Download Food of Life Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies Najmieh Batmanglij 9781933823478 Books
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Completely redesigned for today's generation of cooks and food enthusiasts, the 25th Anniversary Edition of Food of Life Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies by Najmieh Batmanglij provides a treasure trove of recipes, along with an immersive cultural experience for those seeking to understand this ancient and timeless cuisine. This edition is a more user-friendly edition of the award-winning and critically acclaimed cookbook series which began in 1986. Food of Life provides 330 classical and regional Iranian recipes as well as an introduction to Persian art, history, and culture. The book's hundreds of full color photographs are intertwined with descriptions of ancient and modern Persian ceremonies, poetry, folktales, travelogue excerpts and anecdotes. The 2011 Edition of Food of Life is a labor of love. The book began in exile after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 as a love letter to Batmanglij's children. Today, as accomplished adults in their own fields, her two sons, Zal and Rostam, encouraged her to redesign the book for their generation.
Food of Life propels Persian cooking into the 21st Century, even as it honors venerable traditions and centuries of artistic expression. It is the result of 30 years of collecting, testing and adapting authentic and traditional Persian recipes for the American kitchen. Most of its ingredients are readily available throughout the U.S. enabling anyone from a master chef to a novice to reproduce the refined tastes, textures, and beauty of Persian cuisine. Food-related pieces from such classics as the 10th century Book of Kings, and 1,001 Nights to the miniatures of Mir Mosavvar and Aq Mirak, from the poetry of Omar Khayyam and Sohrab Sepehri to the humor of Mulla Nasruddin are all included. Each recipe is presented with steps that are logical and easy to follow. Readers learn how to simply yet deliciously cook rice, the jewel of Persian cooking, which, when combined with a little meat, fowl, or fish, vegetables, fruits, and herbs, provides the perfect balanced diet.
ABOUT THE BOOK'S TITLE
Food of Life, the title of the book, comes from the Persian words nush-e jan, literally "food of life"--a traditional wish in Iran that a dish will be enjoyed. For the updated 1993 edition the title was changed to New Food of Life. Now, for the 25th anniversary edition the title returns to its original name, Food of Life.
The full-color Food of Life 25th Anniversary Edition contains 50% more pages than its 2009 predecessor and special added features
*New Recipes adapted from Sixteenth-Century Persian cookbooks
*Added vegetarian section for most recipes
*Comprehensive dictionary of all ingredients
*A glance at a few thousand years of the history of Persian Cooking
*Master recipes with photos illustrating the steps.
*Color photos of most recipes with tips on presentation
*Updated section on Persian stores and Internet suppliers
*Fahrenheit and Centigrade temperatures for all recipes
*Choices for cooking recipes such as kuku in oven or on stovetop.
*Encourages use of seasonal and local ingredients from farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) sources or one's own backyard
Download Food of Life Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies Najmieh Batmanglij 9781933823478 Books
"What a beautiful book. My wife and I both love to cook, but I had no experience with Iranian or Persian cooking before buying this book. (My wife had an Iranian suite-mate in college who was reportedly a great cook, but that was almost 40 years ago.) Then I saw an article in the New York Times about Iranian and Persian cooking and I became intrigued. Immediately went onto Amazon and found this book near the top of the list. I was not disappointed. Last night, I picked out a recipe at random which called for common ingredients that we happened to have on hand. It was delicious. I've already picked out my next recipe, and plan to work this into my cooking rotation for many years to come. My only complaint is that the book is so beautiful and stylish that I will not leave it in the kitchen where it might be splattered with oil and other cooking byproducts!
As a side note, I had received notification that this shipment had arrived, but it had not. I notified Amazon, and had the replacement within two days. I am a long-time satisfied customer of Amazon.com and they have never let me down. I feel bad for the big box stores, but I don't see how they can compete with such a great organization."
