From Saint Hildegard's Kitchen

The 12th-century Benedictine Abbess Hildegard of Bingen was blessed with an astonishing array of talents. She was, among other things, a mystic, naturalist, visionary, and composer. Hildegard was also granted, by means of heavenly visions, in-depth knowledge about human nutrition. She believed "foods of joy" revitalized us and helped preserve good health in every sphere-physical, spiritual, and psychological.

Now, famed French chef Jany Fournier-Rosset has mined from Hildegard's writings a collection of tasty recipes-you'll find everything from simple jams to chestnut souffle, from spiced wine to Tunisian ratatouille. The book contains a measurement conversion table, cooking terms, special bread-making instructions, lists of ingredients with definitions, sources for rare ingredients used in the recipes, and an index.

Readers will also find a brief biography of Hildegard and table graces from Saint Benedict and others.