Product Description
PERSIAN COOKING: A TABLE OF EXOTIC DELIGHTS is collectionof 322 authentic recipes from the world's oldest cuisine. Clear andconcise instructions make the dishes turn out exactly as they aresupposed to.

Persian cooking is based on lamb, fruits, vegetables and grains, usedin subtle and varied combinations. The food is neither highly spicednor hot but seasoned with herbs. It is very nutritious. Many of thedishes are suitable for vegetarians and in many others, meat may beeasily omitted.The dishes can be made from ingredients found inalmost any market. A guide to speciality stores where hard-to-findingredients, which are used in a few dishes, can be found is alsoincluded.

Rice preparation, which has often been observed defines the quality ofthe Persian chef, is covered in detail.

Half Persian and half English, Nesta Ramazani has lived in bothcountries, making her uniquely qualified to offer theserecipes. During a one year return visit to Iran she picked the brainsof both professional chef and housewife. She also consulted RosaMontazemi's classical Persian language cookbook, Honar-e Ashpazi. Backin America, she tested and tried out the hundreds of dishes andrendered the recipes to exact American measurements and timing.

The author observes: "Here is a culinary art so highly developed thatthe most lowly vegetable can taste divine, every meal can be agastronomic treat, every cook a creative artist."

Mrs. Ramazani also includes a historical and cultural introduction tothe food of Persia. The background of many of the dishes are alsoexplained through engaging anecdotes.

Included are: 322 recipes from all regions of Iran: soups, ashes, stews (khoresht and khorak), dolmehs, boranis, vegetables, salads, rice dishes (pollos and chelos), kababs, breads (nan), sweets, desserts, sharbats and pickles (torshis). Photographs of prepared dishes.A short dictionary of Persian culinary terms. A guide to grocery stores outside of Iran where hard-to-find ingredients may be obtained. A historical and cultural guide to Persian cuisine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

buy all her books
I have purchased all her books, she is fabulous. Her stories and recipes are excellent bedtime reading. You will not be disappointed.

not impressed
This is not a top cook book. It has some interesting suggestions but in general it does not capture the essence of persian cooking. For example bouillon cubes are a key ingredient many dishes.

Ashort review.
I found the book complet and comprehensive and recommend it without reservation.Bon apetit

Persian Cooking
I have a large selection of Persian cookbooks but this book is my favorite.Nesta is an excellant cook and the final results of her recipes are very delicious.I am American, but married to a Persian man, so when I cook Persian food I want to please his taste buds.I have cooked many of the recipes in this book and he has enjoyed every one of them.I would recommend this book to any one that is looking for authentic Persian cooking.Many Middle Eastern cookbooks include recipes other than what the people of Iran enjoy.When you cook from this book you can be sure that the recipe is from Iran.You won't be able to stop eating!Enjoy

Nutritious, economical, and delicious recipes
Persian cuisine is among the oldest in recorded human history and principally based on subtle and varied combinations of lamb, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Nesta Ramazani's Persian Cooking: A Table Of Exotic Delights offers nutritious, economical, and delicious recipes for appetizers, soups, stuffed vegetables, Persian souffles, yogurt dishes, salads, stewed meats, game birds, brad, pastries, puddings, sherbets, pickles, and more. From Mint and Parsley Soup with Green Plums, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Tomato Rice with Lamb, and Duckling in Pomegranate-Walnut Sauce, to Yogurt with Eggplant and Meatballs,Liver and Kidney Casserole, Pheasant with Cream, Chick-Pea Flower Cookies, and Pickled Cherry Tomatoes, Persian Cooking is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to any ethnic and multicultural cookbook collection. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a treasury of 240 classical and regional Iranian recipes. 120 colour photographs intertwined with descriptions of ancient and modern ceremonies, poetry, folk tales, travelogue excerpts, and anecdotes make "New Food of Life" not just a collection of recipes but also an introduction to Persian art and culture. Each recipe is presented in a format that is brilliantly logical and marvellously easy-to-follow. You will learn how to cook rice, the jewel of Persian cooking, simply yet deliciously. And by combining it with a little meat, fowl, or fish, vegetables, fruits, and herbs, you'll have a balanced diet - colourful, yet healthy, simple yet exotic.Iranian festivals, ceremonies, and celebrations, together with the menus and recipes associated with them are described in detail: from the ancient winter solstice celebration, Yalda, or the 'sun's birthday', which is the origin of such Western holidays as Christmas and Halloween, to the rituals and symbolism involved in a modern Iranian marriage. Like a magnificent Persian carpet, 1,000 years of Persian literature and art have been woven into the book.Food-related pieces from such classics as the "10th century Book of Kings", and "1,001 Nights" to the miniatures of Mir Mussavar and Aq Mirak, from the poetry of Omar Khayyam to the humour of Mulla Nasruddin are all included. Now with the ingredients for Iranian food available in most US cities, "New Food of Life" makes accessible one of the world's oldest - yet least known - culinary traditions where the first recipes were written 4,000 years ago in a cuneiform script on clay tablets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (78)

