5 comments about The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome.

1. Whenever I entertain my Greek relatives, they are amazed by my flair in their native cooking. Jeff's recipes are easy to follow and make Greek cooking simple.



2. This book by Jeff Smith has to be my favorite one that he has written. This book focuses on recipes from China, Greece, and Rome. The recies in this book are flavorful, and very enjoyable. My favorite recipe in here is strangely enough Garlic, Eggs, and Pasta. There is a wide range in recipes, both in flavors and ingredients. Jeff Smith does an excellent job of paring history as well as anecdotes with all of his recipes. This should be a must add for anyone who enjoys historical cooking.



3. Taking Chineese, Greek and Roman cooking influences, Smith ofTV fame brings forth an offering which resembles the James Beard books which provide not only great recipes but a running commentary on the culture which produces the food and some experience remembrances by the author.

   This is fun cooking and well done. Well representative of the cuisines and done with helpful hints on each.

   A workhorse for the cook willing to use it to branch out and experiement in these formative areas of food history. For openers, try Spareribs with Black Beans and Pepper Sauce, Halvah Cake or the Seafood Risotto.

   My humble opinion is that Roman cooking is slighted out of the three. See Malto Mario for some great Rome recipes.




4. I never though I'd read a cookbook, but Jeff Smith is such an engaging personality that I was almost left wanting more prose and less recipes! If you like cooking and you like history, this book will deliver on both counts.



5. This is an excellent cook book! It's full of great recipes and stories by a very talented cook and writer. This one focuses on 3 major influences in the culinary world. Jeff Smith entertained us for years on his PBS program 'The Frugal Gourmet'. Not only did he teach us many savory dishes, he also educated us. Not satisfied with just cooking delicious meals for his viewers, he would give detailed history lessons about the origins of the dish and made it all a lot of fun!
   
   This may be Mr. Smiths best cook book and it is a worthy edition to everyone's cook book library. I own and have read many, if not all of his cook books, not only for the man's knowledge of cooking, but his incredible wit! This guy was funny and I would have loved to have hung out and throw a few beers down with him.
   
   Unfortunately, this man had some very seriously bad press released about his personal life and well..... I am not one to spread rumors.....he seemed like a great guy and sadly he died before he was able to clear his name.
   
   R.I.P. Frugs!

5 comments about The New Greek Cuisine.

1. The trouble with cooking the more exotic foreigh foods is getting the appropriate ingredients. In fact in the introduction to this book, the author talks about the effort he had to go through to get the fresh spices for his large New York City restaurant. This included getting local farmers to grow special spices, chese importers to bring in some of the more obscure Greek cheeses, others to bring in Greek wines and brandies.
   
   But after that he recognizes that those of us that live out in the hinterlands have a very difficult time getting those ingredients so he has found substitutes. Example: 'Horta - The Greek name for wild greens, most of which are unknown in America. I substitute bitter greens such as mustard, chard, kale with, I believe, great success.' Another area where I've been very successful in getting strange and wonderful foods is Amazon's Gourmet Foods section.
   
   Having said all that, you get into the recipe part of the book and you find some truly wonderful dishes. As Mr. Botsacos says, even the local Greeks like his rendition of the traditional recipies. So do I.



2. The recipes are truly Greek, with really no "Americanizations." They were easy to follow and although some took time to prepare, the results were outstanding. We made some of the dips for New Years and they were incredible and HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!!



3. This cook book is a great addition to my cook book collection. I am Greek and have many of the same receipes but this book gives a little twist to some of the old favorites that is refreshing. Easy to follow recipes for the Greek and non-Greek alike.



4. I have hundreds of cook books that I both read for enjoyment and use for -obviously- the joy of cooking (and eating). This one ranks high. The author's commentary is interesting and gives a richer flavor to the individual recipes as well as to the entire book. The recipes are a step beyond the basic and traditional Greek offerings, but not overly complex or intimidating.
   I was drawn to the book after seeing the author on Martha Stewart's program and am very glad I followed up with the purchase.
   If you have been to Greece and /or enjoy Greek flavors and foods, this is a worthwhile purchase to help recall and relive and reconstruct the experiences.



5. We bought this as a present so we didn't try any of the recipes. We did look though it however and saw that the recipes did look authentic. There was a wide range of food and if you are the type of person that likes to experiment (I'm not), this would be a good book for you.

4 comments about The Scent of Orange Blossoms: Sephardic Cuisine from Morocco.

1. The Scent of Orange Blossoms is a lovingly assembled cook's tour of a regional cuisine that obviously has special meaning for the author. All eight of Kitty's cookbooks have been beautifully written and illustrated, but this one, with its mouthwatering recipes and pages of luscious photos by her husband Owen, is truly a feast for the senses.

   I spent three wonderful years living in Morocco and although I learned many recipes from Moroccan neighbors and some from Kitty herself, I have found in her latest book new combinations of spices, fresh vegetables and meats that I can't wait to try. Most of the Sephardic families had left Morocco when I lived there in the seventies and most of their recipes had gone with them. Kitty's meticulous research with Danielle and the wonderful stories and letters that illustrate this tome make it as much a history book as a cook book.

   More than anything else, at this time of great conflict and crisis in the world, The Scent of Orange Blossoms is a wonderful reminder of how Jews and Arabs can live (and cook) together in peace and harmony as they did for centuries in Morocco.

   I must go now and begin preparing my preserved lemons (p. 20).

   Salaam and shalom.




2. A celebration of Jewish cuisine that came from the interaction between Jews and Moslems in North Africa and Spain. When the author Kitty Morse led eating tours of Morocco, the highlight was a meal at the villa of retailer Danielle Mamane in Fez el Jdid. Both women have collaborated on this well designed and interesting book of recipes. I recommend it for its recipes, design, stories, and photographs. In addition to recipes, letters between mothers and their newly married daughters, and introductory stories, the authors list menu plans (with recipe page numbers) for the Jewish holidays, as well as the more Moroccan Jewish celebrations of La Mimouna (Pesach period), Hillula (visiting sages), and Kappara (pre-Yom Kippur). For Jewish weddings, there is the customary flan (t'faya). For Mimouna, the recommended recipes are Chicken with Orange Juice; Sephardic Mafleta pancakes; and couscous with raisin and onions confit. My favorite recipes include Walnuts with Pomegranate Seeds (which uses a heavy dose of orange blossom water); a cucumber with lemon salad; fish filets made in Fez style (with tomatoes, potatoes, and garlic); Fresh Fava Bean Soup with Cilantro for Passover; Chicken Couscous with Orange Blossom Water for Yom Kippur; Harira or Lentil and Chickpeas Soup (for Moslem Ramadan and Jewish Yom Kippur break-the-fasts); Meatballs in Onion Cinnamon Sauce, Chicken with Saffron and Ginger and Onions; and Honey Doughnuts for Hannukah. There are Fish Fillets a la Fassi (Fez style); Dafina Shabbat Stew (skhina); Chicken with Garbanzo Beans in Tetouan style; and Tangier style Potato Stew that uses preserved beef (kleehe). The Tagine of Beef uses carrot and turnips as well as cilantro, garlic, ginger, and tumeric. The Cornish Hens with Fresh Figs uses 12 figs and 12 threads of saffron; the Chicken with Onion and Tomatoes uses toasted almonds, ginger and eight threads of saffron. Preserved fruits, lemons, and kumquats play an important role in the cuisine. There is a recipe for Sephardic Shabbat Challa, and the Top of The Shelf spice that is often used; it includes a blending of cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, allspice, mace, salt and ginger. La Maguina, a vegetable and meat frittata, is sliced like meatloaf. Some unique soups and salads are a white and chard soup a la Tangiers; a fennel salad; a tomato and bell pepper salad with garlic, paprika and sugar; fava bean salad with cumin; and tomato with preserved lemons.



3. I just made Kitty Morse's Mint tea from her book Scent of Orange Blossoms. For years I have been digging and chopping away at a large patch of spearmint that takes over a section of my yard trying to get rid of it. Now after making Kitty's mint tea I am looking for another empty space to plant more. A simple infusion of fresh spearmint leaves, a little green tea and some sugar provided am amazing treat.



4. Excellent book for people who want to have a solid base of Moroccan cooking.
   Finally recipes of our favorite foods with precise measurements.
   AE

5 comments about The Food and Wine of Greece: More Than 300 Classic and Modern Dishes from the Mainland and Islands.

1. I have hundreds of cookbooks... I know its sounds nuts. I am a very adventurous cook. I'll try anything... from Indian, to Japanese to Italian to "Good Old American" to Vietnamese and of course Greek (my favorite) and much more in between.
   
