5.0 out of 5 stars I need to try them all ... now ...

M.J.S. · June 8, 2016

It is rare for me to read through a new cookbook and not find a recipe or two I want to try immediately. But in this case, I want to try them all, now - okay there are a few with a bit lower priority but ... at university, I knew a number of students of Central Asian languages and a couple of graduate students from the region. I trust that these recipes as reasonably authentic as they are similar to the dishes I was served as from the region. The only ingredient I see missing that was always spoken of nostalgically is melons ... I kept hearing of a hundred types of melons being available. I fear they don't even make an appearance in that variety even in the gorgeous photos spread throughout the book.The recipes all are built around ingredients that are available without prowling specialty and ethnic stores. Pomegranate molasses is a difficult as it comes ... and, yes, molasses in milk is fed to children around the world according to my experience tracking down pomegranate molasses. The directions are detailed and clear; they do not assume that you are familiar with the final product. This makes it ideal for someone exploring the cuisine without any experience with it.The first recipe I looked for in the book was for the Georgian cheese bread - there is a Spinach Khachapuri along with a beautiful photo and an amusing comment about the Khachapuri economic index - the price of the ingredients is a local measure of inflation. And the Azerbaijan Buttern rice under a Shah's Crown which is a buttered saffron rice with chestnuts, raisins and apricots in a lavash crust is there.But the recipes which really caught my attention were not ones that I was familiar with or that were complex. They are simple family fare. Summer Borscht with Sour Cream and chive is a clear red broth flavored with tomatoes, celery, onion, garlic, bay, cloves and lemon juice. Green Olive and Walnut Salad is seasoned will cumin, chile, dill, thyme ... Walnut stuffed Eggplant Roles with pomegranate, cilantro, garlic, chile ... Candied Quinces with Chopped Nuts, cinnamon, lemon, almond, pistachios. To drink there is tarragon soda, several herbal teas and spiced teas. Or a more exotic rhubarb, apple and clove kompot drink.There are a number of kebab style meat recipes, a variety of pilau style recipes, hot pots, breads, noodles, dips ... all inviting, all achievable. They not only provide a cross-section of dining options but a cross-section of the variety of ethnicity in the region.

5.0 out of 5 stars Hand's down, the best cookbook ever written for this region's AMAZING cuisine!!!

D.D. · January 7, 2017

I have traveled extensively through the Caucuses. I collect cookbooks from this region, as long as they are in English. Most of them are extremely poor quality, rife with spelling and grammar errors, translation issues, poor instructions, items that cannot be obtainable in the west and nonsense ingredients such as "pink" (yes, I've seen this used several times, I have no idea what food "pink" is supposed to be, even through context). This cookbook is BY FAR the most authentic cookbook for this region's recipes that I have ever found in over a decade of searching. I have been looking for a cookbook of this caliber for this region, and I can hardly believe that I finally found it! Tasting the result of every recipe is like being transported back to Tbilisi or Baku or Samarkand and every city and town in between. In the Republic of Georgia, they have a saying "why would you eat at a restaurant that serves foreign food when you can eat Georgian food?" And it's true, Georgian food is simply amazing; hence my search for this region's cookbook. The second recipe in the book- Walnut Stuffed Eggplant Rolls- reminded me of so many wonderful meals in Tbilisi where this dish was often served. It's an absolutely perfect recipe for the dish! This is now my 'go-to' book gift. I've purchased multiple copies and given them to people; all have been thrilled:-) Thank you for writing such an important and beautifully written cookbook.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing recipes from all over Central Asia and their background

T. · September 7, 2017

The book provides a background of the Central Asia whole area. Pictures are wonderful. It is a travel book as well as a cookbook. Both parts are of equal interest.The Non (Uzbek bread) recipe is just working perfectly. I make 2-3 times the amount of the recipe, but as I wait for the second Non to get ready, my kids already have eaten the first one. The whole batch never last to the next day. Whatever someone will find something to eat this bread along.This book provides recipes which I believe are not so easy to discover as a tourist, or at least it contains plenty of amazing recipes I did not come across in Central Asia restaurants.Thank you !

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended!

M.S. · June 8, 2018

This is such a superb cookery book that I ordered another copy for a friend whose interests in this part of the world mirror mine. He has traveled and dined in Georgia and says that he is familiar with some of the foods highlighted by Eden, so is looking forward to trying her recipes. Me, too! Not only is the author's presentation informative, but the format is highly accessible, the recipes easy to follow and use mostly available ingredients, and the photography is stunning. My only surprise was that there was hardly a mention of the delectable Central Asian melons, but this is a small oversight and does not affect the overall quality of this excellent book with it's fine collection of recipes. I definitely recommend it to you!

4.0 out of 5 stars Recipes are delicious (those that I've tried)

D.G. · November 9, 2016

Great text and recipes. The only problem I have is with the quality of the paper it is printed on - it is very dull and the photos are washed out. I think the intent was to make it look antique, but for me, it is annoying feature.

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely well done

C. · February 8, 2019

This cookbook is a perfect balance of cultural narrative and recipes. There is intriguing information about the region, the people, and the food influences. The recipes are true to the region and the photography is beautiful. It really helps to have photos of the recipes when you're working with ingredients you're not familiar with so you know how the dish should look when it's done. The book is also arranged in practical chapters / food categories. Would have liked an index that arranged the recipes by country / region but overall his is an excellent cultural piece of work with wonderful recipes.

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning!

A.M. · April 9, 2019

The photography and inclusion of cultural context is fascinating! Recipes are delicious and add a very special touch to the usual rotation of recipes...excellent buy!

Central asian cuisine

C. · September 18, 2025

This cookbook is amazing. Rich in pictures and details. A great addition to my library.

Great selection of recipes

L.D. · May 29, 2019

Authentic, delicious, not a book that you would leave un a shelf unopened! A great cultural discovery of the central asia and caucasus, the cuisine known so little in the west

A really great example of cultural cuisine book.

R. · January 5, 2017

I love that there's a lot of goof quality photos of central Asia and the dishes. The recipes are on point and delicious. There's also little excerpt of interesting cultural facts about the region that I found to be very informative. The printing quality of this book is superb.

Beautiful and delicious recipes, even more enchanting stories

R. · August 27, 2023

I feel this book covers history, culture, and recipes equally well. For a part of the world many English speakers aren't familiar with it introduces dynamics and stories that would be unfamiliar to many. The photos are beautiful and the recipes are delicious and varied enough by flavor and season to find something new to try every now and again. It would make a good gift for someone interested in middle asian cuisine and culture, or someone who has visited and wants to recreate these foods at home.

Fantastic recipes

S.P. · November 8, 2021

We have used just so many recipes from this book. We originally bought it because of having visited Samarkand and enjoyed the food, we thought it would be good to see if we could cook. Well, we could and we do! All the time! We are in Australia and have introduced many of our friends to this fantastic food.