What a wonderful gift
I purchased this book for my husband who comes from Iran.He loves to cook and was thrilled with the pictures and ceremonies.He has tried several recipes so far and has been very happy with the results.His home made condiments are wonderful.The book has had every recipe he has wanted so far. He loves the fact the Persian words are also written in the English alphabet as well as Persian script so the grandkids can read them too.He has already had me purchase a copy for my daughter-in-law and one a a wedding gift for someone in Germany.

This was one successful purchase! I highly recommend it.

The world's best cuisine and a book that does justice to it
That this book is a masterwork, not only for the recipes but also as a feast for the eyes, should be clear from the other reviews. For those not exposed to Persian cuisine, this is probably the world's finest culinary tradition (and I add the word "probably" only so as not to sound too dogmatic). By the way, I am not Persian. I live in Europe and good Persian cuisine is hard to come by. Fortunately, I travel to Southern California regularly and am able to satisfy my cravings in Westwood, Santa Monica, etc. ("Tehrangeles"). Many of the recipes are rather detailed and time-consuming, but if you have some experience with Persian or even Indian cooking, you should be able to come up with short-cuts and simplifications as well as ideas for fusion cuisine. As fall closes in, I'm especially looking forward to the heart-warming stews.

The Most Authentic Persian Cookbook
I have been trying to replicate Persian cooking for 27 years, since I married my Iranian born husband.Iranian friends and family usually won't or can't give you precise recipes since they are trained by their mothers, and learned by observing.I have tried many, many recipes, and served both Iranians and Americans.They were all impressed with the similarity to Persian home cooking.Americans seem to love the Zereshk Polo dish.We serve it every Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it has become a traditional favorite.
Be sure to get a recipe book splash guard to protect it.The book is so beautiful you will want to place it on the coffee table when you aren't using it.The pictures are just gorgeous, and the little stories and explanations are very interesting.
One tip!If you are cooking for Iranians, learn to cook the rice correctly and don't burn the tahdig!

New Food of Life
Very well written and illustrated. Easy to follow recipes specially for a non native Iranian. Helps you use ingredients that you can find in the USA.

AMAZING BOOK
One of best gift I got for my wife! I have used other Persian recipes from the internet and Roza famous recipe book, if you are Persian you must know this book- if you are not "Roza's book is a bible" for Persian kitchen!but I always had problems with measurements andthe cooking temperature and time, but this book has it all, Exact measurements and timing, and the results are the best. Just like the original mom's recipes"
One other thing what i loved about the book is that it gives some information about the Persian culture and traditions, which are fabulous and make it a unique cookingbook.
Thanks great work, and i hope one day i meet the author.
Koorosh
... Read more

Product Description
From creating a holiday menu to determining which utensils to use, The Art of Persian Cooking covers a wide array of practical information to help even the novice chef prepare elaborate Persian dishes. The exotic fare is further enhanced by rich descriptions of the cultural and culinary history of Persian cuisine, without which it cannot be fully appreciated. The nutritious, easy-to-follow recipes include such traditional Persian dishes as Abgushte Adas (Lentil Soup), Mosamme Khoreshe (Eggplant Stew), Lamb Kabob, Cucumber Borani (Special Cucumber Salad), Sugar Halva, and Gol Moraba (Flower Preserves). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best Persian Cookbook
A simple, easy, and real way to cook Persian food is laid out in this book. I highly recommend it for everyone.