   Out of all my cookbooks (including all my Greek cookbooks)this is the one I use most. It is beat up, stained, falling apart and hanging on by a thread. That is how much I use this book.



2. I'm Greek and love Greek food of course, but I've lived in the USA most of my life and only get to experience the true Greek dishes when i visit family in Greece. This is a great book of Greek dishes, they are very authentic and i have enjoyed trying something new each week.



3. I was raised on the recipes found in this book. Diane makes even the most seemingly complicated recipes manageable. I gave the book out as gifts this holiday season. I highly recommend it.



4. I spotted it in a local book store and wasn't that impressed. There's tons of info and recipes which I'm sure are authentically excellent however what put me off is the poor, dark gray paper pages and lack of bright, high resolution color photos like you find in other cookbooks. I love to see how the dish is supposed to look like so I can know I'm preparing it the right way. Having to use a cookbook that looks more like a dusty, mystery novel is not too helpful nor inspiring.



5. I made a couple of items from this book for a Greek friend's party- and they were great. I cannot pronounce the cookies I made (but he did, and knew them)- they had interesting spices and wine (!) and orange juice in them- as well as a walnut and honey filling. Really good! My friend vouched for the recipe's authenticity.

5 comments about The Glorious Foods of Greece: Traditional Recipes from the Islands, Cities, and Villages.

1. I am a professional chef of Greek decent and have lived in Greece for more than half of my life. I have traveled throuout the country and have tried several of the dishes that appear in this book but until now was not able to succesfully duplicate them. I was quite excited when I came across this collection and give the author five stars for her tremendous effort of bringing them together unadulterated.
   
   This book is exactly what it claims to be, if not more than it claims to be and most definately deserves a five star rating. As a few other reviewers have mentioned it is not a collection of Americanized versions of Mousaka and Pastitsio, but a comprehensive collection of recipes borrowed from kitchens across the country which may or may not appeal to all palates. Many of these dishes you will not find outside it's reigion of origin let alone at Kostas opa on Main Street USA. It is worth mentioning that the author has traveled accross Greece collecting these recipes, many of which have not been published before. Having said all of this if you are looking for a recipe for Mousaka, run a search on Google and you will get 100s of results but if you wish to experiment and test your pallate try this book. It is truly authentic!



2. Kochilas' "The Glorious Foods of Greece" is the most frustrating cookbook I've ever tried to use. The theme of a regional Greek cookbook is well taken. However, the utterly useless index renders the book little more than a coffee table book - without photos. And it's a shame, as the recipes themselves are quiet good, but trying to find a recipe is virtually impossible. Or, even worse - trying to find a recipe a second time - was it in the Thessaly chapter? No, no - it must have been the Cyclades chapter. No - perhaps, Epirus. The Complete Book of Greek Cooking by St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church is still the gold standard for a useful Greek cookbook filled with wonderful recipes. Except those who simply enjoy reading cookbooks cover to cover, this is not the one.



3. I liked this book though it is quite heavy for cooking with. It is very informative about the Greek way of doing things



4. This is an excellent and learned guide to the cuisine of Greece. However we visited Greece and were eager to prepare some of those recipes at home. Not only were the typical Greek-American dishes not included in this book, but the typical taverna food we had in greece was not included either. Technically proficient, but too idiosyncratic for me!



5. Beautiful recipes !! I was in a bookstore right before traveling to Greece. Jotted the title down and ordered it upon returning from my trip. A****** rating. Recipes that you don't easily find. Easy to follow recipes and great tasting !! Bargain price on Amazon. $35.00 in store -I think I paid around $3.00 on Amazon for a used issue that looks new !! What a deal.

5 comments about Nosthimia!: The Greek American Family Cookbook (New American Family Cookbooks).

1. Georgia Sarianides has owned and operated several successful restaurants in her career, as well as running her own cooking school. For the past five years she has hosted the cable television show "Cooking with Georgia". In Nosthimia!: The Greek American Family Cookbook, Georgia has distilled the best of what she knows about Greek cuisine into a compilation of truly mouth-watering dishes. From My Mother's Village-Style Veal Soup (Horiatiki Soupa); to Aromatic Grilled Chicken with Wine (Aromatiki Kota sta Karvouna); to Calzone Stuffed with Meat (Kaltsounia Gemista me Kima), Nosthimia! offers 185 recipes that are truly delicious (nosthimia)!



