Malika Ameen, author of "Sweet Sugar, Sultry Spice: Exotic Flavors to Wake Up Your Baking" (Roost Books, $30.00) Wednesday March 22 at 6:00 p.m. Register at Lake Forest Book Store 847-234-4420 Welcome to a world of exotic spices and flavorings from the warm embrace of clove and ginger to the fiery touch of peppercorns and chiles, from the sensual kiss of cardamom and rose to the surprising sensations of sumac and za'atar. With encouraging language, invaluable tips, and a passionate approach to flavor, Malika Ameen seeks to push spices beyond the realm of savory to the world of sweet where they can add everything from a delicate whisper to a surprising punch to cakes and tarts, cookies and bars, ice creams and sorbets, barks and brittles, and more. A diverse and accessible collection of spice-enhanced recipes that will transform your baking and awaken your senses--from a classically trained pastry chef. MALIKA AMEEN is a classically trained pastry chef whose South Asian heritage sparked her love of spices--sweet and savory--in desserts. Her cooking journey has taken her from the East Coast to the West Coast and back to her home in the Midwest. As pastry chef at the legendary hotel Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, she earned accolades for desserts like her walnut cardamom snowball cookies and her sticky toffee pudding, which she brought with her to her hometown of Chicago, where she opened the acclaimed restaurant Aigre Doux.