I thought it was going to be a sort of herb manual, listing herbs and their uses. It only list a short number of spices, some of which not very common (why holy basil and not just basil?), then list a few ways to mix them as well as recipes. Some were too simple to call recipes, like adding certain spices to fresh fruits or store bought stuff, some other were more interesting but I wish that part was longer.

Mostly what I don't agree with is the selection, it tries to give multicultural references but that already strays from the concept of common spices. I'll probably try the recipes, but some of the spices were completely unknown to me and others just hard to find.

Book is geared towards those who desire a more natural approach to every day cooking or those who are looking for a more in-depth information about herbs and spices. Educational in that you learn the history of spices and the lands where they originate. Love the graphs that succinctly list the information from the chapter as that makes easier to find. The expectation is to find recipes in cookbooks, but since this is mainly about the spices, they take center stage of each one. Plus they lead to more experimentation and creativity in the kitchen. This is a great reference book for serious cooks who want healthier meals.
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my volunteer review.

Spice Apothecary is a great addendum to any kitchen library!

I am a long-time lover of holistic living. I used to spend hours pouring over natural herb treatments and cures. My genetics have created something wonky and I don't respond well to a lot of allopathic medicines, hence, the search for natural cures. My family has always been a bit more on the "natural" treatment spectrum so the discussion of taking garlic pills and Vitamin C and D when someone was feeling ill, is no biggie.

Spice apothecary had me smacking my forehead at all the good stuff I used to do and have fallen out of practice with.

Add a sprinkle of pepper and it helps you absorb more calcium from your diet. And we all must be crazy if we aren't adding a splash of turmeric and garlic into your dishes with all their health benefits.

The author not only teaches you about common spices but gives you profiles on the systems they work best with (i.e. immune, memory, etc) but also gives you recipes for some spice mixes to add to your cooking repertoire.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.*

Spice Apothecary is a gorgeously photographed and well-organized book that teaches you everything you need to know to effectively use spices for medicinal, healing, and cooking purposes! The book contains everything from herbal profiles on individual spices to recipes for meals and blends. If you're interested in creating a healthy kitchen, consider this an essential reference book for your home!

Gorgeous photography combined with a common-sense approach, use charts and recipes makes this book a wonderful resource for kitchen and healthcare book collections. I expect to refer back to this book again and again. I especially appreciated the global flavors and references to spice habits and recipes from different regions of the world.

Very accessible and easy to follow. A highly enjoyable book to browse and reference. I know I'll turn to The Spice Apothecary over and over again.

This book is filled with historical and scientific information about spices and how to use them for better health. I loved the photos of the spices and the descriptions of the uses of each. I'd like to have this book in print because it is a good reference book. I thoroughly enjoyed it once I got the pdf downloaded! I'd give it five starts.

Spice Apothecary is a gorgeous book outlining the health benefits and uses of common spices. I enjoyed learning about the health benefits of spices I already use and the reasons I have found those spices beneficial to my health. I also enjoyed learning reasons to integrate other spices in my regular diet and how to use those spices in my cooking. All in all, a delightful and practical read. This is next on my list of cookbooks/food books to share with friends and family.

Spices have many beneficial properties in our lives. They provide nutritional support while teasing our taste buds. Aromatics can bring to mind special memories with just a whiff of cinnamon or sage. Medicinal properties of many spices have found their way into our everyday routines. A cup of camomile tea before bed guarantees sweet dreams. In this one volume, you'll find a comprehensive look at how spicing up your family's diet can also improve their health and well being. Targeted information on commonly used spices and lots of gorgeous pictures will set you on course to tell market to increase and improve your pantry.

This is the most interesting textbook that you didn't know you needed to have in your book collection! Whether you just love to cook or are looking for help in healing organically, this book is for you! It has vibrant colorful pages and pictures to entice your eyes, but the material presented is definitely the meat of the book! It starts out explaining the backgrounds of certain herbs and spices and how they have been used historically to aid in health and healing. Then it gets really good as the book presents blends that not only sound like they would taste amazing, but offers information of how the spice blend can aid in your optimal health and healing journey. There are heart healthy blends, digestive aid blends and while that sounds super boring to some, the blends themselves sound amazing! Even better the author offers up some recipes to show you how you can use the blends! I can't wait to try a couple! I'm definitely going to start with the Cinnamon Apple Oat Bake, although the Comfy Compote sounded like a delicious place to start too! The best part is that the book leaves you will enough knowledge to start blending together your own spice blends to treat your taste buds!