2. "Nosthimia" is the Greek word for delicious and this cookbook is filled with just that: delicious appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, desserts and so many other amazing recipes. I enjoyed this book on a number of levels from the recipes themselves, to the small side stories scattered throughout the book. I have tried a number of the recipes with my mother and I would like to share a couple of them with you. "Georgia's Famous Baklava with Olive Oil" was a fairly simple recipe to make and is absolutely delicious. Once you try it, you will find yourself flipping to that page quite often! Another recipe, "Hamburgers Stuffed with Feta Cheese", is an unexpected twist to your usual Memorial Day cookout of hamburgers and hot dogs. This Greek Style hamburger is very delicious and I hope you give it a try. This cookbook is one of a kind. It allows you to experience the foods of the Greek culture while still having an American touch in terms of the time involved and the nutritious content in each of the recipes. I hope you give the book a try because I think you'll agree that it is filled with "Nosthimia" foods.



3. Nosthimia! is excellent. The recipes are easy to make yet delicious, just like the recipes that Georgia makes on her tv show. Unlike many other cookbooks, the ingredients can be easily found in almost any local supermarket. I was happily surprised that I didn't have to make a trip to a specialty market. I made several of the recipes for a dinner party including the feta cheese triangles and chicken stuffed grape leaves. I have to say that both recipes were delicious and my guests loved them.
   
   I plan on using this cookbook on a regular basis. The recipes are delicious and provide just a hint of exotic Greek flavors. As an avid cook and cookbook purchaser, this is one of the best new cookbooks on the market.



4. I expected long complicated lists of recipe ingredients and intricate steps. Not so! The lists were short and the instructions were about as simple as possible. Some grocery stores may not stock all the ingredients as few as they are so you may have to shop around or order online. Very easy and healthy cooking!



5. These recipes are simple enough for weeknight cooking, but they are delicious and quite good enough for entertaining as well. I recently served the 'appetizer meatballs' and 'kalamata olive spread' at a small gathering. The meatballs vanished in short order and the olive spread tempted several folks who 'don't like olives' to give them another chance. I substituted aleppo pepper for the black pepper but otherwise made these recipes exactly as printed. The spanakopita recipe has a much shorter ingredient list than my usual one, and includes fennel, which mine doesn't. As much as I like my old recipe, I like Georgia's better and will stick with it. My favorite thing about Nosthimia is the ease of preparation compared to some other Greek cookbooks I've used. This book is full of recipes for tasty, nourishing food that won't take hours to prepare but will fill your house with tempting aromas and satisfy your hunger.

5 comments about The Foods of the Greek Islands: Cooking and Culture at the Crossroads of the Mediterranean.

1. I ordered the book for my husband's father, his grandfather was from Greece. He loved it,the recipe's and the storie's about the foods and the people of the different islands.



2. This book is well-written. Instructions are easy to follow and "toothy" Sometimes you get the feeling the recipe author took the shortest path possible when writing the directions, not here. However, the directions aren't overly lengthy, just enough insight to ensure success. The photography is beautiful. I like the variations and background that accompany the recipes.



3. This book is gorgeous, both in the sumptious photos and the stunning layout. The intro is fantastic with its summary of differences in cuisine between the mainland and the various islands, and the glossary in back is extremely helpful. Best of all is the food -- not a bad recipe so far and I've tried vegetables to meat to fish, appetizers to mains. This book has even made me like leafy greens. Braised corfu style, mustard greens and spinach turn out to taste as good as anything on the planet. Once that is, you get past the confusing directions. This book is not for beginning cooks. Even experienced cooks are likely to stumble. For instance, in the recipe for braised greens, the ingredients list calls for 2 large ripe tomatoes or 1 cup canned tomatoes with their juice or 1 cup water. Does this mean you can use fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes or water, or does it mean that if you use canned tomatoes you can use either the juice they come in or a cup of water? Ambiguities like this abound. Do you know which are the tender stalks on fennel? When making meatballs with rice and herbs in lemon broth, when the recipe says the chicken broth mixture should completely cover the meatballs, what do you do when it doesn't? If you've cooked before you can eventually figure these things out, but it's clear that while the author really knows how to cook, she didn't have a fresh set of eyes and hands try out the recipes. Still, don't be scared away. Everything in here is great. The food tastes fantastic, and the introduction to each dish that sets it in context is wonderful. It never would have ocurred to me to serve greens over polenta with currants and onions. It was quite a wonderful combo, especially when viewed with the intro that says the recipe came from a doctor in Ithaca who considered it a tribute to the people who ate it on cold, winter nights during World War II as they waited for freedom. As long as you can figure out what set polenta ought to look like, you too can enjoy this simple and tasty dish. The food may be traditional but Kremizi gives it a modern take. I use this book alot and know I will discover something new every time. I just wish the directions were more obvious, but I'm getting over it. The food is that good.



