Book Review: ‘The Condiment Book’ by Claire Dinhut

Book Review: ‘The Condiment Book’ by Claire Dinhut
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Updated 19 December 2024
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Book Review: ‘The Condiment Book’ by Claire Dinhut

Book Review: ‘The Condiment Book’ by Claire Dinhut

When presented with a plate of piping hot French fries, what condiment do you reach for to slather, drizzle or dip into?

If you’ve ever wondered about your choice, there is a new book that will speak to your soul.

“The Condiment Book,” published late 2024, is a comprehensive guide celebrating the unsung heroes and supporting stars of our meals.

From timeless staples like ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and butter (in their various iterations) to more adventurous hot sauces, ferments, pickles, dressings, oils and dips, the book explores the myriad ways in which condiments enhance our everyday dining. Add a little squeeze, a giant dollop or a sprinkling and it completely changes the whole meal and your experience.

Packed with recipes, flavor pairings and historical insights in an Instagrammable-ready format, each page is a love letter to a condiment.

Author Claire Dinhut, better known as “Condiment Claire,” describes herself as not a chef but a “flavor adventurer.” She has built a loyal following with her engaging content, particularly on TikTok, where she taste-tests and rates everything from jams to butters.

“This book is about curiosity,” she writes. “What excites our taste buds? How can we evoke feelings with every bite? How can we travel the world while sitting at a table?”

Dinhut begins by addressing the fundamental question: What is a condiment? She explains how the term originates from the Latin “condire,” meaning “to preserve, pickle, season, spice, render pleasant or enhance flavor.” In ancient Rome, a “condominium” referred to any sauce — an addition not strictly necessary but which always elevated the dish.

However, she clarifies: “This is not a cookbook. Instead, think of this book as a flavor manual.”

While it includes recipes for homemade condiments, Dinhut reassures readers that store-bought is perfectly fine. In her words, the book serves as a “personal diary of fun eats to tantalize our taste buds and keep life exciting.”

And it is does not simply provide a sprinkling of recipes; it delivers historical gems, too.

For instance, did you know the first ketchup had a fishy story? Originating in Hokkien Chinese as “ke-tsiap,” the original version was likely made from fermented fish. It was not until 1812 in the US that tomato ketchup as we know it made its debut.

Dinhut’s non-cookbook is an invitation to embrace curiosity, creativity, and flavor in every bite and is itself a complementary condiment for your collection of recipe books.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘California Amphibians and Reptiles’

What We Are Reading Today: ‘California Amphibians and Reptiles’
Updated 18 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘California Amphibians and Reptiles’

What We Are Reading Today: ‘California Amphibians and Reptiles’

Authors: Robert Hansen & Jackson D. Shedd

California is home to more than 200 species of reptiles and amphibians that can be found in an extraordinary array of habitats, from coastal temperate rainforests with giant redwoods to southeastern deserts offering dazzling wildflower displays each spring.

“California Amphibians and Reptiles” covers every species and subspecies in this biodiverse region of the United States, with outstanding color photography and in-depth species accounts that draw on the latest findings on taxonomy and distribution.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘There Are Rivers in the Sky’

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Updated 18 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘There Are Rivers in the Sky’

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  • Narin is a Yazidi girl surviving genocide in 2014 Iraq, her spirit as unyielding as the ancient lands she is forced to flee

Author: Elif Shafak

This historical novel by Elif Shafak, “There Are Rivers in the Sky,” was published in 2024 and is a meditation on life, loss and love.

Anchored by the Tigris and Thames rivers serving as motifs, the story drifts across centuries, stitching together fractured lives bound by intimacy, trauma, and the quiet power of water.

There are three characters at the heart of this story.

Arthur is a 19th-century linguist whose passion for Mesopotamia’s ruins eclipses his ability to connect with the living.

Narin is a Yazidi girl surviving genocide in 2014 Iraq, her spirit as unyielding as the ancient lands she is forced to flee.

And then there is Zaleekhah, a hydrologist in modern London, drowning in family secrets until she learns to swim toward redemption.

Their stories collide, ripple and reshape one another. Water is not just a metaphor here, it is a character. The rivers breathe life into memories, erode pain, and carry the weight of history.

Arthur’s obsession with the “Epic of Gilgamesh” mirrors his own loneliness as a man chasing immortality through dusty texts while real love slips through his fingers.

Narin’s resilience, rooted in Yazidi traditions, becomes a lifeline in a world determined to erase her people.

As for Zaleekhah, her journey from guilt to grace feels like watching a storm clear — messy, cathartic, and utterly human.

Shafak’s writing is lush, almost tactile. You can taste the silt of the Tigris, feel London’s rain, and ache with the characters.

But here is the catch: this book demands your attention. The timelines —switching between Victorian letters, wartime horror, and modern angst —are a high-wire act.

While the layers add depth, some readers might stumble over dense historical nods or Yazidi cultural nuances. (A glossary would have been a welcome raft.)

Yet, even its flaws pulse with intention. The same complexity that overwhelms also rewards.

This is not a book you breeze through. It is one you wade into, letting the currents tug you into deep, uncomfortable places.

The pacing does drag at times, and Shafak’s ambition occasionally outruns clarity.

In the end, Shafak asks: Can we ever truly outrun history? Or do we, like rivers, carve new paths while carrying the scars of where we have been?

This novel does not answer so much as invite you to sit with the question, long after the last page turns.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The African Revolution’ by Richard Reid

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The African Revolution’ by Richard Reid
Updated 17 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The African Revolution’ by Richard Reid

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The African Revolution’ by Richard Reid

Africa’s long 19th century was a time of revolutionary ferment and cultural innovation for the continent’s states, societies, and economies. Yet the period preceding what became known as “the Scramble for Africa” by European powers in the decades leading up to World War I has long been neglected in favor of a Western narrative of colonial rule.

The African Revolution demonstrates that “the Scramble” and the resulting imperial order were as much the culmination of African revolutionary dynamics as they were of European expansionism.


What We Are Reading Today: The Power to Destroy

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Updated 16 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: The Power to Destroy

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Author: Michael J. Graetz

The postwar US enjoyed large, widely distributed economic rewards — and most Americans accepted that taxes were a reasonable price to pay for living in a society of shared prosperity.
In 1978 California enacted Proposition 13, a property tax cap that Ronald Reagan hailed as a “second American Revolution,” setting off an antitax, antigovernment wave that has transformed American politics and economic policy.
In The Power to Destroy, Michael Graetz tells the story of the antitax movement and how it holds America hostage — undermining the nation’s ability to meet basic needs and fix critical problems.

 


What We Are Reading Today: Habitats of Africa

What We Are Reading Today: Habitats of Africa
Updated 15 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Habitats of Africa

What We Are Reading Today: Habitats of Africa

Authors: Ken Behrens, Keith Barnes & Iain Campbell

With breathtaking wildlife and stunningly beautiful locales, Africa is a premier destination for birders, conservationists, ecotourists, and ecologists. 

This compact, easy-to-use guide provides an unparalleled treatment of the continent’s wonderfully diverse habitats. 

Incisive and up-to-date descriptions cover the unique features of each habitat, from geology and climate to soil and hydrology, and require no scientific background. Knowing the surrounding environment is essential to getting the most out of your travel experiences.