Product Description
In this exciting and comprehensive new book, Ghillie Basan explores the rich culinary history, culture and traditions of the Turkish people, the evolution of their cuisine, and the classic dishes that are known and loved all over the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Beautifully Illustrated!
Beautifully illustrated is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of this book!Purchased the book for a friend who travels to Turkey once or twice a year!She has made several of the recipes so far and we are both impressed.

Excellent cookbook
Excellent cookbook. From simple to the complicated, all ingredients are relatively easy to find. The book does not cost $60, simply go to its publisher (Anness Publising) and follow the link on how to "buy in USA". Enjoy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Turkish Cooking
This is a very easy cookbook to follow. The dishes are delicious, very authentic tasting, and lip-smacking good!I'm so happy to have found this book!

Great book
Although this is an older book it remains one of the best introductions to Turkish cooking for the non-Turkish cook.The recipes are easy to follow and every one I've made was delicious.I had an earlier copy of the book and have used it for years while cooking for my Turkish husband and friends and it has never disappointed.My husband claims that learning to cook Turkish food was an elaborate plan on my part to snag a Turkish husband.I guess it worked since we have been married since 1983.

The best Turkish cookbook
I am a Turkish person living in North America and it is difficult to find right ingredients and measurements for majority of recipes in Turkish cookbooks. Whichever recipe I tried from this cookbook turned out exactly how it looks and tastes as the one you would find in Turkey. It is a fail-proof cookbook.

The Original and probably one of the best
I have the original edition printed in 1969 by Doubleday books. This is probably the best Trukish cooking book still out there. The one thing is it is missing in todays cookbookbuyer expectation is the pictures, butthat usually is not that important unless you plan on leaving the book on the kitchen table to be browsed as most people do.

Excellent Cookbook
The best Turkish cookbook I have seen in my life (and I have seen a lot).Clearly explained recipes.The book captures the essence of Turkish cooking. ... Read more

Product Description
In the 1960s Claudia Roden introduced Americans to a new world of tastes in her classic A Book of Middle Eastern Food. Now, in her enchanting new book, Arabesque, she revisits the three countries with the most exciting cuisines today—Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon. Interweaving history, stories, and her own observations, she gives us 150 of the most delectable recipes: some of them new discoveries, some reworkings of classic dishes—all of them made even more accessible and delicious for today’s home cook.

From Morocco, the most exquisite and refined cuisine of North Africa: couscous dishes; multilayered pies; delicately flavored tagines; ways of marrying meat, poultry, or fish with fruit to create extraordinary combinations of spicy, savory, and sweet.

From Turkey, a highly sophisticated cuisine that dates back to the Ottoman Empire yet reflects many new influences today: a delicious array of kebabs, fillo pies, eggplant dishes in many guises, bulgur and chickpea salads, stuffed grape leaves and peppers, and sweet puddings.

From Lebanon, a cuisine of great diversity: a wide variety of mezze (those tempting appetizers that can make a meal all on their own); dishes featuring sun-drenched Middle Eastern vegetables and dried legumes; and national specialties such as kibbeh, meatballs with pine nuts, and lamb shanks with yogurt.

Claudia Roden knows this part of the world so intimately that we delight in being in such good hands as she translates the subtle play of flavors and simple cooking techniques to our own home kitchens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

excellent cookbook
this is a beautifully illustrated book, with interesting text about the different cultures, and great recipes.

Recipes for authentic and delightful Mediterranean cuisine
This is an excellent cookbook packed with many recipes for making authentic Mediterranean cuisine.Our family is very fond of Mediterranean cuisine and at times we have tried other recipes (not from this book) to make various dishes at home.None of them really turned out the way we expected them to.They did not taste the same as those made in authentic Mediterranean restaurants.

That all changed once we got this book.I've tried several dishes and they all turn out pretty much the same as we expect and the way we like them from eating out.Whether is hummus or baba ghanouj they turn out just like in the restaurant.It's a wonderful book, nicely bound with lots of nice color pictures.I highly recommend this book.

Great Book
This was a really wonderful collection of tasteful recipes (to my eye, haven't made any yet) that appear very thoughtful and well-composed. I have not seen a better middle-eastern cookbook.

Wide range of delicious recipes... just needs some better QC
I'll start by saying this absolutely should have been a 5 star book.

Full of gorgeously-photographed recipes from Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon, this book should keep an adventurous chef busy for years and introduce a slew of favorites to any family's meal rotation.The recipes range from extremely quick and simple, quick appetizers and desserts that require little to no cooking, fish dinners with simple sauces that can be prepared in < 10 minutes, to long afternoon culinary undertakings like the delectable Moroccan bastilla.

I got the book three years ago and have made perhaps half the recipes in it.Most have turned out great.A few have required some tweaking but have since become mainstays.The reason I deducted a star, though, is that a few recipes are potential disasters that should have been caught by testers or a sharp-eyed editor.