4. What a wonderful book! Photographs are beautifully done, and a great selection of authentic recipes too. Would highly recommend this!



5. My husband LOVES to cook and try different recipes. I bought him this book but he didn't care for it because it has no pictures and he likes to see what the dish is supposed to look like or even to decide whether he wants to try it or not by seeing the picture.
   This books gives a lot of Greek culture, he says, but he wasn't interested in that.

5 comments about The Greek Vegetarian: More Than 100 Recipes Inspired by the Traditional Dishes and Flavors of Greece.

1. This is full of great and substantial dishes. It is very clearly written and includes a great variety of recipes. I especially love the recipe for White Beans with Honey and Dill. I have made similar recipes, but this was the best version of this classic Greek dish that I have found. The recipes are clearly written.



2. I am leaning more and more toward becoming a total vegetarian because of health issues. This book is making life enjoyable again.



3. Unlike many Greek cookbooks that I have bought, this one is actually GREEK. Kochilas has brought forth excellent recipes redolent of my years living in Greece. Bravo, Diana!



4. For those not in the know, my title is from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," in which John Corbett plays Ian Miller, a vegetarian high school teacher. His fiancee Toula's Greek family doesn't understand the meat-free concept. Thankfully, Diane Kochilas, author of several definitive cookbooks on Greek cuisine, does.
   
   Although your first impression of Greek food might be the flaming cheese appetizer saganaki or greasy lamb or chicken gyros, many Greek recipes were meatless, particularly those that coincided with the fasting required by the Greek Orthodox calendar (48 days before Easter, 40 days before Christmas, and lesser fasting periods throughout the year in which meat and animal products were not allowed). The Lenten dishes in particular, called Lathera ("oiled"), consist of hearty bean stews, stewed eggplants, and other braised dishes with loads of olive oil as flavoring agent.
   
   In addition to a brief cultural and culinary history of the Greek Islands, Kochilas also provides primers on various varieties of Greek olives (kalamata, conservolia, halkidiki, megaritiki, thrubolea), cheeses (feta, teleme, sfela, batsos, touloumotiri, galotiri, kopanisti, kasseri, graviera, kefalotiri, etc.), and a section devoted to bread (after such luscious descriptions of Greek bread, the book is noticeably lacking in bread recipes; a sore oversight). Greek flavor combinations of lemon, dill, olive oil, eggs, oregano and garlic, tomatoes and cinnamon, and others are also discussed in the introduction.
   
   The book is dominated by vegetable and grain dishes, including a simple variation on the ubiquitous Greek salad. The recipes open with meze, or Greek appetizers similar to tapas. Some of the more unusual offerings include eggplant puree with walnuts, potato-garlic dip with walnuts, harvest pumpkin-chestnut puree, and spicy lentil and wild rice salad.
   
   Main dishes are usually a grain-veggie combo, including numerous recipes for orzo (a rice-shaped pasta), bulgur, rice pilafs, and polenta. Soups include potatoes stewed with kalamata olives, tomato and rice, and artichokes stewed with potatoes, tomatoes, and mint. There is an entire chapter devoted to stuffed vegetables, and another to savory pies and homemade phyllo dough, including spanakopita, savory pumpkin pie in a phyllo coil, and onion pie with raisins, dill, and nutmeg.
   
   The final chapter covers egg dishes perfect for a light brunch, including a baked omelet with chestnuts and feta, asparagus frittata, and scrambled eggs with fresh tomato and parsley.
   
   This is a wonderful addition to any kitchen, particularly vegetarian / vegan ones, as many recipes are meat-and-cheese free. A classic variant of the much-touted Mediterranean diet, it places great emphasis on seasonal produce, whole grains (bulgur, wild rice) and dried beans, and olive oil (if you're watching your fat intake, you'll want to drastically decrease the oil called for in recipes, which many times can be 1/2 cup or more). The recipes are clearly written, and each chapter offers the cook a background on traditional Greek cuisine and regional cooking.
   