Enjoyed this book.
Good sampling of Persian dishes. Had fun making some of the recipes with my husband. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Yummy
Recipes are very similar to my grandma's traditional middle eastern recipes. The grape leaf recipe is especially good.

Secrets of Cooking,Armenian /Lebanese/Persian
This book is full of easy delicious and contemporary recipes.If you like the middle easern palate, this book is almost all inclusive.The pictures are colorful and helpful in showing how the final product should look.The hard cover is surdy and the pages of quality paper.I highly recommend it.

Desserts use Cool Whip; even vegetable recipes use meat
I question how traditional the recipes can be since the desserts contain cool whip!Moreover, virtually every single recipe in the Vegetables chapter contains meat (usually lamb or stewing beef).The entire book contains one recipes recommended for vegetarians, and that is a very common one (certainly not remotely unique to Iran, Armenia, or Persia).I'm returning my copy; this was a huge disappointment

all of the other (positive) reviews are true!
My wife is Armenian from Lebanon but it is her mom who is the cook. In turn her mom was from Aleppo, Syria, which Patricia Wells describes as a culinary mecca in the Middle East in one of her travel food writings. This cookbook is the most authentic one for the traditional Armenian recipes of the Middle East diaspora: my mother-in-law has tested a number of them and confirms that they can be trusted.

Of course there are as many variations of these recipes as cooks (more, since when I get her to dictate recipes for posterity more than once, they always change), but these simple straightforward ones work and are good. Some of my food tales are at drbobenterprises.com.

I have bought about 15 copies of this book to give to relatives and friends over the years. Among all cookbooks in this area (and I have many as an amateur cook with a heavy cookbook habit), it stands out. So if you are interested in this cuisine, buy the book.

Armenian cooking made clear.
I am married to an Armenian and can now finally hold my own against my mother-in-law's cooking!No small matter, as she is a fabulous cook.I have tried lots of the recipes in this book and have yet to find one that was not superb.They are all step by step which really helps to break down what can be done ahead and shows which recipes are hands-off vs those that require constant attention.I really like the variation suggestions at the end of each recipe, which have encouraged me to try my own substitutions with great success.Some of the recipes that call for baking I have cooked on the stovetop successfully so I don't have to heat up the house so much.
A lot of the recipes are VERY heavy on butter but I find I can easily cut back on that (often by 50%) and still have wonderful results.If you like middle eastern food at all you'll love these recipes. ... Read more

Product Description
Persian cuisine is healthy yet colorful like a Persian miniature, exotic yet simple like a poem by Omar Khayyam. It combines rice, the jewel and foundation of Persian cooking, with a little meat, fowl or fish; plenty of vegetables, fruit, nuts, herbs, and a delicate mix of spices such as rose petals, angelica seeds, dried limes, candied orange peels, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin and saffron to achieve a balanced diet that is uniquely Persian. Najmieh Batmanglij presents 95 exquisite recipes that are low in fat yet high in flavor. From her years in the South of France and the United States, the author has brought about a marriage of ancient Persian cooking, modern French Provencal food presentation, and contemporary American eating styles. The result is a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. The recipes have been kitchen tested by both American and Persian chefs. They are intelligently written and easy to follow, one per page, each facing a magnificent photograph. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Good book at a great price.
I enjoyed looking at the pictures of how artfully she presented her dishes. I equally enjoyed making some of the dishes with my husband. I like that the recipes are lighter versions, as Persian cuisine can be quite heavy.

persian cooking for anyone
I needed a persian cooking book in english and with at least some pictures to know how to present the food.
I like the recipes she has in there, those are of every day meals in our home.Kids love them.

Buy the Author's other book...more bang for your buck
If you enjoy Persian cuisine, you should buy Najmieh Batmaglij's other book called "New Food of Life" it has all of the recipes of this book and MORE. I've had the "New Food of Life" for 8+ years and its one book I use A LOT.Her measurements and explanations are great and easy to understand in both books.Enjoy or as Batmaglij ends her recipes Nush-e Jan!

Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen
This book introduces the reader into a world of tastes and smells, with simple words and with pictures able to inspire the fantasy and imagination about very far countries, very old civilities. It helped me a lot about cooking special dishes, so different from the traditional one, and improved my knowledge on how many different ways can lead to good tastes and to the pleasure of food.

Kind of a rip off...
This book is virtually the same as "New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies " (which I LOVE)...what you're paying for here are the same recipes only with lowfat yogurt, less oil and things that I feel we could have figured out on our own...to cut fat.

I'll be returning my copy...but again, "New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies " is fantastic!!! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A Taste ofPersia is a collection of authentic recipes from one of the world's oldest cuisines, chosen and adapted for today's lifestyle and kitchen. Here are light appetizers and kababs, hearty stews and rich, golden-crusted rices, among many other dishes, all fragrant with the distinctive herbs, spices, or fruits of Iran. Each recipe offers clear, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. Most take less than an hour to prepare; many require only a few moments; many others can be made in advance. Besides its 100 recipes and 60 photographs, the book includes a useful dictionary of Persian cooking techniques and ingredients, a list of specialty stores around the nation that sell hard-to-find items, and a brief history of Persian cookery. Together these make a complete introduction to this wonderful cuisine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Not worth the effort
I tried cooking about 7-8 different dishes from this cookbook and only one came out tasting very good (the eggplant khoresh, which was wonderful).Everything else was very oily and not very flavorful, and not nearly worth the prep time (most of the recipes are more than an hour just for prep, plus two hours to cook (and the cooking is never just "put it in and set the timer" - it's "put it in, come back in 15 minutes and combine it with something from pot B and put it on the stove for 25 minutes, and then ...."))Also most recipes have around 15 ingredients, many hard-to-find, expensive, and not useful in other recipes, so remaining quantity just goes to waste.If you like food that's relatively bland and very oily, and are willing to work for hours to make a meal, this might be a good book to choose.But if you're like me and just looking for some quick meals to whip up with easy-to-find ingredients, this certainly isn't the cookbook to buy.

Better than New Food of Life
I've rated this book better than Batmanglij's New Food of Life but there are still some typos and inaccuracies that make it difficult to give this book a perfect review.I've verified the typos with Batmanglij but I wish she had a section on her website for updates BEFORE I stumble into them.The recipe for ghormeh sabzi is priceless.In fact, my husband says it's better than his mom's!

Quantities not always accurate
I've tried many of the recipes in this book and I loved them. However, when it comes to the listed ingredients you'll find that some of the recipes are either missing ingredients (a recipe calls for an ingredient that's not listed and then you are not quite sure what to do) or the quantities listed are wrong.

Not that great...everything is "over done"
Unfortunately I think the authoress makes this book a bit "too" exotic. yes Irani cooking is really awesome, ancient and beautiful but most Iranian recipies are actually quite simple and use a minimal of spices and other things...she just adds far to much to everything. I think she is trying to make Persian cooking more exotic than it really is.

For example the way I make tas kabob is NOT like how she says it is, it had no fruit in it!? Since when does tas kabob ever have fruit in it? uh, never... It has lamb, potato and tomato and some advieh and salt...um, thats it.
There are many other examples I could share but wont.

I prefer Margaret Shaida's Legendary Cusine of Persia. She gives the REAL recipies and ways of cooking dishes that Iranians actually use. Infact I have a in Farsi cookbook I got in tehran during my last trip over to see Family...the Venus cookbook and the majority of the recipies are the same or very very similar.

Anyway, I wish this women would put out a REAL Iranian cookbook not a overly exoticized, hyped up version...

BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS - PRECISE INSTRUCTIONS & DESCRIPTIONS
I JUST RECEIVED THIS BOOK AND I AM SOOOOO THANKFUL THAT I ORDERED IT ..IT IS BEAUTIFUL ..THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE WONDERFUL AND COLORFUL ..I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WANTING TO COOK PERSIAN FOOD ..I AM SO ANXIOUS TO GET STARTED COOKING ..CAN'T WAIT .. ... Read more

Product Description
The Sofreh cookbook is the product of over 20 years of experience in preparing food for some of the most magnificent ceremonies and parties in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is the only Persian food cookbook, where the recipes have been field tested instead of kitchen tested. The recipe directions are easy to follow and are accompanied by hundreds of exceptional high quality photographs to show you how Persian food really looks like and how it is served. For the first time, Sofreh also introduces the use of meat replacements such as tofu, in otherwise authentic Persian dishes such as Fesenjoon and Ghormeh Sabzee to encourage vegetarianism, and still be able to enjoy these unique Persian tastes. This high quality cookbook is sized 11 x 11 inches, with 213 pages of top quality photographs, binding, and paper, and even includes a section on common ingredients used in Persian food and their photographs for easy reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Awsome!!! Deliciouse and tasty recipes!!
SOFREH is the best Persian cookbook. I have tried a few other Persian cookbooks before and in none of them recipes are well developed as this book. The recipes are wonderful; delicious and easy to follow.I have given this book as a gift to my friends and they all loved it. I should mention that the design and photos of this book are excellent. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves Persian food!

A Must Have in Every Kitchen!
From the striking cover design to mouth-watering photographs, from inspiring original recipes to easy-to-follow instructions, the Sofreh cookbook represents a refreshing change in the realm of Persian cooking. My family enjoys tasty, exotic foods, especially modern adaptations of traditional recipes. This cookbook is filled with such adaptations. How wonderful to have the opportunity to experiment with creative, delicious dishes that are also easy and fun to prepare. The Sofreh cookbook represents the best in Persian cuisine. This is a must have in every kitchen!!!

best persian cook book !
Beautiful book to look at i love that it has pictures in it also the recepies are great authentic persian i love how simplethe instructions are to follow i have made 2recepies so far and turned out great you will not be dissapointed i hope she publishes another book .

Easier than you think
I have eaten my Mom's, Aunt's and even Mrs. Kamarei's amazing Iranian cooking forever but never believed that I could make it myself. My Mom tried to teach me some things but would never write them down. My Great Aunt would tell me in Farsi but her measurements involved using my fingers or counting bubbles. The last Persian cookbook I tried had all kinds of weird additions to the dishes. But Mrs. Kamarei's book is a Godsend! The dishes are traditional as I remember them but simple and easy to incorporate into a contemporary meal. The rices come out beautiful and colorful. The Tacheen was so easy and came out so neat and pretty - I was shocked at my own creation - My friend and I cleaned out half the casserole dish in one sitting. I am no chef, believe me, but this cookbook has made it so easy.

If you don't feel confident about making Persian food, try the Baklava recipe. It was easier than making a cake out of a box and my friends went crazy over it. People are asking me to make it for parties now!

I leave you with one tip - DON'T MESS WITH THE RECIPES - These are clearly perfected over many years and unless you are already an expert, stick to the plan.

Thank you Mrs. K! (My friends thank you too.)

Amazingly ExceptionalCookbook
Phenomenal photos and being written by a former caterer make this book exceptional.Recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients are easy to find.I was looking for a cookbook that would help me make Persian dishes that would impress my Persian mother in law.I tired New Food of Life and the pictures didn't reflect what Persian food looks like or how it is served.Sofreh's pictures are GORGEOUS and show you exactly how Persian food is served.There were also some really beautiful photographs of a Persian wedding ceremony that helped my with my wedding.No wonder I couldn't find a used Sofreh!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Nowruz--the Persian New Year--is one of the world's great festivals, a full month of activities celebrating the earth, the arrival of spring, and the rebirth of nature. Most of all, it is a festival for families. Children and adults alike can share in preparing special meals, decorating the house, and performing the many ceremonies that welcome the New Year. This book is a guide to customs thousands of years old yet as vital as ever--enjoyable for families no matter where they live or what their beliefs.

Happy Nowruz offers twenty-five fun, easy, and innovative Nowruz recipes, with lots of photos to show you what to do. This is an ideal guide for parents, teachers, and kids--age six and older--to know more about the origins of Nowruz and to get everyone involved in preparing for the arrival of spring by:
baking Haji Firuz cookies
germinating seeds in eggshells
coloring eggs
making a Nowruz garland
jumping over fires
setting the Haft-sinn (seven-s) holiday table
planting narcissus and hyacinth bulbs
selecting and buying goldfish
banging spoons for trick-or-treating
cooking the Nowruz dinner
enjoying the Outdoor Thirteen picnic

Each book is shrinkwrapped with a stainless steel cookie cutter in the shape of the herald of the New Year--Haji Firuz--for making and decorating Haji Firuz Gingerbread Cookies.