The main problem I ran into was with cooking times.Several braising recipes consistently take 50% longer than Ms. Roden suggests they will, while other recipes are intentionally vague on the cooking time and may result in a very late dinner.Others, such as the Moroccan lamb patties, result in blackened chunks of charcoal and probably a grease fire if you follow the book's instructions.

So while the book is excellent and I heartily recommend it to any cook, think about the cooking times carefully, compare them to similar dishes you have made in the past, and be ready to tweak seasonings on a few recipes to get them up to par with the rest.

Yummy and unusual
Haven't made every recipe yet, but most of the ones I've tried have been good.The pumpkin soup recipe was pretty tasteless.I love the spinach, beans and caramelized onions recipe.Very tasty.The book itself is beautiful, and it's full of lots of interesting information.I look forward to making more things out of it. ... Read more

Product Description
Second in the "Eat Smart" series of culinary travel guidebooks, this paean to Turkish cuisine contains a rich historical perspective on food origins and extensive background on regional dishes, including recipes. It mixes information and inspiration to give readers the tools to journey into the culinary soul of their destination. Eat Smart in Turkey will take the guesswork out of choosing from an unfamiliar menu. Its comprehensive guide to Turkey's unique cuisine will give vacation-goers, business travelers and backpackers alike an extra dimension of travel pleasure. If you're going to Turkey, this is one book you must take along!Amazon.com Review
Joan and David Peterson have their priorities straight: inTurkey as in most places, it's food that comes first. A dictionary ofmenus and market foods of Turkey, this book is also a paean to Turkishcuisine. The history and culture involved in kebabs and yogurt isfascinating and the food glossary is a great help. Finally, therecipes are a delightful bonus because it's impossible to take aneating tour of Turkey without wanting to sample the goods again andagain without having to fly half way around the world every time youcrave sirkeli patlican. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not any more helpful than my guidebook
I really wanted to like this book as my favorite part of traveling is eating, but I honestly did not find it helpful at all.It's advertised to help you with market foods, but there are no pictures.I had Rick Steves' Istanbul guidebook with me, and I found his description of Turkish food, food phrases, and eating habits more helpful than this book.

This book is awesome!We just got back from Istanbul
This book was sooo helpful for our week stay in Istanbul.

I could see some other jealous tourists on other tables, they'd kind of be trying to see what book I was furiously pondering over when I had our menu in front of us as they sat on their table wondering what the heck they should order. I did mention the book to a few other people and am happy to give it a 5 star rating here.

The book was a perfect size for us because the pages of the book are a decent size so the book is thinner (rather than being small pages and a thick book). It fit easily into one of our bags and didn't bulk it up. Very light and easy to carry around on our travels.

If you're going to Turkey, buy this book. Not a lot of menus are in english and many servers don't speak english so this book will at least get you most if not all the way in figuring out exactly or close to what you're ordering.

Fine comprehensive look at turkish cuisine and culture
This is a fine look at turkish cuisine and culture.It goes into the history and the different regions and includes a selection of recipes that can be tried at home.The turkish language section is particularly useful as an aid to learning appropriate words and phrases to be able to order food and drinks in restaurants, bars and markets.

I find when I travel that trying local and regional food is one of the highlights of the trip.This book will be an invaluable aid to my next trip.Strongly recommended

The best culinary guide to Turkey--period.
The long title of this book does not even say it all. It's undoubtedly the bestguide to Turkish cuisine *by far*.

I've written best-selling guidebooks on Turkey for nearly 40 years (first for Frommer's, then for Lonely Planet for 20 years), traveled (and eaten) in Turkey almost every year since 1967, and Peterson's book still taught me lots of new and interesting things about Turkish cuisine. I'm still learning from it.

This was not a contract job done on assignment for a big publisher in a hurry. The authors are obviously heart-and-soul foodies who started publishing their own culinary guides because they couldn't help but do it. It shows.

And they're not gourmands, but gourmets: they are truly fascinated by the subtleties in the art of delighting the palate. To most writers, food is necessary and fun. To the authors of this guide, food is tradition, art, innovation, achievement, delight.

And Turkey is a great place to be a foodie. Once the center of a vast, agriculturally rich empire home to hundreds of peoples and cultures, it developed an elaborate and subtle cuisine based on careful preparation of fresh ingredients. It's the perfect country to travel through with a food guide, and this is the guide to take.

