I was excited for this book. I am deeply disappointed with it and I feel deceived. Reading from the descriptions on several bookstores, it presents itself to be an "encyclopedia". It is most definitely not. It is written in a very amateur manner that is illogical, vague and imprecise. The 'recipes' are about 2-3 sentences long.

In Pork & Broccoli, her descriptions could convince even the most staunch broccoli hater to give it another go. The Guardian called The Flavour Thesaurus a "superb book", writing "As you cannot write with scientific objectivity about taste without risking dullness .., the best approach is anecdotal, and this is where Segnit's book is elevated beyond mere usefulness to delight – she doesn't always give recipes with her entries, but when she does they are both simple and inspirational." [1] The Independent listed it amongst the best books for Christmas 2010, called it "Original and prodigious in range", and wrote " its recondite market (cooks drawn to outré combinations) has been broadened with lively writing, but the section on oysters is more fallible than might be expected from a reference work." [2]Fungal fraud aside, there’s nothing wrong with synthetic truffle oil, which can work wonders pepping up mashed potato, cauliflower, cabbage or macaroni and cheese, and will certainly give you an idea of what truffle tastes like if you’ve never had the real thing. In the same way that reading the study guide for Anna Karenina, rather than the actual novel, will give you an idea of the book." Niki Segnit is a self-taught flavor genius … a prolific food writer. Just as fabulous as the original. It makes for great reading … Really creative, imaginative and fun. Ok, all my food industry friends would just hate me for saying this but I didn't like this book at all. It felt like there was no rhyme or reason for the author's flavor pairings, sometimes using recipes, sometimes personal anecdotes to justify why certain things go together.

I’m sure there are people who will get some value out of this book. People who, say, aren’t too clear on what a thesaurus is and so isn’t mislead by the title.Brilliant, informative and witty … The range of flavour combinations and recipe suggestions is incredible, written with lightness of touch and humour that had me laughing out loud. An invaluable read. This book will inspire a new generation of home cooks, chefs and writers alike. Lezard, Nicholas (17 July 2010). "Books: The Flavour Thesaurus: Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook by Niki Segnit". The Guardian . Retrieved 23 February 2017. I'm going to put my notes here. And probably do up a blog post. Needless to say, this is the type of book that I would tend to buy to help me generate ideas.

I’m only halfway into the second of sixteen sections and I already have so much to say (and the colorful post-its are taking over!). I only first heard of this book when they were coming out with the revised edition with the new cover. And it was SO PRETTY that it grabbed my attention right away. “The Flavor Thesaurus…” Hmm, sounds like a wonderful reference guide for explorations in the culinary frontier… and pretty too? I shall have it immediately. (My thoughts exactly.) The most horrific thing about this book is that it does NOT explain why the food pairs work or not. It had one job and it failed miserably. Colquhoun, Kate (27 June 2010). "The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit". The Sunday Times . Retrieved 23 February 2017. [ dead link]

But trust me on this. It’s about flavor combinations, yes, and I know you are familiar with lots of these, but the author is odd and snarky and fun, and, most important, she can write about food in a way that will make you look for more of her works, even if it’s a food dictionary or a taste encyclopedia. An eclectic combination of dictionary, recipe book, travelogue and memoir ... A deceptively simple little masterpiece' SUNDAY TIMES