THE NOWRUZ TRADITION
Preface 9
An Ancient Tradition 11
Celebrate Spring 13
The Arrival of Haji Firuz 14
Preparing for Nowruz 17
Activities to Welcome Nowruz 19
Preparing Sprouts 21
Eggshell Sprouts 23
Egg Decorating 25
Coloring Eggs 27
A Nowruz Garland 28
Wild Fire Eve 31
The Banging of Spoons 33
Feasting and Fun 35
Nowruz Holiday Table 36
Seven Items 39
Other Elements of the Nowruz Table 41
Gathering to Welcome Nowruz 43
Old Signs of Spring 45
The Transit of Years 47

My Nowruz Menu 48
Nowruz Sweets 49
A Round of New Year's Visits 51
The Outdoor Thirteen Picnic 53

NOWRUZ RECIPES
When Children Cook 55
Flabread 57
Flatbread Pizza 59
Cheese, Fresh Herb, Fruit, and Nut Sandwich 61
Fresh Herb Kuku with Barberries 63
Noodle Soup 65
Yogurt and Cucumber Dip 67
Red Rice with Green Beans 69
Green Rice 71
Fish Strips 73
Haji Firuz Gingerbread Cookies 75
Nowruz Cupcakes 77
Cream Puff 79
Cinnamon Date Bun 81
Chewy Raisin Cookies 83
Walnut Kiss Cookies 85
Almond Candy Cookies 87
Rice Cookies 89
Sweet Almond Berries 91
Four-Leaf Clover Cookies 93
Honey Almond Candy Crunch 95
Baklava 97
Puff Pastry Tongues 99
Pomegranate Popsicles 101
Crunch Cream Ice Cream Sandwich 103
Sour Cherry Cooler 105

THE CALENDAR APPENDIX
A New Year Is Born 108
The Iranian Year - Counting the Days 109
Naming the Months 111
A Legacy of the Chinese Zodiac 113
The Animal Cycle of Years 114
Useful Kitchen Tools 116
Haji Firuz Cookie Cutter Template 117
Credits & Acknowledgments 119 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Nice book
My kids loved looking at the pictures as we were getting ready for the new year.

Very Good
I really like the book - the easiest to use of all of her cook books. As the mother of two children with an Iranian father, this book really helped us to incorporate celebrating Nowruz into our family traditions. The bean soup (ash-e resh-te) recipe was great. We made the cream puffs and that turned out delicious (couldn't get the temperature reading she suggests, but they were fine anyway). I also made red rice with green beans (a childhood favorite of my husband's) - we loved it. Regarding the recipes here are a few tips:
1. the author always stipulates way more onion than necessary, so cut it by at least half.
2. You can leave out the saffron - the recipe will still be good.
3. You can substitute sour cream for Kashk (whey) - I do this all the time in the eggplant dip.

Great book!
I love that this cookbook has traditional recipes and information about the Persian New Year.The photos and descriptions are terrific.My only complaint is that some of the recipes have ingredients that are not easy to come by, and no substitutions are noted (nor is there info on whether some of the minor, hard to find ingredients could be omitted, if necessary).

Not what I expected...
The haji firouz cookie cutter is a blast however the gingerbread receipe does not offer adequate ingrediants to make a good batch! I think the receipes should be revised. Good first effort!

