Cookbook Giveaway – Samarkand

October 3, 2016 by
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Samarkand: Recipes & Stories from Central Asia & The Caucasus by Caroline Eden & Eleanor Ford is a love letter to the city of Samarkand. A magical place with “sky-blue mosques, sand-colored minarets and fluted domes, ceramic tiles and mosaic surfaces dazzling with floral motifs and geometric patterns” that make you long to wander and find yourself lost in this compelling land.

Generations of ethnic groups have traveled through Samarkand and have all left their culinary mark behind. This special title shares travel essays, vibrant photography and recipes that are little known in the West that have been adapted for the home cook. In Samarkand, you will will find yourself immersed in learning details of the various groups: Uzbeks, Tajiks, Russian, Turkis, Koryo-Saram, Jewish, Caucasus and Afghan and mesmerized by the colorful replications of native fabrics and textiles that introduce each chapter. 

A pantry of essentials are set forth outlining the ingredients used in the dishes. My full attention is engaged reading through the pages of recipes – Tajik Bread Salad, Chicken Shashlik with Pink Onions and Pomegranate, and Buttered Rice under a Shah’s Crown – all stunningly beautiful and spark my desire to head to the kitchen. The Breads and Doughs chapter with the beautiful Non Bread that is marked with a intricate design before being fiercely slapped onto the side of a red hot tandoor oven to bake and the Uzbek Pumpkin Manti with Sour Tomato Sauce are pure artistry. Thanks to my collection of eccentric kitchen tools, I can make both of these easily (minus the tandoor oven). Have no fear instructions for creating the dishes without these tools are given. Be sure to read our interview with the authors to learn more about this title.

We’re delighted to offer 3 copies of this book in our giveaway for EYB Members in U.S.  One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post:

What dish from your travels have you recreated at home?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends November 3rd, 2016.

 

Category: Cookbook Giveaways

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81 Comments

  • eliza  on  October 3, 2016

    I re-created Cuban black beans.

  • Catalicious  on  October 3, 2016

    I would love this cookbook. I've made fried baby artichokes – Carciofi alla Giudia (artichokes in the Jewish style, a Roman/Jewish dish that I enjoyed in Milan one year).

  • sbh2006  on  October 3, 2016

    I've taught dozens of students from Central Asia, and one of the things I've enjoyed the most is discussing food and culture with them. This is one of my favorite cookbooks in recent memory… I ordered it on an impulse buy after seeing it in an Amazon UK email. I also ordered a bread stamp from Uzbekistan to use with it! I've made several of the salads and appetizers so far and have loved everything I've made. I hope to try some of the more ambitious dishes over the upcoming three-day weekend!

  • annmartina  on  October 3, 2016

    Paratha bread with curry gravy, carrot cake, and kueh lapis spice cake from Singapore. Red beans & rice, pralines, and dirty rice from New Orleans.

  • lebarron2001  on  October 3, 2016

    Shrimp and Grits from my travels to the southern United States

  • radhablack  on  October 3, 2016

    Stuffed cabbage and grape leaves from Bulgaria, tart tatin from France, artichoke risotto from Italy, mujadarra and hummus from Lebanon and agedashi tofu from Japan…

  • Siegal  on  October 3, 2016

    I tried to re create all the burnt eggplant dishes I had in Israel

  • rchesser  on  October 3, 2016

    I've made a few curries and biryani inspired by my trip to India.

  • Nancith  on  October 3, 2016

    I haven't tried to recreate anything, but our daughter made Lablabi for our family when she returned from traveling in Tunisia & eating this dish many times while there.

  • FaithB  on  October 3, 2016

    Love this review, and the interview gives even more insight into the book, which I've been coveting!

  • lkgrover  on  October 3, 2016

    I was inspired to make risotto after visiting Venice & Milan, Italy. I've since made several varieties (cheese, spinach, zucchini, shrimp, artichoke, tomato, shrimp, etc.). I also made rabbit sauce for pasta after visiting Florence, and duck breasts from Paris.

    I bought this cookbook three weeks ago. Beautiful photography, fascinating culture. And full of inticing recipes. (So far I've made the Rosh-hashanah plov, a rice dish.)

  • rchesser  on  October 3, 2016

    Thank you for another great book review, I am looking forward to reading and cooking the book.

