4.48

5

Sep 23, 2011

I've been wanting to get this cookbook from the library ever since I heard about it a year or two ago. It was ALWAYS checked out. Until now. So, that day I ran over and got it.

I heard good things about the author and even checked out her story and her website. She seemed really cool. I've always had an interest in Persian food because I have so many Persian friends. But other books I've looked at made all the dishes seem hard and complicated.

I was really surprised when I found the book in the I've been wanting to get this cookbook from the library ever since I heard about it a year or two ago. It was ALWAYS checked out. Until now. So, that day I ran over and got it.

I heard good things about the author and even checked out her story and her website. She seemed really cool. I've always had an interest in Persian food because I have so many Persian friends. But other books I've looked at made all the dishes seem hard and complicated.

I was really surprised when I found the book in the library. I thought it would be a flat little book but it's really thick and heavy. There are tons of recipes in here and almost every single one of them (except for some sauces and small stuff) has a full-page picture next to the recipe. It is a huge plus to have pictures in a recipe book because it helps me decide what I want to make and get a better understanding of how the final dish should look. It also gives me ideas for presentation. The pictures are really beautiful too. I would definitely also use this as a coffee table book just because it is so pretty and it would be a fun thing for guests to flip through.

The recipes seemed uncomplicated. Simnegar learned the recipes mostly from her Persian mother-in-law. Because she wasn't brought up cooking Persian food, she knows what it is like to be a beginner. She explains everything really well. I'm also no expert on Persian food (though, I know way more than the average person) but she had all the classic dishes I could think of in here so I think this is a pretty comprehensive book.

She has little cute introductions and tips for each recipe which I found very cool. It was kind of like taking a cooking lesson from a friend. She has a very chatty, friendly style about how she writes. She even invites the reader to visit her for Shabbat if they are in her neighborhood. How friendly is that?

In the beginning of the book she writes about Jewish Persian history and also how she met her husband. I found this section very interesting because learning about the culture and cooking the food go hand and hand. I also like learning about Simnegar because I find it incredibly amazing that she took on the traditions of her husband and learned so much and is sharing it with us.

There is also a section in the beginning of the book that explains what it means to "keep kosher". This is very nice because the book doesn't assume that the reader already knows these things and it is also a great refresher for those that already know.

I LOVE this section in the beginning called "Absolutely necessary things" which has a grocery list of common foods found in the book. The charts are on spices and herbs. They list the name of the spice, a description of how it is used, it's kosher status, and where you can find it. The produce and legumes and nuts most used in this book are also listed. This is GREAT if you want to cook a lot of these dishes and want to stock up your kitchen.

In the back of the book she explains about all the Jewish holidays. I thought that was a great addition. She also has a glossary that explains the Hebrew and Persian words in the book and another culinary glossary with some of the more complicated cooking words (LOVE!) This book is VERY user friendly.

In the beginning she put a picture of her family but not of her. That bothered me a bit because I like to see who I am taking lessons from. Most of my cookbooks have the cook's picture somewhere in the book. But she does tell you to check out her website and you can see her picture and blog on there which is kind of cool. It almost feels like she's one of your friends.

I liked this book so much that I might actually buy it. ...more

3

Feb 06, 2012

I picked this book up because I am always on the lookout for new kosher cookbooks. This one peaked my interest even more because it is Sephardic. The author has a breezy chatty style when introducing each recipe. She does assume a certain level of knowledge about Judaism and keeping kosher. Some of the sidebars were interesting and offered good tips on dealing with unfamiliar ingredients (rice flour, barberries) but several of the tips were repeated which I could have done without. There is a I picked this book up because I am always on the lookout for new kosher cookbooks. This one peaked my interest even more because it is Sephardic. The author has a breezy chatty style when introducing each recipe. She does assume a certain level of knowledge about Judaism and keeping kosher. Some of the sidebars were interesting and offered good tips on dealing with unfamiliar ingredients (rice flour, barberries) but several of the tips were repeated which I could have done without. There is a good tutorial at the back of the book on Shabbat and other Jewish holidays. Just about each recipe has a photograph of the finished product which I find to be very helpful. I did find a few recipes that I wanted to make but for me this was not a cookbook that I would rush out and purchase.

...more

5

May 04, 2011

I am loving this book! The delicious and simple to prepare dishes (because the recipes are so clearly written!)are only part of the appeal of this book. I am enjoying learning about a history of a culture and part of the world that I am unfamiliar with. Thank you!