Wonderful Book
This is yet another wonderful persian cookbook from Ms. Batmanglij. I have three of her other books, and each one is full of fantastic recipes, beautiful photographs, and lovely cultural information. This book is no different. This is be very helpful in learning to celebrate Nowruz with my daughter (my husband is Iranian) for years to come. We already made the haji firuz cookies! ... Read more

Product Description
"A Taste of Persia is a collection of authentic recipes from one of the world's oldest cuisines, chosen and adapted for today's lifestyle and kitchen. Here are light appetizers and kebabs, hearty stews and rich, golden-crusted rices, among many other dishes, all fragrant with the distinctive Persian use of herbs, spices and fruits. Each recipe offers clear, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. Most take less than an hour to prepare; many require only a few moments; many others can be made in advance. Besides its 100 recipes and 60 photographs, the book includes a useful dictionary of Persian cooking techniques and ingredients, and a brief history of Persian cookery. Together these make a complete introduction to this wonderful cuisine. ... Read more

Product Description
In clear, easy-to-follow steps, the author guides eventhe most novice cook through her collection of more than 500declicious recipes ranging from a basic omelette to a simple pasta ora sophisticated tiramisu. Her recipes are drawn from her home countryof Iran (and include several passed down from her ancient ancestorsfrom Kurdistan), as well as from her years in Europe and her life inthe United States. This is an international cookbook which includesthe author's personal notes, cooking insights, and helpful hints onsubjects as varied as roasting pistachios that make each dish sure tobe a success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not at all what I expected - very, very disappointed
I bought this cookbook thinking it was persian cooking.I certainly did not expect to see recipes for Italian dishes and dumbed down american dishes.I wouldn't even say these are recipes - things like dumping a can of cream of mushroom soup with other things is not cooking in my mind.This is neither persian cooking or american cooking - it's a disgrace to people who enjoy the art of either.I'm returning the book.I'd give this 0 stars, but unfortunately, Amazon doesn't have that option.

A feast for the eye and the mouth
I highly recommend this international cookbook whether you are a sophisticated cook or an enthusiastic beginner.I made the walnut and veal stew with the upside-down rice to complement my Christmas dinner.The golden crust of the rice was awesome.The star meringue made an impressive and easy dessert.I've made the salmon tart both as an appetizer and as a light lucheon meal.The step-by-step instructions make cooking simple.The end result for every recipe I tried was both a feast for the eye and the mouth. ... Read more

Product Description
Persia has one of the oldest and greatest cuisines in the world. It has strongly influenced Arabic and Indian food. And yet little is known of it in the modern world outside Iran. This book brings authentic recipes that use the widely available jewel-like ingredients of Iran, such as green pistachio nuts, red barberry and yellow saffron, to create dishes that are unfamiliar in their flavour. Stories of the country's food traditions, snippets of fairy tales and stunning location photographs accompany the recipes and food photographs. "Persia" offers recipes for Persia's rich variety of food - from stews to grilled kebabs to saffron rice studded with dried fruits to fish to salads. Spices such as cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon and cloves are used in abundance, armfuls of fresh herbs such as coriander and parsley are thrown into dishes, and sweet flavourings such as rose-water and pomegranates play a central role in this unusual cuisine. As well as recipes, the book features information about these ingredients, stories about the country's eating traditions and rituals, and quotes from fairy tales. ... Read more

Product Description
This edition is written in English. However, there is a running Persian thesaurus at the bottom of each page for the more difficult English words highlighted in the text. There are many editions of Many Ways for Cooking Eggs. This edition would be useful if you would like to enrich your Persian-English vocabulary, whether for self-improvement or for preparation in advanced of college examinations. Webster's edition of this classic is organized to expose the reader to a maximum number of difficult and potentially ambiguous English words. Rare or idiosyncratic words and expressions are given lower priority compared to "difficult, yet commonly used" English words. Rather than supply a single translation, many words are translated for a variety of meanings in Persian, allowing readers to better grasp the ambiguity of English without using the notes as a pure translation crutch. Having the reader decipher a word's meaning within context serves to improve vocabulary retention and understanding. Each page covers words not already highlighted on previous pages. This edition is helpful to Persian-speaking students enrolled in an English Language Program (ELP), an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program, an English as a Second Language Program (ESL), or in a TOEFL® or TOEIC® preparation program. Students who are actively building their vocabularies in Persian or English may also find this useful for Advanced Placement® (AP®) tests. TOEFL®, TOEIC®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which has neither reviewed nor endorsed this book. This book is one of a series of Webster's paperbacks that allows the reader to obtain more value from the experience of reading. Translations are from Webster's Online Dictionary, derived from a meta-analysis of public sources, cited on the site. ... Read more