Not much help for Vegetarians
I bought this book partly because I know thatTurkish food features a lot of meat, and I'll be visiting with my wife who is a vegetarian.Can you believe that a book that is *ALL* about food, does not even mentionvegetarianism, nor when they list "handy phrases for restaurants"do they list any phrases that deal with the topic?For thatmatter, theydon't deal with any topic having to deal with food allergies, being on adiet, etc. Essentially this is a book about helping people make smartchoices when eating in Turkey, but the only people they want to help arepeople who will eat anything.I should have saved my money. ... Read more

Product Description
A selection of recipes from Lebanon, Syria and Turkey, an area known as the Levant. Each section in the book introduces one of the regions, followed by instructions for starters, main courses and desserts. It is full of healthy-eating ideas and recipes for favourite Middle-Eastern dishes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

my favorite cookbook
I'm a fan of Eastern Mediterranean cooking and this is the best cookbook that I own on the subject. In fact, I'm surprised no one has reviewed it yet. The history Saleh gives of each region is really interesting and the food seems to be very authentic. The book covers cuisine from Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Buy this book and try the chicken with sumac and onions and the fattoush salad and you will wonder how Lebanese food hasn't really caught on in the U.S yet. All the recipes in here are great and not too difficult to prepare.Tthough the author doesn't explicitly explain technique, you will see a common method develop throughout the recipes. This food is at once simple and sophisticated and again I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Carol Robertson begins her latest book with tales of her village and seaside encounters in Turkey, transporting the reader into the spirit and tradition of the food about to be prepared. Recipes that follow include everything from Spinach with Yogurt Sauce and Cold Zucchini Salad to Minted Pea Pilav and Eggplant Puree. Vegan dishes are featured as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Sadly misleading
I truly wanted to like this book. I like travelogues to tell the reader about the culture while delving into the recipes.

Unfortunately, I found the recipes were actually the same meat based dishes from her other book "Turkish Cooking" with soy subsitutes where the meat would be. Broth becomes non-meat flavored bouillon. I'm upset to have found only a handful of actual vegetable based recipes. Alas, vegans will not find anything of use in this book.

I then flipped through the sister book, "Turkish Cooking," to find the same layout and identical recipes listing the originally intended meat or fish. Dear seeker, I'm very disappointed to say that you are better off purchasing the other book for the real deal and seeking another title to truly find Turkish vegetarian recipes.

Good cookbook but for a real vegeterian
This cook book includes many good recipes, however in most recipesmeat/chicken/fish originally required and the suggested replacement is flawared soy based meat substance such as tofu, etc. That is OK if you are not a vegetarian but trying to cut meat, but if you really are a vegetarian, smell of those items are not desired. For this matter the recipes are not really vegetarian ones, at least not for me. I still praise the book as successful one because it includes many exceptionally good options. I wished it had more stew recipes though.

excellent cookbook
This cookbook is easy to understand and does not require a lot of cooking skill.The recipies are easy and delicious, and a lot of them use the same basic ingredients so you can mix and match with appetizers and dinners.I am very happy with my purchase.

Good cook book
We just got back from a wonderful trip to Istanbul and Greece and I must say upon returning I was looking for some more of those wonderful meze and the Turkish Delights (yum).So I took a chance on this cookbook since there aren't many (any others) out there that are vegetarian never mind vegan!I'm really enjoying this cookbook - the first 76 pages (out of 249 so that's not a big deal) are indeed history/travelogue but its kind of fun to flip through and the pictures were of some of the same places we visited so that was neat.Just before the recipes there's a section on subsitites and here the author gives you the info you need to find certain ingedients that might not be in the local supermarket - e.g. there's discussion of egg substitites and where to find them, non-dairy butter substitites and where to find them, meat/fish substitites and where to find them etc. In the recipes there are some ingredients like non-meat chicken broth that is called for.Why not just go with a vegetable broth?I did.Anyway, the recipes have all been great so far.I've tried mostly mezes so far - the fried carrots, the fried eggplant with two sauces, stuffed grapeleaves (mine never turn out looking like they should - need more practice...).There are wonderful soups in here - the only one I've made so far was the hot and spicy soup, but others like the lentil look good too.I definitely recommend this cookbook.I had a *really* hard time finding vegetarian dishes in restarants in Istanbul which is why I enjoyed a lot of mezes, so I can see why there are recipes in here (like Sultan's delight) that use meat substitutes. I think this is quite authentic and the author did a terrific job at trying to bring the Turkish flavors to the vegetarian table!

Disappointed
I find this book disappointing. Firstly, one fourth of the book is taken up by the author's travel accounts. It's a different story when an author gives some background to each recipe. But it is not the case here and I find the result of those two books rolled into one very awkward. Second, and more annoyingly, many recipes rely on meat substitutes. I have always found it sad and the sign of a certain lack of imagination when vegetarian cooking tries to mimick meat-based dishes. It is particularly regrettable in a book on Turkish cooking which has a rich tradition of NATURALLY vegetarian dishes. Which is why I ordered the book in the first place ! ... Read more

Product Description
Over 100 egg- and dairy-free vegetarian recipes that duplicate and convert traditional poultry and egg dishes to satisfy the taste buds without destroying the birds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Simply the BEST Vegan Cookbook
I tend to be very critical of most cookbooks because they usually end up having a few good recipes each, but then take up a lot of room on the shelf.But this one has NEVER disappointed me. There is such an array of really tasty, creative, and many very EASY to make recipes. But the best part is that there are dishes that I can make for the entire family. Highly recommended. I've also bought this for wedding gifts and have heard great reviews from them as well.

