A comprehensive guide to the world of chilli peppers has been published in the UK and US. The brainchild of Caz Hildebrand, Creative Partner at Here Design, An Anarchy of Chillies tells the story of 100 varieties of chilli in a vibrant showcase of colour and flavour, from the mild apricot jalapeño to the superhot Dorset Naga.
An Anarchy of Chillies offers advice on how to identify, grow and prepare each chilli, accompanied by a short serving suggestion or recipe. From the anatomy of a chilli to a directory of seed specialists around the world, the book is a colourful who’s who of the chilli world and an engaging reference book for all levels of chilli enthusiast.
Also included are tips on which strains work best with other foods – from chocolate to fruit and larder staples – plus practical advice on how to prepare the peppers, from roasting and smoking to grinding and creating chilli flakes at home.
Alongside this insightful guidance each entry is illustrated in a contemporary light-touch graphic style inspired by the CMYK or process printing technique, layering cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks to create every colour imaginable, to reflect the vibrancy and depth of the chilli pepper.
In addition to the hardback book, Thames & Hudson has also released a range of notecards, wrapping paper and postcards, all featuring illustrations from the book.
“The journey of creating An Anarchy of Chillies has been one of intrigue and discovery. There are few rules and regulations in place – no leaders of the chilli world to give order to the thousands of varieties out there – so we organised our chosen one hundred chillies by heat level on the Scoville scale. Taking the CMYK process as a base for the graphic illustrations seemed a fitting analogy for the chillies themselves; all resulting from the cross-pollination of a very small base of original variants. The result is a vibrant snapshot of this complex and anarchic world, and an invitation for the reader to be more daring and adventurous in cooking and eating chillies.” – Caz Hildebrand, Creative Partner, Here Design
This colourful design compendium is the latest in a series of illustrated food-based books from Here Design, following the successful release of The Grammar of Spice, which marries practical, useful spice advice with beautiful, timeless designs from around the world; The Geometry of Pasta, a technical exploration of the world of pasta inspired by the Italian instinct for matching the right pasta shape with the right sauce; and Herbarium, which looks to enrich the reader’s understanding of the uses, cultural associations and pleasures of herbs.
Info and images courtesy of Here Design