   The only downside is that it may be difficult to locate the myriad of Greek cheeses (and olives) that Kochilas lovingly describes, particularly if you live in a small town that's not close to a Greektown. Also, I generally stick to a very-low-fat diet with no added oils, so I scaled back on the 1/2 cup or more of olive oil called for, but that's more a matter of personal taste (I recently read where Greeks have the highest per capita consumption of olive oil at 26 *liters* a year!!).



5. I am cooking my way though this book. The recipes are simple, balanced, delicious and healthy. A great way to eat more veges.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Greek Cooking.

1. 4.9 stars:
   
   If you are one of those cookbook collectors that enjoy the glossy, amusing cookbooks written by glossy, amusing TV personalities that are either "barefoot" or "naked", then this book is NOT for you. This book has no pictures, no glossy pages, and no stories of how the chef found a rare pepper plant on a recent excursion to Machu Picchu, Peru. This book is a compilation of recipes by a "group of women from Saint Paul's Church." Some recipes may be authentic and traditional; some may be completely made up; who knows and who cares is what I say.
   
   The recipes are good. The directions are easy. And the ingredients are available to most of us that don't live beyond the reach of the Interstate (let alone the Internet!)
   
   Here are some of the 250+ recipes in this book:
   Baklava
   Skaltsounia cookies
   Phylo triangles
   Souzoukakia (10-points if you can say that ten times fast)
   Moussaka
   Mock mageritsa
   Stuffed grape leaves (yes!!)
   Whole baby lamb
   Politico-style salad
   Béchamel sauce
   Meatball avgolemono soup
   Mock manti
   Shish kebab (Mmmmmm)
   12 different breads!
   Farina cake
   Flaounes
   Sagnaki
   Kapama
   Souvlakia
   Chicken stefado
   Greek coffee (whoa, I'm awake now!)
   Iced kourabiedes (cookies)
   Bougatsa
   And my personal favorite....
   Loukoumades (if you haven't had one - or a dozen - then you are missing out!)
   
   I highly recommend this book as an addition to your cookbook collection. You will find it to be one of your favorites.



2. My ONLY souce of the best Greek cooking was Hellenic Cuisine from the 1970's. This book is excellent and is just like having your "yiayia" cooking for you and telling you how to prepare these delicacies. The ingredients are authentic and the prep time is right on the money. As everyone knows Greek cooking takes time, patience and lots of butter, olive oil, filo, feta and olives not to mention basil, oregano and garlic. Get your ingredients and have a ball. This cook book is the BEST out there for authenticity.



3. Great book just the ingredients are not things I find on my shelf so I have to purchase special items. The food tastes good and money well spent.



4. this book is very useful for a begineer to the world of greek cooking the illistrations are great and full of geniune greek recipes that are easy to do and easy to follow



5. This is an excellent cookbook! My Goddaughter has one and told me about it. She uses hers all the time and everything turns out great, so I decided to buy one, too!

5 comments about The Olive and the Caper: Adventures in Greek Cooking.

1. Hoffman has managed the right mix of anecdotes, Greek myths, folklore, history and recipes. This is one of those enjoyable creatures: a readable cookbook. The recipes are practical and delightful. Be careful: if you have visited Greece, it will make you desperate to return; if you haven't, it will make you want to visit.
   The prose is a bit overdone, epecially when she waxes liyrical about how "Greek beckons with rich and vivid people, multifarious folkways - and incredible food." But her passion for things Greek is excusable. A delightful book on all counts.



2. I loved this book. It is a great read with lots of things most people who are not Greek would not know.



3. I checked this book out at the library and it had everything I love in a cookbook - lots of food and periodic history, interesting anecdotes, pretty pictures and tasty recipes. Love it!



4. I can hardly put this beautiful book down!! It is soooo interesting, and full of history -- reading it takes me back to my wonderful visit to Greece. The recipes are fabulous and very authentic...I was very surprised. Fast service and an incredible buy. Thanks ever so much for selling it to me. Sky



5. I'm now at the age at which I feel that if I'd known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself. Purchasing this book, and others like it, is one of the steps I'm taking to do just that.
   
   So far the book is a great success. I've only made two of the recipes, but each has been easy and very good. I've got a list of about six more dishes that I'll cook in the next couple of weeks, which puts "The Olive and the Caper" head and shoulders above the other Mediterranean cookbooks I've recently bought.
   
   Aside from the recipes, the book is great fun to read, chock-full of information about Greece and its culture of food.
   
   No regrets here. Can't wait for the weekend so I can crack it open again.