First, I must acknowledge writer Sallie Tisdale, whom I do not know. Her remarkable book Lot’s Wife: Salt and the Human Condition is the finest treatise I have read on salt. Her writing, so rich with passion and curiosity, is a continuing inspiration, as is Marilynne Robinson’s exquisite novel Housekeeping, which I have quoted in this book.
Many thanks to Harriet Bell, my former editor, and Doe Coover, my former agent, for believing in this book long before salt had caught fire. And to my current editor, Andy Ross, mahalo for finding it a new home. Nicole Frail and the team at Skyhorse Publishing get a huge shout-out, too, for shepherding my beloved little book through production. Thank you so very much; I am both grateful and humbled.
There are no words in English to adequately thank photographer Liza Gershman and the team of volunteer assistants who worked on a crazy schedule to help produce Liza’s lovely images. Fabiano Ramaci, Rayne Wolfe, Kelly Keagy, Sherry Soleski, Clio Tarazi, and Deborah Pulido, you all offered invaluable support and I offer an enthusiastic grazie!
Cultivate, a sweet little cookware store in downtown Sebastopol, loaned many props for our photo sessions. Thank you! And thank you for your kindness and support of my books. Thanks, too, to K & L Bistro, a fabulous family restaurant in downtown Sebastopol, for the marrow bones (twice!) and for always taking such good care of me when I stumble in after too much work.
Marty Goldsmith, vice president and senior trader at Ludwig Mueller Co., Inc., in New York has generously shared his vast knowledge of the world of pepper for both editions of this book. Thank you, Marty!
Tourism Malaysia provided crucial support and introduced me to a region of the world I might not have discovered on my own. A heartfelt terima kasih to Lily Musni and Sharifah Danial in the Los Angeles office, Raja H. J. Normala and her associates in the Kuala Lumpur office, and Talib H. J. Long in Kuching, Sarawak. Many thanks to Malaysia Airlines, too.
Had it not been for Bill Penzey of Penzeys, Ltd., I might not have gone to Malaysia at all, so Bill, thank you. (But would you please get Naturally Clean Black Pepper back in stock!)
In Malaysia, so many people were kind and helpful that I am sure I will forget to name them all, and I offer my apologies in advance of my thanks. That said, thank you very much to Elizabeth Foo of the Legend Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, to Fiona Fong of the Holiday Inn in Kuching, and to Anandan Adnan Abdullah, former general manager of the Pepper Marketing Board and a gracious and charming host. It was through Anandan’s efforts, and those of his assistants Chong Vui Hok and Joseph Lau, that I was able to return to Sarawak for a second visit not long after my first. I have fallen completely in love with the city and the state of Sarawak, and the island of Borneo. And to Narain Nallathamby, who was my guide in Kuala Lumpur, thank you for indulging my whims and curiosity, and for being a wonderful companion. And to the sweet Ramlee Eli, hugs and fond memories.
Thanks to everyone who helped along the salt trail, especially Jill Singleton and Skip Niman of Cargill Corporation; Andy Briscoe of the Salt Institute; Brian Abendroth, and the folks at the Grain and Salt Society. And to Elizabeth Erman of ASTA, thanks for leads to pepper traders. Special thanks go out to the Poland Tourism Board, too, for whisking me off to the Wieliczka Salt Mine so soon after I’d finished the first edition of this book.
And heartfelt thanks and love to my daughters Gina and Nicolle; my grandson Lucas; my son-in-law Tom; my dear friends John Boland and James Carroll; my friend Ken “Poco Torta” Behrens; my childhood friends Bobby and Connie Howard and Linda Zalesky; my kumu Shawna Alapa’i and all my hula sisters and my dear friend Mary Duryee. Finally, to the DeLaura family, I offer my deepest mahalo nui loa for having you back in my life.
And to Patrick Bouquet, wherever you may be, I miss you more than salt, every minute of every day.