“Breathtaking in scope, Ford’s paean to spice is, like the best stories, clear and focused in purpose and presentation. Judges noted that the deep research aligned with an abundant love of the subject. Recipes are clear and instructive, backed up by historical and cultural cross- reference and seasoned with pithy advice. Both design and photography are also superb.” Guild of Food Writers Awards

“A fascinating and evocative journey along the spice routes, the ‘central nervous system of the world’. The author's blend of history, geography, taxonomy and enticing recipes offers a fresh look at these small, potent ingredients that bring magic to our kitchens.” Fuchsia Dunlop 

“It peels back layers of history - spice by spice, starting with nutmeg - from the many seasonings that have elevated food since antiquity. Spice routes, trade and colonialism feature importantly in the text… Spices shine in recipes like Korean black pepper chicken, and superb green peppercorn asparagus.” Florence Fabricant, New York Times

"A fascinating, transporting read, packed full of intriguing recipes I can’t wait to try.” Felicity Cloake 

“A fragrant, intoxicating and mesmerising voyage into the history and global spread of spice. With recipes every bit as delectable as the prose.” Tom Parker Bowles 

“A transportive blend of stories and meals that are as enlightening as they are piquant.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The love letter to spices I would have loved to write…. I have marked a whole load of recipes for spice lovers around the world to try including Duck with vanilla and Garlic clove curry, which she has shared with love, sensibility and sensitivity. Bloody well done Eleanor.” Mallika Basu

“The Nutmeg Trail is a heady, informative trip through the realms of spices and time.” Foreword

“The Nutmeg Trail is a treasure trove of information, from spice pairings to clever techniques that will bring your food to life… We had a hard time trying to pick a recipe – we wanted to recreate everything!” The Independent

“An example of fine culinary writing, evocative and poetic in its descriptions of flavors, colors and textures. Each dish comes with fascinating historical tidbits and other background information. This is a cookbook you’ll want to read cover to cover.” Booktrib

“Like all of Eleanor’s writing, this cookbook is more than just a recipe book; it’s a history of the spread of spices around the world from cardamom to sumac, it’s a spice map, a travel book, with stories and flavour wheels and writing so gloriously vivid I can’t put it down.” Lara Lee

“From the spice route map to the lists of magical names like tamarind and cassia, from the culinary history to the recipes, this is a book to inhale, to savour and to return to again and again.” The Travel Book Company

“The Nutmeg Trail offers a historical account of the spice trade with invaluable advice on the use of culinary spices - how to prepare and combine them, when to introduce them, and what delights to expect. Mouth-watering.” John Keay

“Eleanor Ford’s The Nutmeg Trail is an illuminating and inspirational guide to the rich, tumultuous history of the ancient spice routes and how spices not only changed the course of history, but how they influence the food we eat today.” Word of Mouth

“In The Nutmeg Trail, Eleanor Ford takes us on a mouth-watering culinary voyage to the fabled ‘spiceries’, those semi-mystical islands of the East Indies. A heady blend of history, adventure and deliciously authentic recipes, this book will make you hungry!” Giles Milton 

“I am completely enraptured with The Nutmeg Trail. It is the perfect balance of being fascinating and mouth watering at the same time. Another triumph by Eleanor.” Georgina Hayden 

“Beautifully presented, Eleanor Ford's The Nutmeg Trail blends delicious recipes with fascinating spice-trading history and travel writing flair to concoct a book that’s informative, inspirational and bursting with wonderful ways to spice-up your menu…. a spicy slam-dunk of a book.” Love Reading Expert Review

“I am so in love with this cookbook. An astounding culinary journey across the ancient spice routes, utter deliciousness spread across each page… and the design, my goodness what a feast for the eyes. A must have for all cookery enthusiasts.” Saliha Mahmood Ahmed

“A tantalising treatise on the intoxicating world of spice. Eleanor has coupled essays on the history and cultural significance of spices with very enticing recipes. I cannot wait to read, meander and cook my way along the ancient spice routes that Eleanor has so cleverly traced in this beautiful book.” Helen Goh

“The eclectic collection of recipes from across the world will make the reader want to head straight into the kitchen to conjure up heady meals to share with their family and friends.” Anissa Helou

"There are beautiful recipes along with photos and spectacular illustrations of tigers that I have fallen in love with. It’s a book that will encourage you to use the ingredients that are in your pantry and also try out new things.” Nik Sharma

“It’s not all about heat, spices can add depth, flavour and layers to cooking, as this wonderful cookbook reveals.” Evening Standard

“Open the cover of The Nutmeg Trail and a spice-led journey around the world awaits… It’s an ambitious book, and a deliciously successful one.” Susan Low, ‘Best World Food Writing Books’ The Independent

“Eleanor Ford is a cook and a historian, a culinary detective and, as she says, a gastronomic archaeologist. What a deep dive this is into the world of spice. It’s a deep-dive, a culinary history, a spice library, anatomy and miscellany. And then the recipes! Recipes which allow the reader to travel from Asia to the Middle East along the spice route, taking in so much flavour and so much context on the way. It’s the green coconut hot sauce from Somalia first up for me, followed by the green peppercorn asparagus from Thailand.” Yotam Ottolenghi