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 enchantin...
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reviews
Jan 24, 2011
Yvonne
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Roden's introductions are so evocative my mouth was watering which is not a good state to be getting in late at night!
This Cookbook is so much more than a collection of recipes, it's both a cultural and historical guide to ancient cuisines written with the unique perspective that only Roden can give.
The only thing missing were some tantalizing photos that a book like this deserves , however, I suspect that the e-version which I've picked up removes them to save on space.
I now loo More...
This Cookbook is so much more than a collection of recipes, it's both a cultural and historical guide to ancient cuisines written with the unique perspective that only Roden can give.
The only thing missing were some tantalizing photos that a book like this deserves , however, I suspect that the e-version which I've picked up removes them to save on space.
I now loo More...
Mar 18, 2009
Matthew
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I picked up this book at the library for the Lebanese recipes, but I had to renew it in order to try some of the Moroccan and Turkish dishes, too. Many of these recipes are simple and quickly made and there are lots of great salads and vegetable dishes. There are some hard-to-find specialty ingredients such as sumac or preserved lemon. Substitutions are suggested but I think it is worth locating the recommended ingredients. I've started using pomegranate molasses in so many (non-Lebanese) dishes
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Dec 30, 2007
I have been a devoted follower of Roden ever since my first successful attempt to make tabouleh, and I ve bought every book of hers since relishing not only the way her recipes tend to open up new possibilities in the most minimal of kitchens, but her steadfast belief that to really appreciate the taste of a dish, you should understand the culture that created it. Roden s own interest in cooking came from just this impulse a painter by profession, she wrote her first book in an attempt to ev
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Oct 30, 2010
Rachel
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Claudia Roden has written another fascinating cookbook, which not only gives lovely recipes with titles listed in Arabic and English, but also tells a history of the food in each country and how it is traditionally prepared. Gorgeous photos and the print looks nice. I didn't bookmark that many recipes however simply because I have read many cookbooks on the topic, so most of them were nothing new. Recommended for food historians and those who like to cook delicious ethnic food.
Nov 14, 2009
Lisa
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I browsed through this book last night when our date night ended with a trip to Barnes & Noble and although I was intrigued by the title and the cover, I wasn't thrilled or inspired by the recipes enough to want to continue reading it (opting to put it aside and pick up some bread books that looked great) or check it out from my local library. Oh well. Maybe another time this will be more appealing for me, but for now I will leave it on the shelf and go on to other cookbooks.
Sep 16, 2010
I checked this out as an e-book through my library's subscription to Overdrive. I just wanted to let people know that you're missing out on the amazing illustrations and book design if you get this as an e-book. Get the hard copy!
(The text was interesting, and the receipes looked yummy. Lots of salads).
Not rating, because I didn't make any of the receipes - just wanted to warn people off of the e-edition.
(The text was interesting, and the receipes looked yummy. Lots of salads).
Not rating, because I didn't make any of the receipes - just wanted to warn people off of the e-edition.
Jul 07, 2011
Firefly
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I agree with earlier posters who love the hardcover edition. The copy I have is even more beautifilly designed than the one pictured here on GR. It inspires one to get in the kitchen and get tactile and messy. I have tried a few recipes, and have many more bookmarked ... and I'm a veggie too! Really nice book
Aug 01, 2011
Lesli
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While I wouldn't keep this for my shelves, I would definitely borrow it from the library again. The photos alone are worth browsing the entire book. So are the bits about Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon. Found three recipes I want to try: Tomato and Rice Soup, Baba Ghanouj, and Hummus.
Mar 15, 2010
Kay
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A good overview of the cooking of North Africa and Lebanon. There are a few countries of the area which are left out such as Libya. There are similarities in the recipes of these countries but each has it's own version of the various dishes and they can be significantly different.
Jul 25, 2010
Jerzy
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I've only checked it out from the library and didn't get to cook much from it, but the Chicken with Caramelized Baby Onions and Pears is delicious! The country introductions seemed pretty thorough and interesting as well.
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Dec 15, 2008
Crystal
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Such a beautiful book. I've made a few recipes from this, and mostly they've turned out well. Her method for making couscous results in the fluffiest, tastiest couscous ever.
