Market Days: From Market to Market Around the World

Stating that ``markets are wonderful places to understand the world,'' noted cookbook writer and actress Jaffrey leads readers on a fascinating whistle-stop tour of markets in Hong Kong, Egypt, Senegal, India, Italy and Mexico. From snake soup to minty tea, fish stew to spices, long salamis to tortillas, she describes local cuisines in bright detail and throws in country customs too: noodles denote long life and are served whole in Hong Kong; at the camel market in Egypt an animal's teeth give away its age; Senegalese folk remedies for a broken heart include ground antelope horns and monkey's paws. Animated prose suggests the bustle of the market square, its sights, sounds and smells; the brief text whets the appetite for more knowledge of each country. Foreign words are smoothly translated within the text, while the meaning of less familiar terms (e.g., ``turmeric'' ``trattoria'') becomes clear from the context. Shohet's bold artwork captures the exotic ambience and high energy of each market by means of a strong palette and aggressive perspectives. An appendix containing six simply prepared recipes is a welcome touch. Ages 5-9. (Apr.)