The Food and Cooking of Eastern Europe (At Table) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book looking for a specific recipe that my Serbian grandmother used to make called "Civapcici", (ground meat with spices added, which must be grilled). Looking through the book I found a related recipe for "Mititei" from Romania which is identical... the only difference being that baking soda is added to the mixture.
I've seen recipes for civapcici before, but the spice mixture was not the same as what I was used to. The recipe Lesley Chamberlain listed was exactly what I was looking for.
There is a wealth of recipes from all over Eastern Europe in this book. Although not ever recipe my grandmother used to make is listed such as "Gibanica" (an hors d'oeuvre type of food made with a Serbian cream cheese baked in phyllo pastry), this book is very comprehensive. I gave this book a 4 only because I could not find one or two recipes that I thought should be listed. What recipes that are listed, are exactly as you would find them in Europe. If you ever traveled to Eastern Europe and you long to make some of the dishes you tasted while on your journey... this book is the one for you.

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The Food and Cooking of Eastern Europe, first published in 1989 and a companion volume to Lesley Chamberlain's acclaimed The Food and Cooking of Russia, surveys the rich and diverse food cultures that were known to few people in the West during the half century when Europe was divided. It contains more than two hundred recipes interwoven with historical background and notes from the author's extensive experiences traveling through Central and Eastern Europe. When originally published this practical cookbook revealed how the world's most delicious sausages, goulash and sauerkraut, fruit dumplings, cheesecake, and many other dishes tasted in their homelands. Now, in a quite different political world, this book is a vital resource for remembering life before the Iron Curtain was lifted.

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Sea Vegetable Gourmet Cookbook and Wildcrafter's Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)This book gave me all of the information I needed to cook and enjoy seaweed. Before I purchased this book, I had no idea all of the varied ways to prepare and serve this nutritous vegetable. The best recipie was the "Sushi Salad". I loved it! It tastes just like sushi without needing all of the time to prepare those "new wave" looking finger foods. It was so easy I started packing my yoga instructor husbands lunch. He loves it and encourages me to also make "marinated seapalm fronds" for special occassions.

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Seaweed (Sea Vegetable) cooking recipes, harvesting, andnutritional information, with essays on the history, poetry andfolklore of eating seaweed, and on the lifestyle of a sea vegetablewildcrafting family.

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The Quinoa Cookbook: Over 70 Great Quinoa Recipes Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the quinoa book I've been looking for!
I've been wanting to cook with quinoa after seeing a couple of good-sounding recipes demonstrated on TV shows. In addition, some members of my family have food allergies, and others are sensitive to certain foods, so I'm always looking for ingredients that are both healthy and generally non-allergenic.
Quinoa seemed to meet my requirements, but... well, even my favorite "healthy" cookbooks didn't offer many recipes. The recipes that I could find included ingredients that were a little too healthy to be popular in my home (meaning: did not resemble junk food in any way).
So, when I found this cookbook, I was very pleased. There's something for everyone -- including picky eaters -- in these recipes.
The recipes are simple and most ingredients are very normal. They don't require a trip to several gourmet, health food or ethnic grocers. (I don't have time for that.)
This cookbook's recipe measurements are in teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, etc., as well as in grams and litres. So, I can recommend this cookbook to friends in America and in Europe. I like that.
I especially like the section that explains a variety of ways to cook quinoa. It's not one of those grains or seeds that require overnight preparations or complicated/gourmet cooking methods. That's another big plus, with my busy schedule.
In general, this cookbook takes the mystery and anxiety out of quinoa. In today's economy, I'm careful to buy only groceries that I'll actually cook and my family will enjoy. This cookbook showed me that quinoa is a basic staple for most kitchens, and can be used in many ways and a wide range of cooking and baking styles.
Like another reviewer, I wish this book had more photos. I respond very visually to the world around me, so I want to see a dish that makes me say, "Ooh, that looks yummy!" The pictures in the book are very appealing... I just wanted more of them.
On the other hand, the recipes are so straightforward, my mouth was watering even without lots of photos. So, the illustrations aren't a big issue; I'm only mentioning this because I wouldn't want someone to dismiss this book because it's mostly text. (But, within a few minutes of skimming the many delicious-sounding recipes, I think you'll be pleased with this book, too.)
The health information about quinoa is especially motivating. My initial interest in quinoa has been... well, from seeing Emeril cook with it on "Planet Green" TV shows. However, after reading quinoa's history, health-related information, and the many ways to use quinoa, I'm amazed this isn't considered a basic ingredient in all kitchens.
(I predict that it will be, when more people learn how to cook with quinoa. It's healthy, affordable, delicious, and easy to cook with.)
This book provides far more interesting information and ready-to-use recipes than most "health food" cookbooks, and it's very well written.
If you've had any interest in cooking with quinoa, this cookbook is probably all you'll need to become a quinoa enthusiast.

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Discover the secrets of cooking mouth watering Quinoa recipes that taste great and can help improve your health.Do you want to cook Quinoa but have no idea what to do with it?Have you heard that Quinoa is one of the super foods with high protein content and really good for your health? The Quinoa Cookbook has full instructions on how to cook quinoa and include it in your daily diet. The recipes are for everyday cooking at home. From simple quinoa salads and stir fry dishes to desserts and quinoa cookies.

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