My idea of an idyllic meal with friends was set long before I had my first real party – It had to allow me to talk about food WHILE eating with friends.

After all without food lovers talking - sharing a tip on how to light a flint fire or roast a bit of meat for example, human kind might have become extinct a long time ago. I don't think I have ever really cooked from this book, but I love leafing through it on down days because it is so full of … well, Happiness… at the risk of sounding silly.

But most importantly, Memories with Food at Gipsy house set the precedent for the kind of cookbooks I would gravitate to.

I have loved books that have interesting stories and atmosphere in addition to their recipes ever since.

Which is perhaps why From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail by Madhur Jaffrey became part of my all time favourites. In this fascinating tome of a book Jaffrey traces the origins of curry, the phenomenon, following its dissemination around the world via the Indian diaspora.

Along the way it highlights how Indian ingredients and techniques travelled to new lands, and adapted to local environs, creating a limitless cornucopia of delicious hybrids.

In addition to recipes there are much loved standard dishes found Indian influenced areas around the world, including surprising places such as Kenya! Rich pickings from all over the world include; Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam, Pakistan, and even a beef curry from Japan, (like the United Kingdom, curry is a big deal in Japan).

I love the inimitable Madhur Jaffrey touch that runs throughout the book, introductions on various on topics or techniques, asides on how she discovered specific recipes and adapted them and an invaluable section on special ingredients and techniques.

Ever since I acquired this book, my appetite for finding out about local food has been whetted. A hunger that fueled my discovery of mouth watering dishes such as; South African Bunny Chow, Pandhi Curry in Coorg, Vietnamese Pho and Singapore style Porridge and a few hundred other dishes that eventually made it into my culinary repertoire at home.

In the photograph: Madhur Jaffrey attends the 'Bombay Dreams' opening night after-party at Spirit, April 29, 2004 in New York City.

Photograph: Evan Agostini/Getty Images