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Sep 13, 2007
Hannah
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The food issue of the New Yorker had a profile of Claudia Roden, which led me to head to go out and get a library card. I was happy to discover that Arabesque wasn't checked out. So far, I've tried two things...a tomato spread from the Morocco section and baba ganoush, which I think was in the Lebanese section. Both turned out well. I will say that I have never seen a cookbook with so many recipes that use eggplants--I just wish I'd read this earlier in the summer when there were tons of the
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Jan 29, 2009
Pam
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I really enjoyed this book, especially since I am going to Turkey in April. Yeah!! It was great to make a couple of recipes for such exotic places.
Jan 12, 2009
Brian
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Awesome cookbook!!!! Made a tagine from here that knocked my socks off. Some of the salads and soups were amazing as well...
Jun 14, 2009
Cher
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Fabulous recipes that explore the foods of these countries in approachable ways. The best food in the world and healthy.
Mar 25, 2009
Summer
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I am really looking forward to making recipes from this cookbook. I was interested in most of the Moroccan recipes... I'll be sure to update when I have tried them! :)
Oct 10, 2011
Brie
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Roden's writing never fails to delight and illuminate and the recipes are just sublime
Jul 29, 2011
Catherine
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I have had this out of the library twice and have yet to cook from it, I do not know why
Dec 17, 2007
Eileen
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okay, so i've only tried 1 recipe so far (roasted pepper, tomato, and apple salad)--maybe I'm jumping the gun with the 5 stars, but i ate the leftovers 3 days in a row and never tired of it (i almost never touch leftovers!). the book itself is lively - a pleasure to look at and read. (Bittman's How to Cook Everything, on the other hand, is more like a textbook.) recipes have clear explanations and seem relatively simple in execution, so it would be a great book for beginner cooks.
Jan 11, 2008
Jamie
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What I've made so far:
1. Saffron Chicken. Super easy and fast. I thought it would be difficult, but it turned out really well.
2. Phyllo Dough Stuffed With Feta. Phyllo dough sucks. I really hate it, but if you can master it, these are really good and not too hard to make. The trick is that you have to work with the dough as little as possible while also working very quickly before the dough can start to crumble.
1. Saffron Chicken. Super easy and fast. I thought it would be difficult, but it turned out really well.
2. Phyllo Dough Stuffed With Feta. Phyllo dough sucks. I really hate it, but if you can master it, these are really good and not too hard to make. The trick is that you have to work with the dough as little as possible while also working very quickly before the dough can start to crumble.
Jul 05, 2007
Sarah Beth
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This is my favorite new cookbook - it's not for inexperienced cooks (it leaves cooking details out, like how to know when something is done) but for those with a few kitchen years under their belts (or the willingness to make mistakes along the way), this is a true winner: wonderful, fresh, simple but full flavors and so beautiful it could be a coffee table book.
Jun 30, 2008
Claire
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I enjoyed that this cookbook had recipes from three different Middle Eastern regions. It gave you a broad range of recipes to chose from. I am a beginner to Middle Eastern cooking, and I would have liked to see more photos of the finished dishes. One thing I did enjoy about the recipes in this cookbook is that they use similar ingredients in many of the recipes.
Oct 12, 2010
Might buy this b/c of the headnotes, but many of the best recipes are meat-centric.
Jul 27, 2010
Kimberly
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I got this book from a good friend for my birthday. It is a Middle Eastern cookbook, but also has a wonderful narrative of the history of foods in the region. I don't normally "read" cookbooks, but this book has been delightfully fun to read so far, and the recipes I've made have been wonderfully good.
Sep 01, 2007
Jesse
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I am only giving this 3 stars out of the deep belief Claudia Roden is actually a fantastic cook and really knows her stuff. The majority of the food in here is quite bland.
Mar 31, 2008
Wendy
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I love cookbooks. I love cooking. And I love Moroccan food. This book mixes a tiny bit of history in with the great food, so I'm happy.
Oct 25, 2008
Nick
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Beautiful, tasty, and the recipes have so far been clear and successful - nice introduction to another side of Mediterranean cuisine.
