Jane Lawson, an Australian chef and cookbook author, is a true believer in the culinary power of these "tiny treasures." As a curl of ginger is a crucial element of a sushi tasting, and a quarter-teaspoon of saffron can make all the difference in a paella, a little bit of the right spice makes a huge flavor payoff.

Her beautifully organized and photographed volume offers more than 250 recipes whose mission is to jolt us out of our tired repertoires and expand our horizons in the spice world.

After all, wars were fought and trade routes were discovered because of these dried and ground bits of plant matter. It's a darn shame, she seems to say, that we don't venture beyond a few jars or tins of the most common varieties.

After a brief introduction and a couple of pages of storage advice, "The Spice Bible" delves into seeds and pods, berries and flowers, roots and bark, spice pastes and spice mixes. Each spice gets a page or two of biography and a selection of recipes.

Recipes for mixes include the Egyptian staple dukka, the classic Chinese five-spice blend, and the garam masala ("sweet mix"), indispensable to Northern Indian cuisine.

In the spirit of exploration (well, actually, because I discovered two jars of cardamom in my pantry), I tried Honey and Cardamom Cookies. Although my philosophy is there's no such thing as a bad homemade cookie, let's just say that I may have dumped in too much of the title spice.

Moving on . . . the Cypriot Pork and Coriander Stew was definitely a keeper, simple to make with a subtle, surprising tang. Bonus points for the garnish of cilantro sprigs.

This is a book for cooks who like to drill down in a category, or for those looking for a dependable reference. Considering space and expense, I can't see the average kitchen stocked up with ajowan or wattleseed (although mail order and specialty stores have made it much easier to get small quantities of unusual spices).

Still, "The Spice Bible" can be opened at random and plumbed for fascinating lore. Such as:

Poor asafoetida's name comes from the word "fetid," and it's slangily called "devil's dung." Dill's name is derived from the Norse word "to lull," because dill water was used to calm babies.

You'll read about the complicated processes that make vanilla, originally the product of a climbing orchid in Central America, the second most expensive spice in the market (Saffron is the most expensive). And Lawson crowns the eight-pointed star anise (13 times sweeter than sugar) the most beautiful spice.

The photographs alone may tempt you to stretch and try something exotic. With those visual cues and spices' transporting aromas, it's an easy trick to imagine yourself in the night markets of Bangkok or an Indian bazaar as you chop, stir and simmer.
Cindy Creasy is Community News Editor of The Times-Dispatch. Contact her at (804) 649-6434 or ccreasy@timesdispatch.com.