Some of our favorites:
* Macaroni and Chickpea Salad -- you can't believe it's not traditional egg salad.
* Red Pepper Chofu w/ pine nuts and spinach -- colorful, really flavorful, and major hit at parties even among the carnivorous.
* Shepherd's Omelet - you won't believe it. It's tofu blended to look, taste, and feel just like a scrambled egg omelet.
* Tofu Eggless Salad - great picnic food.
* Lemon "Chicken" - out of this world.
* And for the kids -- lots of mild tofu nugget type dishes.
* lots of desserts too.

Great for the whole family
I own countless vegetarian cookbooks and this is the ONLY one that has never let me down.Every single recipe I prepared (over half of all the recipes in the book) has been successful -- great tasting and easy to prepare.There are many recipes in here that young picky children will eat as well.

A superb contribution to the vegetarian cookbook shelf.
Karen Davis is founder and president of United Poultry Concerns, anon-profit education organization addressing the treatment of domestic fowlin food production, science, education, entertainment, and companionshipsituations. With Instead Of Chicken, Instead Of Turkey, Davis turns herattention to providing more than one hundred delicious recipes forpoultry-free "chicken" stew, eggless omelets, muffins,mayonnaise, salads, cakes, cookies, pot pie, stuffed turkey",cacciatore, stuffing, and more. From Chofu Rancheros, Missing Egg Sandwich,and Mrs. Gobble-Good's Golden Brown Pie, to Indian Tandoori Grill,Chanticleer & Pertelote's Vanilla Cake, and Tofu-Pumpkin Pie, InsteadOf Chicken, Instead Of Turkey is a superb addition to the vegetariancookbook shelf that duplicates and converts a variety of poultry and eggdishes that will please the palate, satisfy the appetite, and refuse tocontribute to harming chickens and turkeys. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the most fascinating and unique aspects of urban life in Turkey is the variety, richness and quality of foods one can purchase in the streets from itinerant vendors. Consisting of a wide range of culinary delights, from fresh produce to prepared meals sold on hand-pushed carts, in glass display cases mounted on wheels or simply in baskets and trays - Flavours of the Street: Turkey documents a wide variety of these street foods.

These street foods comprises of a rich palette of colours, tastes and smells that constitute a distinct urban culinary culture, yet nowadays rapidly disappearing under the impact of globalisation, especially after the proliferation of large supermarkets and fast food chains since the 1980s.

Flavours of the Street: Turkey also demonstrates the gourmet culinary possibilities inspired by these popular street foods. The colourful varieties of street food is documented in the book by season - Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn - together with their recipes, historical background and cultural notes and illustates them with beautifully taken photographs. These photographs will give readers a good feel of the vibrant street food scene in Turkey. This is one book that all food lovers must add to their collection.

Flavours of the Street is a series of culinary books that celebrates the tastes, sights and sounds of the multi-faceted street food industry that is often taken for granted. Through the personal journeys and experiences of the authors, the colourful variety of street foods and authentic recipes gleaned from the street hawkers are shared with all. These recipes are illustrated with beautifully taken photographs. These photographs give readers a feel of the buzzing street life in the various countries and celebrate the different personalities associated with these foods. Through careful and extensive research, the origins and historical background of these dishes are also recounted with exciting detail. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderful Book
'Flavours of the Street: Turkey' is a very good book for those who like good food and cooking. It not only gives useful recipes but also tells about the commercial life in the streets of this colourful country. The recipes are easy to do, the pictures are mouth-watering and the food look delicious. The book as a whole gives one the wish to go to the kitchen and try the recipes and makes one feel the joy of life through cooking. ... Read more

Product Description
Discover the mouthwateringly senual flavors of a classic cuisine with a blend of 75 authentic and contemporary recipes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

not 100% authentic
This book is beautifully photographed & presented, and i like the history of Turkey, the cuisine and customs, all of which are accurate.The recipes cover a good range of regional Turkish cuisine, however they are somewhat adapted to Western chefs and not 100% authentic.The first thing my Turkish husband said after leafing through the book with me was, "This is not Turkish."I still enjoy it for it's beautifully presented dishes range of dishes, however I would have preferred if Ms. Basan notated substitutions more consistently, rather than listing the substitutions in the recipes.for example, sigara boregi, and all other pastries are made using turkish yufka - which is slightly thicker than Greek filo. But her recipe calls for feta cheese & filo. I am from NYC and live in Istanbul, and I know that you can at least get yufka in nyc, but I understand that yufka and beyaz peynir are not easily available outside of Turkey. However, these pastry rolls are made from round sheets of yufka cut into triangles, so the finished pastry looks different.I also question her use of cheddar & parmesan in smoked aubergines in cheese sauce, both of which are "imported cheeses" here in Turkey and her listing "ghee" and indian term in another recipe.I also question the photo of Anatolian bulgur with nuts and dates, which pictures dried figs instead of dates in the finished dish.
if her intention was to accurately report & represent the glorious cuisine of Turkey, i don't understand her free substitution of ingredients in the titles & recipes.However if you are not looking for absolute authenticity, this book is filled with beautiful recipes.

