Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy

Ghazarian draws on personal history and her ancestors' culinary traditions to present a basic, solid overview of Armenian cuisine. The author, who is half Armenian and is married to an Armenian man, presents a number of recipes that will be familiar to lovers of Greek, Turkish and other Middle Eastern foods, such as Parsley Salad (Tabouli), Rice-Stuffed Grape Leaves, Lamb Shish-Kebab, Rice Pilaf, and Eggplant with Tahini (Baba Ghanoush). Armenian cuisine, she explains, relies heavily on bulgur (cracked wheat) and lentils, as well as vegetables (especially eggplant) and flatbread, and while this is not a vegetarian cookbook, many dishes are meat-free (when Ghazarian does include meat, it's often lamb). Written for the novice and spiked with yarns about Ghazarian's childhood and family traditions, this book should make Armenian cooking accessible to any home cook. Helpful notes and introductions accompany each recipe, explaining foods that may be unfamiliar to American cooks, such as quince, Baharat spice and purslane.