Two Titles Win Gourmand Awards!

Two of our titles have won in their respective categories for the United States in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards! Congratulations to The New Ukrainian Cookbook for winning Best East European Cuisine Book and to The Iraqi Family Cookbook for winning Best Arab Cuisine Book!
 

The Gourmand Awards are held every year and judges choose winners from various countries for each category. The winners from different countries then compete for "Best in the World," which is where our two titles now stand! 

Published in September 2012, The New Ukrainian Cookbook includes classic Ukrainian meals, such as Holubtsi (stuffed cabbage rolls) and Chicken Kyiv. Author Annette Ogrodnik Corona explores the cuisine of her ancestors while scattering quotes, poems, historical facts, illustrations, and folklore among her recipes. Ukrainian cuisine is one of the most varied and rustic cuisines in the world, due to its country's range of historical influences.
 



 

The Iraqi Family Cookbook was published in July 2012 and includes a collection of recipes from generations of author Kay Karim's family, as well as all the regions of Iraq. This book serves as a tribute to her homeland's cuisine and includes interesting side bars, notes, family anecdotes, and a guide to spices and ingredients. Iraqi cooking dates back 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia and this healthy diet rich in vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains is considered the world's oldest cuisine.




We wish both authors the best of luck in the next step of this contest!

Delicious New Titles: India: A Culinary Journey and The Iraqi Family Cookbook

Whether you've had Indian food before or not, chances are you've missed out on a great deal of this expansive country's myriad culinary offerings—there's simply so much to be had. In India: A Culinary Journey, author Prem Kishore takes on the task of concisely yet thoroughly leading you through India's cuisine, history, and culture. Specific dishes represent the various regions and styles of cooking: Punjabi makki ki roti, Mughlai biryani  and gravies, dhals of Rajasthan, Kerali appams, dosas of Tamil Nadu, chutneys from Andhra, wild pork of Coorg, and fish from Bengal.

Have no fear that these won't be feasible in an American kitchen. Kishore has adapted each delicious recipe to be workable for those who may not know very much about Indian spices and ingredients, and a handy glossary quickly sums up the most important ones. Born in India and having lived in England, the Middle East, and the United States, Kishore entertains and educates with personal stories and a guide to Indian festivals, celebrations, and customs. You'll quickly learn that the richness of India is not restricted to its food.

This new cookbook is available now in bookstores, and online on our website, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

From somewhat further west comes the equally diverse cuisine of Iraq, detailed in Kay Karim's The Iraqi Family Cookbook, a new edition of the book that won a World Gourmand Cookbook Award in 2007. It features color photographs alongside the over 150 recipes from Karim's family and the various regions and eras of Iraq, home to the world's oldest cuisine (dating back 5,000 years to Ancient Mesopotamia).

You'll be using beans, rice, fish, and lean meats alongside allspice, dried lime, sumac, saffron, and turmeric (among other spices listed in a detailed guide) to create the healthy and flavorful dishes of this Middle Eastern country. There are also delicate sweets like Baklawa (Baklava) and Shakar Lama (Cardamom Cookies), which we sampled first hand thanks to a generously-stuffed box that arrived at the office last holiday season. Kay's perfectly spiced walnut (not pistachio) baklava disappeared at an alarming rate!

Anthropologist and historian Dianne King says, "To read this book is to be transported to the gardens and kitchens of Iraq, breathing in the scents of mint, dates, apricots, citrus and pomegranates." It's a sensory and cultural experience not to be missed.


Purchase The Iraqi Family Cookbook at your local bookstore, on our website, or through Amazon or Barnes & Noble.