Reviews
Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy
Barbara Ghazarian
“Kick off the summer barbecue season with spiced lamb patties Armenians
call losh kebabs,” suggests Barbara Ghazarian in her new cookbook,
Simply Armenian, a 2005 Writers Digest Book Award winner. But lamb
patties garnished with yogurt sauce are just the beginning of the
iconic, wonderful and satisfying summer-time dishes included among
the over 150-award winning, easy-to-make, classic Armenian recipes
included in this cookbook that will become a favorite on your shelf,
even if you are not Armenian. Ghazarian is an experienced cook and
a natural teacher with a gift for storytelling. Through sharing her
family’s Armenian heritage as well as their cooking secrets, she
combines the information a cook needs with the wisdom of generations
of grandmothers. It’s a rare cookbook, indeed, which provides enough
tips and instructions within the recipes to help those who are more
“culinary challenged” than cookbook authors.
Simply Armenian ‘draws on ancient culinary traditions of the Tigris and
Euphrates river basins to reveal the secrets of the naturally healthy
Armenian table. For centuries, Armenians have been eating like sultans
on what others considered scraps and pantry basics. Rather than rely on
condiments, sauces or lots of seasonings, Armenian dishes depend upon
the food itself, or combination of foods, to give fine flavor. The
book explores recipes ranging from inexpensive peasant fare to more
elaborate special occasion dishes. More than half are meat-free
and all are delivered with the cheerful generosity of a neighbor’.
Beginners to experienced home cooks interested in successfully sampling
a new cuisine without investing tons of time or money will appreciate
these fail-proof dishes, guaranteeing friends and family will fight
for seats at your table!
by Alec Franklor
[email protected]
Spirit of Change, July/August 2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress