What happens when a Cambridge trained historian goes foodie? In Lizzie Collingham’s case you get an interesting story that’s 5 parts history, 1 part culinary, and wholly entertaining to read. In her Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors, Collingham couples excellent story telling with exhaustive research. The result is a historical perspective on Indian fare that is as mouth watering as it is informative. Lizzie scorns those seeking authenticity when searching for perfect Indian. Instead, she focuses on the thought and care that is essential to all great cuisine, noting that many dishes borrow heavily from influences around the globe. It’s these influences that form the backbone of Curry, which details various settlers, conquerors, and nomads as they traveled the subcontinent, leaving their influence on what has become an international cuisine.

While some of her tangential discussions leave us tempted to flip ahead, colorful and detailed accounts of ancient feasts and cooking techniques brought forth serious salivation. It’s the stellar recipes however, tucked into the end of each chapter that kept this book off of our nightstand and in our kitchen. While we thought the vindaloo could use a lot more kick, the Bengali potatoes were stellar, and all of the recipes we tried brought something new to our kitchen. If you’re looking to learn the basics of Indian cooking with an English slant then the recipes in Curry will provide an excellent springboard. Not only will you have many of the classics under your belt, but you’ll also be able to debate the origins of biriyani, chai, and even ketchup. Most of the dishes described have a decidedly English flare. If you’re not up to making them yourself check out the Curry Club on Wisconsin Ave, which features Indian cooking with an English twist. With your newfound knowledge, you’ll be able to debate the finer points of England’s culinary influence on India with the chef himself.