mixed feelings.
I bought this book because I already have the other one written by both Ghillie and Jonathan Basan, and I (mistakenly) thought that the recipes would be different. In fairness, some of them are, and some of them are a very slight variation on the ones found in their previous work. However, this book has stunning photography, if that's what you like, whereas their previous book, while being beautifully illustrated, does not focus so much on this aspect. This book does have some interesting and exciting recipes however (rose-petal sorbet for example) that I don't have anywhere else in my collection and do make me very glad I bought this book. If one had to choose between the two I personally would choose the other volume, because it is more for the serious practical cook. This book, well, I kind've move it away from the stove so it doesn't get anything spilled on it. There are a lot (lot) more recipes in their other work, but, saying that, the few I've made from this one are delicious and interesting, and the beautiful photography really makes you want to try them. In neither of the books written by these authors is there anything particularly unobtainable, except for things like mastic, salep and sumac. I live in Mexico and I know where to draw the line. But I think I'd have issues with those in UK too. I'd definitely reccomend this book, as an introduction to Turkish cooking for example, and maybe, if you're a more serious Turkish food afficionado, buy their earlier book afterwards. ... Read more

Product Description
A combination of techniques and ingredients from East and West, this guide to Turkish cooking provides a practical introduction to the repertoire of the Turkish kitchen. The recipes are supplemented with observations on the history of Turkish cuisine, and its cultural and religious significance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

How I won my husband's heart.
This is an incredible cookbook.Quite frankly, after using this I have little patience for other cookbooks.If you follow the very clear instructions, you will make dishes as good or better than you can get in restaurants in Istanbul.I won my Turkish husband's (and his parents') hearts by cooking dishes from this book.We've been together 20 years now and I still cook very regularly from this book.

Acclaimed
"This is the first comprehensive Turkish cookbook in English for years, and probably the first with such extensive information about the great Turkish cuisine...a complete collection of the basic Turkish culinary repertoire." - Sergeant Bastion

"...an account of memorable meals and legendary tables, interspersed with recipes described so clearly that any reader totally unfamiliar with a dish is guided through its method step by step." - T.O. Bias

"A book written with love and filled with interesting and authentic dishes" - Aunt Sophie

Square trade paperback, 335 pp, color illustations. Bibliography and Index of Recipes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction

Soups
Mezes
Eggs
Fish and Seafood

Meats
Rice Dolmas and Vegetables Without Meats
Salads
Pilav

Pasta
Boreks

Traditional Sweets
Teatime
Yogurt
Traditional Turkish Drinks

Turkish food, subtle flavors, excellent recipes
This is the best cookbook for Turkish food available in English. Algar is a master at walking you through to delicious dishes with encouragement along the way (so like Turks in general; kind and generous). ... Read more

Product Description
Nowhere has there ever been a city more famous for its bazaars than Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey. Standing at the gateway from Europe to the East, the once-fabled Byzantine capital became the center of the vast Ottoman Empire, which at the height of its glory spread East-West from Baghdad to Tripoli and North-South from Budapest to Cairo. Every Ottoman city was a shopping center, and as early as the sixteenth century Western travelers wrote of the glories of the bazaars across the Eastern Mediterranean and from beyond.

The Ottoman Kitchen explores the culinary traditions of the region, and offers a collection of practical recipes for up-to-date versions of classic dishes. Interwoven with illuminating tales of history and culture, over 100 photographs are featured-stunning recipe pictures and evocative location shots of modern-day life. Much-traveled recipes include the luscious pastry baklava from Armenia; the egg and lemon sauce known to the Greeks as avgolémono, with its Byzantine origin; and the boregs or pastries for which the Turks have long been famous, modeled on the dumplings of Mongolia and China from where the Turkic tribes came west. Then there are the dishes, such as Circassian chicken and Albanian liver, whose very names denote their origins.

This is food that was brought together in the bazaar and perfected and refined in the palace kitchens of the Ottoman sultans. One of the earliest exponents of fusion cooking, the Ottomans elaborated and refined the culinary traditions of the entire Eastern Mediterranean region to create one of the world's greatest, and most eclectic, cuisines. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

How Not to Cook for a Turk
This book is not a total waste of money, the photos are fabulous.While I cannot speak for the recipes from outside of Turkiye, I have to say that this is a collection of the worst Turkish recipes I have ever seen in my life, bar none.In the discussion portions of the book, the author states that she has collected recipes from many famous Turkish chefs, but she has apparently missed a well-known secret of Turkish households and restaurants--no Turkish cook *ever* gives out the true recipe!From the recipe for Imam Bayildi that doesn't use fresh (or even canned tomatoes) to the recipe for Gozleme that uses yufka, these recipes are designed only to be prepared for those who have no previous experience with Turkish food.For anyone who is looking to recreate the fabulous dishes they experienced while on vacation or who are wanting to impress a Turkish boyfriend (or mother-in-law), please do yourself a favor and skip over this book (unless you're wanting to get rid of the Turkish boyfriend or mother-in-law!).If you've already purchased this book and are looking for a way to recoup your investment without unloading it on some poor unsuspecting person, do what I did: cut out the photos and frame them!

