Diana 12-3-2007 12:17
New Book of Middle Eastern Food
[i][i]by [url=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=Claudia+Roden&z=y]Claudia Roden[/url][/i][/i]
[img]http://a1055.g.akamai.net/f/1055/1401/5h/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/19310000/19315965.JPG[/img]
When Roden published [i]The Book of Middle Eastern Food[/i] in 1972, the cuisinesof Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Egypt and their neighbors were mysteries in thiscountry. Today, their fresh flavors are better known, and much loved, andRoden has expanded and updated her classic to meet modern needs. The newversion includes more than 800 recipes, as well as folk tales, tips,anecdotes and just about all the information anyone needs to reproduce foodsfrom that part of the world. Miraculously, Roden manages to be this thoroughwhile never sacrificing her personal tone-this is a book that is bothencyclopedic and intimate. Much of Middle Eastern food is light tasting andvegetable-based, and the recipes reflect these qualities without neglectingmore complex and unusual preparations. A chapter on appetizers and saladsincludes a Moroccan Lettuce and Orange Salad, Tabbouleh, Lemony ChickenJelly and even a Brain Salad. While Roden is no stickler for starting fromscratch, she always provides plenty of options for those who wish to do so.In a section on yogurt-a key ingredient in many recipes, such as Tagliatellewith Yogurt and Fried Onions, and Chickpeas with Yogurt and Soaked Bread-shegives both guidelines for buying yogurt and instructions for making yourown. A sub-section on Persian sauces for rice is outstanding, as is anotheron stuffed eggplants. Desserts include Egyptian "Bread-and-Butter" Puddingand Arab Pancakes with various filings. Roden won a James Beard award for[i]The Book of Jewish Food[/i] in 1997. She will certainly be in the running oncemore with this impressive work. 24 pages of color photos. (Oct.)