Product Description

This acknowledged classic is the first book in any language to offer a comprehensive view of Armenian cookery. A brilliant exploration of one of the worlds most exciting culinary traditions, this landmark volume contains hundreds of splendid recipes, many of them for dishes previously unknown in the West. No serious food lover should be without this bible of Armenian cooking!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #260788 in Books
• Published on: 2001-07-31
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

The New York Times
"Handsome, well thought out, clearly written, authentic."

Mimi Sheraton, New York Magazine
"A stunning presentation of the rich and aromatic fare of that much-beleaguered country."

Jean Anderson, Publishers Weekly
"well written and researched...as original a collection as I have seen lately."

Customer Reviews

Terrific Book, Terrific Author
I bought this book about thirty years ago when I first began to cook and I have been a fan ever since. The author has the gift of being able to put together a recipe in a simple, easy to follow, readable way. Over the years I have cooked the majority of recipes in this book and even ordinary sounding ones like baked chicken with tomatoes are exquisite. The recipe for baklava which calls for a longer cooking time than any other I've ever seen is the only one ever use and the most delicious I've ever eaten.An intriguing and delicious dessert is apricots with whipped cream, an invention of the author. Ms. Uvezian's touch turns every recipe, even the most basic, into a real treat.this is not a book I would ever part with.

The taste and history of Armenian food brought into today's kitchens
without compromising flavor. Armenian food is is full of history and meaning and reflects the foods native to their land.
This book is written by an Armenian woman who knows her food! Her recipes are easy to understand and there are suggestions for side dishes as well. Reading this cookbook is reading the love of the authors' heritage and the respect she has for this great world cuisine. Everything I have made from this book has made my Armenian husband rejoice.

An enduring classic
This is a very fine cookbook that provides a large number of mouth-watering recipes written in a clear and straightforward style. Dishes from both Eastern and Western Armenia are included, as are a number of Uvezian's own creations that are steeped in the Armenian tradition. Although the book lacks color photos, it does have a stunning color shot of Ararat Pilaf (two peaks of rice shaped like Great and Little Ararat) on the cover and includes beautiful drawings of dishes that are placed at the beginning of each chapter. I especially like the two illustrations that make striking use of old Armenian churches as a backdrop as well as the elegant medieval Armenian manuscript illumination that borders both the title page and the table of contents. Since this volume is moderately priced (and a great value considering the treasure that lies within it), expecting it to contain color photos would be unrealistic; the cost would have been prohibitive. Actually, the directions are so easy to follow that pictures are unnecessary. I would much rather have a cookbook like this that offers an extensive selection of outstanding recipes in addition to a tremendous amount of helpful and necessary culinary information, plus some lovely illustrations. Although Uvezian has provided a generous amount of enlightening historical material that traces the roots of Armenian cuisine far back into antiquity, she has wisely avoided trying to pinpoint the origins of the dishes, a task impossible to accomplish due to the long tradition of cultural and culinary interchange in the Middle East and Caucasus. As she explains, in addition to preserving their repertoire of national dishes, Armenians have skillfully assimilated foods of other peoples in the region and, conversely, a number of Armenian recipes have become part of the cuisines of other cultures. Until a time machine is invented that allows us to go back into the past without being impaled on someone's sword, it is probably best for us not to argue about origins but to celebrate the extraordinary creativity and diversity of Armenian cuisine as presented to us in this exceptional cookbook and to savor the delectable results it produces with joy and gratitude.