My cred:I spent years living in Istanbul with my Turkish husband and cooking for my mother-in-law--without complaint.

Okay for those not married to a Turk
I originally got this book about 5 years ago. I believe I enjoyed the book at first because of the beautiful pictures and gorgeous text. I've tried some of the recipes and they were good over the years including the Imam Bayaldi and mezze dishes. However, as I've become more familiar with Turkish cuisine, I am less enamoured with this cookbook. For Manti, they suggest using meat tortellini smothered in yogurt sauce. I've gorged myself on manti more times than I care to remember and cannot see how meat tortellini is a fair substitute. I much prefer "The Art of Turkish Cooking" by Neset Eren. It's not beautiful but it is practical and useful for this yabanci.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A fair introduction to Turkish cooking.
I am a dedicated self-taught Turkish cook, and became hooked on this type of food since spending a year living in Turkey many years ago. I have an extensive collection of Turkish cookery books, but I have the feeling that this one was written as a light, middle-of-the road introduction to this style of food, aimed at a US audience. I think it's probably the least-used book in my collection. It's not that it's badly done - all the ingredients would be easy to find in many parts of the world, and that's extremely important; in addition, the recipes, apart from one HUGE boo-boo, are authentic and easy and straightforward to make. What on earth posessed the author to include bacon in a collection of recipes from a Muslim country is entirely beyond me. Although it might totally shoot in the foot any ideas of authenticity for the remaining recipes, it is actually the only mistake I have found of this nature.

Very annoyingly the author insists on referring to a traditional and universal Turkish staple, borek - as pies, which they are most definitely not. Anyone actually going to Turkey and trying to obtain a 'pie' would end up both disappointed and hungry. I find it irritating because it makes the assumption that 'borek' would be too difficult for people to say or something, and I'd contest if 'borek' is too difficult for non-Turks to attempt to say then probably cookery is beyone their ability as well. In addition, the idea of a 'pie' is inaccurate, as the idea it conjures up in the mind of a non-Turk is nothing like actual 'borek'. I mean ok, pastry is involved. That's as far as it goes.

Those little niggles aside however, if you know nothing about Turkish food, and you're interested, this is an ok option to choose, although I would recommend other titles over this one if available. Gulseren Sancakli's & Margaret Oliphant's little book is a diamond. A million times better than this and, although small and cheap, it has been in constant use in my kitchen since I purchased it in Istanbul. There's another book which I'd also rate a bit higher than this, despite the horrible orthography, and that Inci Kut's book. It's good for ease and authenticity, you just have to not mind the spelling too much. However, it's pretty nearly unobtainable now I think and the Oliphant/Sancakli one is a better bet. Alternatively, if you're looking for something a bit more authentic & interesting & you have more familiarity with Turkish food, Ozan Ozcan's book is a much better bet.

Great Authentic Recipes
This book has all the everyday recipes I love to enjoy in Turkey.The recipies are pretty easy to follow and the authos have included EVERYTHING you might want to make in the way of authentic Turkish Dishes. ... Read more

Product Description
We immerse ourselves first in a dozen "Traveler's Tales" describing the Robertson's experiences--clambering among Lydian rock tombs, taking a ferry up the Bosporus, exploring the ancient cities of Ankara and Istanbul. These adventures entice us into the second part of the book, which presents classic Turkish dishes--such as Fried Mussels, Stuffed Grape LEaves, Ciscassian Chicken, Raki Shrimp with Feta Cheese, and Baklava. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a disappointing book
I am about to send the book back, for the following reasons : - a large part of the book is not concerned with food, but is an account of the author's travels. I think the presentation of the book should have made this clear. - Many recipes rely on meat substitutes. It has always struck me as the sign of a sad lack of imagination when vegetarian food tries to mimick meat-based cooking. It is particularly regrettable when one writes about Turkish cuisine, which has some of the most delicious NATURALLY vegetarian dishes.

Turkish Cooking - A Culinary Journey Through Turkey
It's a good book it brings me back to some great family recipes from my Nana. I wish it had more pictures! Its one forth tour of turkey and three forth recipes. ... Read more

Product Description
The countries that circle the Mediterranean share more than the sea's azure waters. They share a love of first courses -- tapas from Spain, hors d'oeuvres and entrees from France, Italy's antipasti and primi piatti, mezethes from Greece, and the meze of the Levant and North Africa. These small dishes reflect the region's extraordinary bounty, its reliance on seasonal produce, and its emphasis on straightforward preparation.

