flavor to food" (Bob Holmes, author of Flavor ). Most people don't expect wood to flavor their food beyond the barbecue, and gastronomists rarely discuss the significance of wood in the realm of taste. But trees have a far greater influence over our plate and palatethan you might think. Over the centuries, it has been used incooking, distilling, fermenting, and even perfume creation to produce a uniqueflavor and smell. In The Flavor of Wood, food communications expert Artur Cisar-Erlach embarks on a globaljourney to understand how trees infuse the world's most delectable dishes through their smoke, sap, roots, and bark. His exploration covers everything from wooden barrels used toage scotch in Austria to the wood-burning pizza ovens of Naples to Canadian maple syrup producers—as well as cheese, tea, wine, blue yogurt, and more. Brimming with fascinating characters, unexpected turns, beautiful landscapes, scientific discoveries, and historic connections, The Flavor of Wood is the story of apassionate flavor hunter, and offers readers unparalleled access to some of the world's highest quality cuisine and unknown tree flavors.