About the Author:
Margaret Shaida was born in England. She married an Iranian and went to live in her husband’s country in 1955. She stayed there for 25 years and learned Persian cooking from her mother-in-law and other friends and relatives in their own kitchens. Her love of Persian food grew even more passionate during the five years she spent researching this book. What she takes us on is a culinary adventure, illustrating the diversity of food as represented by its many different religions ̶ Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Zoroastrian ̶ whilst explaining the many customs and traditions which make up the exotic and colourful threads in a cuisine which spans more than three thousand years.
From Booklist:
Because of its central position between Europe and the Far East, Iran has been a crossroads for civilizations and has always enjoyed exceptional cuisine. Nevertheless, the cooking of Iran is nearly unknown in the U.S. except in a few major cities. Margaret Shaida has produced a comprehensive guide to Iranian cooking that is part cookbook, part scholarly inquiry. Using the more ancient name for this storied land, The Legendary Cuisine of Persia microscopically examines the country's best dishes. In addition to loads of background text covering history and geography, each recipe has its own introduction that places it in cultural and culinary context. Recipes are clear and generally reproducible in the hands of a moderately experienced cook. One showstopper recipe sure to be a hit at a dinner party, the giant meatball from Tabriz hides as a surprise within it a whole chicken. This hefty lamb, rice, and split pea meatball simmers in a turmeric and tomato-flavored stock. Elsewhere, lamb, onions, parsley, and mint combine with rhubarb for a tasty stew. Bracing syrup from pomegranates plays an important role throughout the cuisine. Not every dish is easily prepared. Shaida has four pages of instructions to make proper Persian rice with its crisped bottom layer of grains. This is an important volume in any international cookery collection. Mark Knoblauch
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