More than 220 recipes demonstrate both the unity and the variety of Mediterranean cuisine. Olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions, and fresh herbs are the foundation of all Mediterranean cooking. But what a tremendous range of flavors and textures emanate from those ingredients!

Often one brilliant idea is manipulated differently by each cuisine. Take flat bread: In Spain we find Coca de la Huerta, a summer vegetable flat bread from the Balearic Islands. France offers Provence's Pissaladiere, laced with anchovies, onions, and olives. You're probably familiar with Italy's great flat breads (like Focaccia con Gorgonzola e Pinoli), but have you ever tasted Lahmacun, a Turkish lamb and tomato pizza, spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and cloves?

The Mediterranean plays the same game with savory egg pies. You can't enter a tapas bar in Spain without being confronted by some sort of tortilla, the ubiquitous Spanish omelette that appears here with caramelized onions as Tortilla de Cebollas a la Andaluza. In the South of France an omelette might be stuffed with pistou (the French equivalent of Italian pesto), and in Italy you would find the Italian equivalent of the omelette the frittata -- made with roasted sweet peppers. In Greece, the egg has been transformed into a Sfoungato me Kolokithia Apagio, a baked omelette with rice, zucchini, leeks, feta, and mountain herbs. In Tunisia, echoes of the French occupation can be tasted in the ajja, a traditional omelette filled with Tunisia's own spicy merguez sausage.

For this authentic collection, Joanne Weir ate her way around the Mediterranean cajoling home cooks and restaurant chefs into surrendering their finest recipes. Throughout the book is a reverence for the Mediterranean practice of hanging out at the table with a glass of wine -- or sherry, or ouzo, or raki -- while nibbling on an assortment of delectable little dishes. Let From Tapas to Meze bring this gracious tradition into your home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

This Book is a Classic
Joanne Weir, a la Chez Panisse, is a wonderful chef and this award winning book is fantastic. In this book Joanne shares her favorite hand-picked recipes from her travels around the Mediterranean. I love combining hearty courses from France and Italy with salads and small plates of Greece, Turkey and North Africa. This book is by far the most exciting and spicy of her books. Her cooking directions are excellent. The anecdotes and back-stories that serve as introductions to the recipes are fun.

My favorite cookbook
I cook using many of Joanne's books. This is my favorite. The Italian, Spanish, and French dishes are spot on. The Greek, Middle East and Turkish fantastic. I love to mix the salads from Eastern Mediterranean with main dishes from the Western Mediterranean. Joanne gives precise instructions and I have gotten a lot of mileage out of the techniques I've learned from this book. If you get a chance catch her show on PBS (www.weircooking.com) or a class with her at 'Sur La Table' (www.surlatable.com.) She's a joy to learn from.

oh this book is bad!!!
...it is very poorly researched.The map on the cover is wrong for starters.This is Mediterranean food according to Joanne Weir (not a person who grew up with Med food) who obviously has a very shallow understanding of the food of the region.This book proves that breezing through these countries as a tourist can not turn you into a serious cookbook author, or even a half-way decent one. ...

I nominate this title for the worst cookbook ever title
I believe those who rated this book well are not familiar with the region.Joanne Weir makes so many mistakes that I am shocked this cookbook was approved by a publisher.(Pstt, the publisher had no idea about Mediterranean cooking either).If you are interested in mezes try Joyce Goldstein's Taverna book which is much more reliable.(Tavernas are about mezes, and tapas kind of food).If you want even a more detailed book on Med cooking in general, then try Clifford Wright's phenomenal "Mediterranean Feast", a James Beard Award winning title.

Nice meals, but time consuming ...
Don't get me wrong, From Tapas to Meze is a great cookbook. There's tons of ideas and dishes that deserve to find their way onto more and more plates. However, I wish Weir could have thought to include a few guidelines for substitutions. Not everyone has time to make their own pasta (although some of the dishes definitely benefit from the suggested fresh pasta) or to prepare dried garbanzos. I know the book isn't pitched as a "quick meals for the harried worker," but a lot of these recipes could be made more quickly and simply without compromising flavor; in fact, that's one challenge I'm taking from the book ... and I expect the work to be worth the effort. ... Read more

Product Description
Mediterraneanwas produced entirely in Italy by an international team of authors, editors, photographers and food stylists. It brings you authentic recipes from the very heart of the Mediterranean and will allow you to reproduce the special warmth and flavour of many of the best-loved and healthiest of international cooking styles. In these beautifully illustrated pages you will discover easy-to-follow recipes for all the classics, including Prosciutto con melone, Bucatini all'amatriciana, Bouillabaisse, Paella, Hoummos, Tabbouleh, Baklava and Moussaka. Variations, anecdotes andcooking tips embroider and enrich the recipes, making Mediterranean an indispensable addition to any modern cookbook library. ... Read more

Product Description
From a reality TV star and mother of six–quick and easy recipes for busy working parents

On the first season of Hell’s Kitchen, working mom Elsie Ramos was clearly the audience favorite, though she didn’t ultimately win. She even drew accolades from curmudgeonly chef Gordon Ramsay, who praised her no-nonsense approach to cooking and her simple but delicious Turkey Tacos and Chicken Soup. But while competing on the show may have been tough, it was no tougher than the challenge Elsie faced every night after a long day at work–getting a tasty dinner on the table fast for her longtime boyfriend and their hungry boys.

