Underlying any recipe are five fundamental elements that form the five chapters of the book: Taste, Flavor (smell), Texture (touch and sound), Temperature (touch), and Appearance. Integral to our experience of eating, these are the building blocks of cookery throughout the world, whether you are making lemon pickle in India or porridge in Scotland. This book explains how these five elements work together, and shows the reader how best to use them in everyday cooking to produce simple, delicious dishes.

The book is designed so that the reader first understands a little theory and then learns by cooking the recipes, and conducting the easy, practical tests suggested throughout. Carefully cross-referenced, the recipes ensure a good breadth of ideas for the domestic cook, ranging from Persian Sour Lentil Soup and Blackened Salmon with Pineapple Salsa to Mint Julep and Chili Marmalade. Refine your understanding of multi-sensory cooking and you will find that your kitchen prowess knows no bounds.