Peppers (1992)

Journalist Amal Naj undertakes a rollicking cross-continental expedition across South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Indian subcontinent to unlock humanity's enduring fascination with chilli peppers. Following the maritime tracks of Christopher Columbus and Portuguese navigators who carried the fiery pod across oceans, the book investigates how this New World crop conquered traditional cuisines worldwide. It blends vibrant travelogue with cultural anthropology, introducing eccentric botanists, hot-sauce dynasties, and spice traders whose passion borders on obsession.