  • sgump  on  October 3, 2016

    I traveled to the Philippines when I was living in Japan many moons ago, and I recreated a lovely pork adobo with coconut milk (you know, with vinegar and garlic and soy sauce) once I was back home in Japan.

  • JCBaldassare  on  October 3, 2016

    I have been trying to recreate the creamy green salsa I had in playa del carmen, mexico for more than 10 years. Still working on it!

  • stockholm28  on  October 3, 2016

    Gambas al ajillo from Spain.

  • TarekB  on  October 4, 2016

    After I visited Istanbul, I recreated Borek with cheese , tomato and Onion , very tough to do the dough, but succeeded finaly

  • dbielick  on  October 4, 2016

    Schnitzel with spaetzle and semmelknoedel

  • IslandgirlOK  on  October 4, 2016

    Shrimp tempura, and Katsudon, I learned from a local chef on Guam, after I visited Japan.

  • sir_ken_g  on  October 4, 2016

    I often buy cookbooks from places I visit.
    Village boys chicken from Myanmar

  • vickster  on  October 4, 2016

    Gumbo inspired by New Orleans visit

  • jenmacgregor18  on  October 4, 2016

    Cubanos, 1905 salad & sangrias after my trip to Florida and visit to Columbia Restaurant. Leg of lamb, w mint jelly – also tuna & sweetcorn sandwiches – England. Scones, cock-a-leekie, scotch broth, vegetable soup& wholemeal bread – tatties w/ swede or turnips- Scotland.

  • susan g  on  October 4, 2016

    I returned from a trip to Santa Fe with a quart jar of freshly roasted green chiles, which led of pursuing the chile recipes of the Southwest, and about 6 cookbooks from Santa Fe and farther afield in the region. Wonderful food!

  • meggan  on  October 4, 2016

    Khao soi from Northern Thailand

  • DFed  on  October 4, 2016

    I attempted Brioche after a visit to Paris – it was not very successful 🙂

  • avanoir  on  October 4, 2016

    I learned canning And vegetable gardening on Texas and this has lead to making my own fresh cheese and yogurt. I love them.

  • Emily Hope  on  October 4, 2016

    After visiting Greece I make Dakos–a tomato and feta salad on top of barley rusks.

  • pumpkindonut  on  October 4, 2016

    After visiting Italy I recreated the street food bruschetta. It's been a staple every summer ever since.

  • gjelizabeth  on  October 4, 2016

    Spam sushi from Hawaii!

  • Kimberly62  on  October 5, 2016

    tropical fruit and fish over rice from a visit to Key West

  • Arishell  on  October 5, 2016

    When we ate at Barbuto in New York I had these amazing potatoes. I emailed the chef about the recipe since it was no where to be found online. Luckily he happily sent instructions.

  • musiclvr  on  October 5, 2016

    We ate at a restaurant in Buchard Gardens on Vancover Island in British Columbia, Canada. One item was spaghetti squash with some brandy and spices in it. I'd never had it before, and went home after the trip and recreated it. It is now one of my requested recipes.

  • Mariarosa  on  October 5, 2016

    I was inspired to make pork stew with Hatch green chiles after my trip to New Mexico.

  • rosiekitty  on  October 5, 2016

    After leaving Haiti, I made banan pese (fried plantains) because I missed them so desperately.

  • Katiefayhutson  on  October 5, 2016

    Paella

  • sarahawker  on  October 6, 2016

    Paella

  • JanScholl  on  October 7, 2016

    I travel thru my love of books. Many times I come across a dish mentioned in a memoir…such was the case with bibimbap. I just vegetized it.

  • annieski  on  October 7, 2016

    Truffle omelet, from our trip to Paris

  • bangss  on  October 7, 2016

    Cocido de garbanzos – a shredded beef, garbanzo, leek, and tomato paste pan-fry that my host mom always made in Spain (and I don't even like beef!!).

  • cocecitycook  on  October 8, 2016

    Curries and noodle dishes from Thailand.

  • tarae1204  on  October 8, 2016

    Moroccan tagines

  • pgarcia  on  October 8, 2016

    Many, many from the three months I spent in India last year! My favorite is Dal Makhani.

  • BakerFrenchCreek  on  October 9, 2016

    Masala Dosas, a favorite from my time in South India

  • juazella  on  October 10, 2016

    schnitzel!

  • pandapotamus  on  October 12, 2016

    curry!

  • alirov  on  October 12, 2016

    Muffaletta sandwiches and beignets from New Orleans and meat pies from Australia.