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Food of Life Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies Najmieh Batmanglij 9781933823478 Books Reviews :
Food of Life Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies Najmieh Batmanglij 9781933823478 Books Reviews
- What an incredible cookbook--one of the best on any cuisine I have ever used (and I have a lot of cookbooks). I am not Iranian and wouldn't know authentic food if I had it in Teheran BUT my Iranian friends say things taste as they should. It's hard to add to all the other positive comments here but the cookbook is so wonderful I have to try. There are a whole range of recipes from soup to nuts, the recipes are straightforward and easy to follow, the ingredients are not that hard to find in today's world and you can order on-line what you (think you) can't buy locally, and the author offers vegetarian substitutes or versions for most recipes. There are a lot of pictures so you can get an idea of what something should look like. I have been a big hit at potlucks bringing one or more dishes from this cookbook. Since I mostly cook and eat vegetarian the cost of making most items is very low (once you've bought some of the less usual ingredients). I am not much of a baker but I have made several of the desserts and they have been wonderful; the Precious rice flour pudding has been a huge hit with family and friends and is very easy to make.
I will say that you should taste different versions of some of the more unusual (to American kitchens) ingredients because they vary so much from one brand to another (and one country of origin to another) rose and orange water, pomegranate molasses or juice, grape molasses, tamarind, etc. Many people believe that Cortas is the best brand of some of these things (it's from Lebanon) but I suspect it's a matter of taste (or what you're used to). You can get great Aleppo pepper from Penzey's (and once you start using it, you will start going through bottles of it for all your cooking).
I am so happy I bought this cookbook--it's heads and tails above most cookbooks I've ever bought. - What a beautiful book. My wife and I both love to cook, but I had no experience with Iranian or Persian cooking before buying this book. (My wife had an Iranian suite-mate in college who was reportedly a great cook, but that was almost 40 years ago.) Then I saw an article in the New York Times about Iranian and Persian cooking and I became intrigued. Immediately went onto and found this book near the top of the list. I was not disappointed. Last night, I picked out a recipe at random which called for common ingredients that we happened to have on hand. It was delicious. I've already picked out my next recipe, and plan to work this into my cooking rotation for many years to come. My only complaint is that the book is so beautiful and stylish that I will not leave it in the kitchen where it might be splattered with oil and other cooking byproducts!
As a side note, I had received notification that this shipment had arrived, but it had not. I notified , and had the replacement within two days. I am a long-time satisfied customer of and they have never let me down. I feel bad for the big box stores, but I don't see how they can compete with such a great organization. - Now I can finally make the food my matriarchs made without fighting them to let me measure things before it's dropped into the pot. SO Happy! I will not let this book out the house, but many friends come over to copy recipes out of it!
- I love the cultural notes that go along with the recipes. I am studying Farsi, and there's a linguist and a language instructor at a university, I know the importance of understanding the culture in order to better be able to express oneself in the language. And, vice versa.
The recipe that I have tried so far are delicious, and I have been told by and Iranian friend, rather authentic. - What a delicious book! First, the thing I look for first in a great cookbook is that it provides a window into a culture and a cuisine. Najmieh Batmanglij gives a lot of information about the various dishes and ingredients also how these dishes are served and when, so you get a sense of the cuisine as a whole. The second thing I look for in a great cookbook is that the recipes actually work! Sounds a little dumb, doesn't it? But don't underestimate that as an important quality in a cookbook. Strange as it may seem, far too many cookbooks are far better just to read than they are to cook from. So far -- and I have only had the book for about a week -- I have made several of her recipes and they work. Not only do these recipes come out the way they should, but Batmanglij gives notes on variations -- how to adapt a recipe for vegetarians, what happens if you cook something in the oven instead of on a grill, etc. Although she gives the authentic ingredients -- for example barberries -- she also suggests a substitution if you can't get them readily. Having said that, she also gives a list of stores and web sites where you can order any of the ingredients not available in your local supermarkets. She gives several ways to cook that glory of Persian cuisine -- Basmati rice, including an easy version. I tried one of the versions using my rice cooker and I must say that it cut down on the preparation time substantially and produced a version that was good enough to serve to anyone -- with the possible exception of your picky Iranian mother-in-law, should you have one. (In that case, stick with Batmanglij's traditional directions!) But don't think that these recipes are so arcane or hard to make. They are not. Most of them are actually quite easy but what makes them so wonderful is the use of spices, herbs, yogurt and souring ingredients to make mouth watering dishes out of very simple and not very expensive ingredients. Not only that, but for those of us trying to eat more veggies, whole grains and cut down but not eliminate meat, this cookbook is one which will re-energize you in the kitchen. There are so many recipes you will want to try and most of which can easily be incorporated into your everyday cooking.
And, no, I am not a friend or relative! Buy the book.