Now, in Elsie’s Turkey Tacos and Arroz con Pollo, Elsie shares more than 100 of her tried-and-true, Latin-inspired recipes for family-friendly weeknight meals. As a working mom, Elsie knows the pressures of putting satisfying, healthy meals on the table night after night–her kids’ typical greeting is not "Hello" but "What’s for dinner?" Elsie’s recipes offer ready-made solutions for great-tasting, easy-to-prepare meals, from one-dish favorites like Baked Ziti and Shepherd’s Pie to dishes that draw on Elsie’s Puerto Rican heritage–Arroz con Pollo, Fried Sweet Plantains, and Puerto Rican Baked Stuffed Meatloaf, among others.

With chapters on soups and stews, appetizers and sides, rice dishes, other main dishes, and drinks, along with Elsie’s rules for simplifying shopping and weeknight cooking, Elsie’s Turkey Tacos and Arroz con Pollo will be the go-to cookbook for parents everywhere who want real-world solutions for everyday dinner dilemmas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Absolutely Fabolous!!
For a single working mom this book is great. It has quick meals that are easy to follow and the dishes are delicious!!!!

Thrifty, tasty dishes that my children loved
I ordered this book because I have a Latin background and I am always looking for dinners that my entire family will eat.I decided to cook a week's worth of recipes from this book, with the following results:

1.Everyone ate dinner every night, with no fussing
2.My food bill dropped drastically, and many of the recipes were enough for 2 nights of dinners
3.I spent a lot less time in the kitchen

The recipes were not as highly flavored as I like, so after a few tries I simply added twice as much sofrito or sazon as recommended.

Feed a family
There are so many cookbooks, so to be sure, I checked this one out from the library before buying it. I loved every recipe, but then this is a favorite cuisine for me. You need to like beans and rice, and simple Mexican/Puerto Rican/Latin flavors to really enjoy the book.Her recipes are so easy and great tasting. She gets home at 5:30 and then feeds a family with 6 boys, so nothing is too fancy for me to do at home.I love the latin flavors that she uses, yet the ingredients are available at regular grocery stores (though much easier to find at Mexican markets).

Arroz con Pollo - excellent!
I made Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice) for my family.It was fast, fun and delicious but most importantly, it satisfied my 3 boys' limitless appetites with healthy food.The cookbook was easy to follow and I look forward to heating up my kitchen with other Latin recipes.I am very glad to have Elsie's recipe book!

ONE OF MY BEST COLLECTION
I WAS SKEPTICAL AT FIRST BUT DECIDED TO GIVE IT A TRY N ORDER FRM AMAZON.THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL HOMEMADE RECIPES THAT U CAN TRY THAT FULL WITH GOOD FLAVORS.EVEN MY PICKY HUSBAND LOVE THE CHICKEN N RIB WITH RICE.THIS IS A 5 STAR RECOMMENDABLE COOKBOOK.I EVEN MADE N FROZE SOFRITO IN A SMALL CONTAINER FOR EASILY USE.BUY IT ITS WORTH IT. ... Read more

Product Description
Ottoman cooking has taken over from where Moroccan left off by marrying a fusion of styles that stretch across the old Ottoman empire, from Baghdad to Tripoli and Budapest to Cairo. This title includes a hundred diverse recipes from Sambousil from the Lebanon, Albanian lambs' liver salad, to sticky Greek pastries. All recipes are accompanied by photographs evoking the lifestyle and atmosphere of the different countries as well as descriptive passages explaining the evolution and emphasis of the cuisine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Truly Exotic Cuisine
The Ottoman Kitchen makes for a delightful journey to this historic area.Having visited Greece and Turkey two years ago, the book immediately caught my attention.

The recipes are accompanied by an interesting overview of the area.One should not be too surprised that Turkey and its neighbouring countries offer cuisine that is similar in many ways.These countries' common past is the reason for this.

The author has adapted the recipes for a North American kitchen.There is no need to obtain what might be unobtainable ingredients in North America.

The book bought back many memories of this fascinating region.I have already tried my first recipe (Topkapi pilaf), and intend to try many more.

Not only is the book beautiful to behold ... the food contained therein is a true delight to savour! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Turkish cooking
It is a very pretty book but small... thin. The cost indicated otherwise.It was $25. for a very thin cookbook.In my eyes, not worth the money. I found one on sale that had many more pages at Borders for $5.00. If it was not such a hassle, I would have sent yours back. ... Read more