1 comments about The Taste of Dreams: An Obsession with Russia and Caviar.

1. Based on a 2003 paperback copy.
   
   The Taste of Dreams: An Obsession with Russia and Caviar... The author may be equally obsessed with each, but she spends a lot more words on the "Russia" half of her obsession than with the "Caviar" half. It's an interesting read mostly concerned with the author's experiences in post-Soviet Russia. Caviar makes recurring cameo appearances, but it hardly deserves equal billing with Russia in the book title. I don't regret the $7 I spent on a used copy and the few days it took to work through it, but don't take the plunge here if you are looking for a 275-page treatise on sturgeon roe.
   
   Best line in the book (paraphrasing): If you are asking whether or not caviar tastes good, you are missing the point.

No comments about Food Culture in Russia and Central Asia (Food Culture around the World).

1 comments about The Whey Prescription: The Healing Miracle in Milk (English and Russian Edition).

1. I have a very clear understanding about whey and the positive effects that is has on the body after reading this book.

4 comments about Cuisines of the Caucasus Mountains: Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia.

1. What a great looking book. My mouth watered as I looked at the cover.
   
   Kay Shaw Nelson is a student of Russian studies - thereby someone who really did research in the countries that this book covers and not just a compiler of other people's information. She even gives some reviews of places to eat in-country! She did a nice job of including literary references and short stories about some of the dishes. I'm no chef and I was able to make most of the items with ease. The tasks are easy to follow and replacements for some ingredients not easily found outside of the Caucasus are included.
   
   Caucasus food has great flavor and uses herbs and spices masterfully. It is healthy and tasty. There are many vegetarian options as well.
   
   Some of my favorites: page 165 rice-filled tomatoes, page 203 lavash (this actually tasted like lavash!), page 256 tan, page 42 cucumber-yogart dip, page 79 green beans and eggs.



2. I'm happy I bough the book. Not just for the food but it also gives the best decription of the region and a great run down through the history.



3. Knowing the region described in the book quite well, as I am from that region, AND reading this book, I was surprised with the way author (who is a historician !!!) puts the outdated information about the certain countries of the region and their cuisines. Seing the map with the wrong names/borders in the book was just shocking!!! The author have not done enough research on INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED facts on the region, it's history and geopolitics, and therefore is misrepresenting the region and may actually be offencive for the people like me, who grew up in that region.
   
   The names of some culinary dishes are misperperented and misclassified, too.
   
   Instead of spending money on this book, I'd recommend searching the information available online, where you can find more truthfull and up-to-date informaiton, and a variety of recipes for free!



4. The range of recepies offered in the book is great, but a lot of the recepies are misclassified by country/culture. Also, in the introduction part, and the part describing the history of the region, some facts are misrepresented.

No comments about Mennonite Food and Folkways from South Russia (Mennonite Foods & Folkways from South Russia).

No comments about Russian, Polish & German Cooking.

5 comments about Art of Lithuanian Cooking (Cookery).

1. I believe that "Art of Lithuanian Cooking" is the best English language cookbook for Lithuanian cooking. Whether you are Lithuanian-American and looking to strengthen your cultural ties or you are a cook looking for a few, new and different, dishes, this cookbook is a good resource.
   
   There are relatively easy recipes that are very different from American fare, such as: Cherry Soup, Fried Carrots, and Beef with Celeriac, followed by Apple Upside-Down Cake (and coffee). And, there are some difficult recipes for the seasoned cook or one who has a Lithuanian-American grandmother to help, such as: Lithuanian Rye Bread (I am having a terrible time baking an acceptable rye bread!) or Porkupine Cake (Definiely need the grandmother for guidance on this one!).
   
   All of the Balto-Slavic cuisines are inter-related, but each nationality has its own, unique, version of several dishes. Fair warning: few of these dishes are "fast" food.



2. In retrospect, I should have gone with a Lithuanian cookbook where the author has a Lithuanian name, because I was disappointed to find that less than 1% of the recipes had Lithuanian headings. I found the recipe
   "Little Ears" in this book and found it to be nothing like the Little Ears recipe I know, which would be called Ausiukés...little ears where the end product were tied up knots of dough fried in oil and dusted with powdered sugar...yummy! This was a traditional sweet for holidays like Christmas and Easter.
   
   When I ordered this cookbook "Art of Lithuanian Cooking", I expected a real lithuanian cookbook with their proper names. If you want a real lithuanian cookbook, see if you can get a copy of "Popular Lithuanian recipes" by Josephine J. Dauzvardis. I received this cookbook from a very dear friend back in 1982. Its excellent! Anyone who has a lithuanian background and is familiar with the dishes will recognize the recipes right away, because ALL of the recipes have their true lithuanian name right before it, like Kaldunai, Zeppelinai, Kopùstú Sriuba (Sauerkraut soup), Duonoj Keptas Kumpis, Rúg`stus Pienas (Lithuanian Yogurt), and much more.
   
   This book will probably just sit on my shelf. It only cost $10 something, so sending it back wouldn't be worth the postage.
   
   Sincerely,
   1st generation born and raised in America
   Aldona Pauliukonis-Guenter



3. I purchased this book as a wedding gift for a Lithuanian bride who has been in the U.S. for 13 years. She always talks about beet and potato soups. She was so pleased and surprised by it. She thinks there are a lot of recepies that go back to her childhood.



4. It's alright, but nothing in it reminds me of my mother and grandmother's cooking. However they both used short cuts, and nothing will ever replace their style of cooking. However give it a try, it's worth it if you find just one recipe!



5. My mother was delighted to receive this cookbook as a birthday gift, as we know very little about our Lithuanian heritage. The fact that the traditional Lithuanian names for the dishes are not included did not bother us, as we do not speak Lithuanian. We were very pleased to find an old Christmas recipe that we had not made in years. We found many recipes that we are very excited to try. This cookbook would be perfect for someone who simply wants to get acquainted with Lithuanian cooking for the first time but cannot speak or read Lithuanian. The recipes are simple, with very simple and basic ingredients. The recipes are interesting and easy to follow, provided you understand basic cooking methods. I wasn't sure what to expect when I purchased the book for my mother, but overall we are both very pleased with what we got and are very eager to try the recipes. Don't be afraid to give this book a try.

No comments about Azerbaijan Cookery (English and Russian Edition).

No comments about The Eastern European Cookbook.

No comments about Russian Cuisine: Exclusive Prime-Time Recipes.