Book excerpt: Explore the exotic world of Balinese cooking--a cuisine dedicated to the gods and fueled by an aromatic array of fresh tropical island spices and ingredients! In Balinese Food: The Traditional Cuisine & Food Culture of Bali, Dr. Vivienne Kruger brings to life Bali's time-honored and authentic village cooking traditions. In over 20 detailed chapters, Dr. Kruger explores how the island's intricate culinary art is an inextricable part of Bali's Hindu religion, its culture and its community life. This book provides a detailed roadmap for those who wish to make an exciting exploration into the exotic world of Balinese cooking, with chapters on: The traditional Balinese kitchen Snacking at a roadside warung food stall Visiting a traditional Balinese market Preparing delicious satays with a Balinese twist Brewing heavenly kopi Bali coffee Containing interviews with Balinese master cooks and over 40 of their favorite recipes, Balinese Food presents the full range of food experiences you will find in Bali. Sections devoted to ingredients, equipment, and resources make Balinese Food a delightful social and cultural guide to the food of this fascinating island. "Balinese Food is an important contribution to the rapidly expanding scholarly study of foodways in various parts of the world--an important new subset of social and cultural history." --Alden T. Vaughan, Professor emeritus of History, Columbia University