  • MmeFleiss  on  October 13, 2016

    Spaetzle

  • ydixon57  on  October 14, 2016

    The first time that I had creme brulee was when I was on a cruise. When I returned home I learned to make it.

  • Deneenm  on  October 14, 2016

    spanish tortilla

  • lindaeatsherbooks  on  October 16, 2016

    I tried to remake a goulash dish I had from the Balkans. It wasn't bad, but not quite right.

  • SpiceAndInk  on  October 16, 2016

    "What dish from your travels have you recreated at home?" I've tried to recreate many but my favorite one I keep going back to is Caldo Verde, a potato-and leek-based soup with diced spicy Linguica sausage from Portugal. Have made it umpteen times and people rave over and over.

  • Nsteinen  on  October 16, 2016

    Barbecue shrimp from New Orleans.

  • milgwimper  on  October 16, 2016

    I have made the clam dish from Barcelona, or at least a close approximation. I also made several other tapas that we had eaten in Barcelona.

  • mpdeb98  on  October 16, 2016

    Menumen from Turkey

  • Elena Rose  on  October 16, 2016

    Tzatziki from Greece is a favorite, as are curries from Thailand, Vietnam and India

  • hillsboroks  on  October 17, 2016

    After a trip to Ireland Banoffee pie became a great favorite at our house

  • Radish  on  October 18, 2016

    I am in my seventies and when I was fifteen I went to Europe. We generally bought the meal of the day which always included soup. It was cream of vegetable soup and it was always delicious. Lately I have been making it again. That memory has stayed with me.

  • monique.potel  on  October 18, 2016

    i recreated the ossobucco from my italien travel!!!

  • Rinshin  on  October 18, 2016

    fried green tomatoes

  • edyenicole  on  October 18, 2016

    I made a chocolate layer cake from a bakery.

  • amandesi  on  October 19, 2016

    Chicken, prune, and almond tagine!

  • TrishaCP  on  October 19, 2016

    Basically everything that I ate when I was living in Mexico City for a while, but especially the agua frescas, such as agua de jamaica.

  • bfg67  on  October 20, 2016

    peanut stew from uganda

  • SamanthaV  on  October 20, 2016

    I've made Japanese curry after having it in Japan when I was an exchange student many years ago.

  • herby  on  October 20, 2016

    Curries I learnt to make in India.

  • rosalee  on  October 20, 2016

    My host-mum taught me the simplest, tastiest way to make bok choy while I was in Beijing!

  • love2chow  on  October 21, 2016

    bakwan sayur, an Indonesian cabbage, carrot fritter that I learned how to make at the Indonesian festival in Cairns, Australia.

  • Lyndaherman  on  October 22, 2016

    Pineapple rice after a visit to China

  • t.t  on  October 22, 2016

    Haven't traveled much, but I want to recreate the gnocchi my friend's mother made for us in Calabria…

  • iamaveronica  on  October 23, 2016

    I brought cookbooks back from Disney's Epcot. I still have plans to use them. I have made Israeli shakshouka before.

  • TheSpicedLife  on  October 24, 2016

    A particular style of Italian salad that was served all throughout southern Italy with arugula and fresh sweet corn.

  • CRT  on  October 26, 2016

    Latest was a fish and vegetable tagine from Cairo.

  • Dmartin997  on  October 26, 2016

    Morocco tangines and a Vietnam lemongrass ice cream.

  • Lisa Guido  on  October 27, 2016

    jambalaya

  • Lafauvette  on  October 27, 2016

    Irish soda bread

  • tcjanes  on  October 29, 2016

    Pasties from vacationing in northern MI.

  • Radish  on  October 29, 2016

    French cream soups. I love them.

  • Sfgordon  on  October 30, 2016

    I made a date pastry called mqaret after first trying it in Malta. I've also made several Morocco-inspired recipes like chicken and apricot tagine after traveling to Marrakech. And sometimes kind friends and family will bring me spices and other unique ingredients from their travels, which I am thrilled to use in my cooking!

  • MCDForm  on  November 1, 2016

    It wasn't far in terms of distance but I cooked a big batch of gumbo that seemed like it was from a different world.

  • Deneenm  on  November 2, 2016

    pan con tomate

  • Julia  on  November 2, 2016

    Zuni Cafe's famous roast chicken.

  • percussion03  on  November 5, 2016

    Pasties, from northern Michigan (via Wales).

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