A beautiful, colourful book. I have been searching for a book which shows a lovely simple understanding of the everyday spices we come across and what we can use each one for. The book brings a gentle understanding of how spices can be added to our everyday cooking, even with those on a budget. It shows that we can live healthily if we just take the time to plan which spices to use to further boost our food.

Fantastic book about how spice not only make food taste better, but how they can make you feel better too. A very detail description about spices that are common to most people and how to obtain them and use them. The beautiful pictures are going to be very helpful in identifying both fresh and dry versions of the spice, plus the helpful tables of The spice combinations will be fun to use in recipes. Every part of this book was right on.

This is a healthcare book that I would buy and keep within easy reach. We are a household that enjoys our food most when it is full of flavor. I also try to keep our home running on as many natural ingredients as is possible within my budget. Using spices, and the remainder of the plant they come from is an easy way for me to accomplish both of those goals.
In Spice Apothecary, Bevin Clare introduces you to 19 spices that are versatile in their benefits, delicious to the palate, and many of which you probably already have in your kitchen. She talks you through the benefits of each one as far as health is concerned, and the benefits are many. And while I was already using most of these on a regular basis, I have begun increasing the use since reading this book.
Before you get to the spices Clare walks you through a brief history of the use of spices, including the reminder that they were originally used to preserve foods and keep bacteria away. She also talks through the scientific side of spices and your body. The explanations given are well researched and stated in ways that are easy to understand by those of us who are not scientifically minded.
I am excited about this book being available. I think the publication date coinciding with farmer's market season is a great idea as well. Natural and holistic healthcare does not need to be complicated, expensive or weird; it can be as simple as shopping your produce and spice sections of the grocery store.

This is a beautiful book that's also incredibly informative. It was a joy to look through! The author covers every aspect of spices, from history to source, to use. There are gorgeous photographs showing what the spices look like in various forms (fresh vs dried, whole vs ground.) The writing is straightforward and easy to understand. The history of spices was new information to me and I found it fascinating. The guidance on how and why to use each spice (or to avoid it) are thorough. The recipes sound fun and yummy! This would be a great book to have on hand for future reference and I can think of a couple people for whom it would be a nice gift. I highly recommend this one!

I absolutely loved this book! The one thing that really stuck out for me was not tying it in with any spiritual practices as many books of this nature do. For me that was a huge bonus because this made the book appealing to anyone. Bevin Clare's expertise and knowledge of spices is extensive, but she really did an amazing job of condensing the most important information without losing the reader, making it an excellent reference book without having to read through fluff to get the information you need. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of both culinary and holistic medicinal uses for each spice, with some amazing recipes to try as well. This is a must have for anyone's apothecary needs.


Thank you NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Spice Apothecary is a book about how you can use common cooking spices to help improve your health. The photographs and illustrations are exceptionally crisp and clear. I loved that it explains to you how the different spices affect your body and provides many delicious recipes that I am eager to try. This took spices to a whole new level for me. What a beautiful book to own! My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

I LOVE this book! The author presents the information in a format that assists the reader in understanding the information with ease. The graphics and layouts also work for readers with different learning styles. In addition, the recipes suggestions, as well as the recipes presented in the book, add to the handiness of this book. I have read other books on this subject but none of the others presented the information as this book did. I recommend it as an excellent gift or even addition to the library of a reader/herbalist student who wants more information on the subject via a very user-friendly format. I definitely plan on adding it to my library.

While I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book that was provided by the publisher through Net Galley, the thoughts and opinions presented here are my own. Please note that I have given it five stars only because that is the highest rating available. This book really deserves more.

This book was so well done. The pictures had me wishing I had this in my hands instead of on my phone! I love all the information and can’t wait to purchase a copy for myself and family when it comes out. I can’t wait to make more spicy wonder gingerbread. Yum!

Spice Apothecary is a thorough examination of spices. How to identify them, use them in cooking, or medicinally, as well as storing. It also goes into the individual aspects of the most common spices. There's also a few recipes.

A great introductory guide to herbs and spices for a novice or keen enthusiast. Throughout the pages with stunning photographs and illustrations, you will find explanations of the uses, benefits, and origins of various herbs and spices from around the globe, as well as recipes for delicious food and drinks using natural ingredients.
There are helpful sections detailing how much a portion should be of each spice, and what is in known for aiding (eg digestion, energy, etc), so it would be handy to keep in the kitchen and dip into when you are wondering what to use for a cold or aiment, especially if you are interested in herbal remedies and natural cures or supplements.