Celebrating the love story between sugar and spice, this stunning new volume from awardwinning cookbook author Eleanor Ford presents eighty spiceinfused recipes for desserts and baked goods and a guide to spice switches so you can master classic flavor combinations and open the door to new possibilities.

Spice is often the party girl: the loud, bold, exuberant element in the mix. When married with sugar, spice can provide a delicate fragrance that gives backbone to a dish and deepens its allure. Just as a generous swirl of woodysweet cinnamon elevates a simple bun, a fiery gingerbread is a wonder in the mouth, nutmeg cuts through the sweet creaminess of custard to make a more rounded tart, and a whisper of cardamom makes poached plums jaunty and interesting.

As international spice expert Eleanor Ford shows in A Whisper of Cardamom, flavors can be enhanced by a thoughtful addition from the spice drawer—added not in shouts, but in whispers. With her signature blend of