Breakfast Around the World [Paperback]

Richard S. Calhoun (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

If you are bored with breakfast this book is for you. From Ireland to India, you visit 43 countries and learn what other nations eat for breakfast. Recipes are easy to make from local supermarket ingredients. Many can be made ahead and baked while you dress in the morning. Most come with nutrition facts. Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day and with this array of breakfast ideas you can eat it any time, even at dinner.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard S. Calhoun has collected over 1300 breakfast recipes from around the world and owns over 400 cookbooks from which he gleans facts for his other food book, The ABC's OF FOOD: A Study of Food as Story, History, Tradition and Nutrition. He has cooked fish for breakfast in Alaska and made coconut smoothies in Central America. He lives in California where he gardens and writes food articles, many for children's magazines. CHEEKCHAKO is his autobiographical novel set in Alaska.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Peach Blossom Pubns (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941367460
• ISBN-13: 978-0941367462
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,310,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as expected/described, June 28, 2004

By 

hnaz - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakfast Around the World (Paperback)

I have traveled abroad extensively, and was looking for a book that would have the recipes for many of the non-US style, and healthy, breakfast items that I have eaten in different parts of the world. This book, for the majority, does not do that. The book is heavily weighted towards the American breakfast habit of sweets, and a large number of the recipes are directly from the USA and cruise ships. In addition, many of the recipes are not breakfast recipes, even to our American sweet tooth (eg. Chocolate Chunk White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Monster Cookies, Smores Bars/etc.)

Be advised that the writing style of the information in the book is geared towards children, not for adults looking to expand their tastebud and cooking knowledge horizons. For example, on recipes that really are more foreign, there is commentary such as this one for Fried Eggplant with Yogurt: "Eggplant for breakfast? Yuck! No, it's not, give it a try. However, follow these directions carefully. Eggplant is quite common in Egypt and Middle East countries." Or this for Jellabies with Cardamon Syrup: " When you went to the fair, did you have a "Funnel Cake" covered with powdered sugar? If you answered, "yes", well then, you have had Nepal jellabies. Instead of the messy powdered sugar dropping down your front, you will end up with sticky fingers."

Note that the Sub Title of the book (shown on the book cover, not in the Amazon title) is: Alaska to Zambia 475 Recipes from 43 Countries. There are not 1300 recipes as the Amazon review would make you think if you are not reading carefully. In his International Recipe Index, these are the countries listed and the number of recipes listed under each. By my count these international recipes total 228. The remainder of his 475 recipes (247 recipes!) are all from the US. Here are the countries:

Antigua & Barbuda (8), Austria (11), British Virgin Islands (10), Canada (10), China (1), Cyprus (3), Denmark (11), Egypt (7), El Salvador (2), England (5), France (15), Germany (8), Greece (1), Guatemala (1), Hungary (6), Ireland (15), Israel (18), Italy (11), Korea (1), Malaysia (1), Mali (1), Mexico (19), Morocco (1), Nepal (1), Netherlands (12), Nicaragua (3), Norway (4), Pakistan (9), Russia (2), Scotland (1), Singapore (7), Spain (Island of Minorca) (6), Sweden (7), Switzerland (3), Taiwan (1), Thailand (1), Trinidad & Tobago (4), Zambia (1)

Below is the table of contents, so you can decide for yourself if it's what you are looking for.

Introduction
Chap 1- Bars, Crullers & Other Delights, p.2
2- Beverages, p.14
3- Biscuits & Scones (plus toppings)p. 22
4- Breads (tea bread, yeast breads & spreads)p.37
5- Cereals (ready-to-eat, hot, baked & fried), p. 60
6- Coffee Cakes, Strudels & Sweet Cakes, p.81
7- Doughnuts, Fritters & Fried Breads, p. 96
8- Dumplings & Doughs that are Steamed or Baked, p. 108
9- Eggs (casseroles, omelets & quiche) p.117
10- French Toast p. 145
11- Fruit (plus toppings), p.152
12- Meat & Seafood (beef, pork, poultry, fish, seasonings)p.160
13- Muffins, p. 195
14- Pancakes & Crepes, p.205
15- Puddings, p. 222
16- Vegetables, p.230
17- Waffles, (plus toppings), p. 241
And: Kid's Breakfast Club with 19 easy fun-to-make recipes, p.246
Cookbooks & Magazines, p.252
Mail Order Sources, p. 253
Acknowledgements, p. 254
International Recipe Index, p.256

I'm pondering whether or not I will keep the book or return it, as more than half of it is not what I'm looking for. However, where he does have recipes that are international, there are a few, non-dessert, interesting ones. But I'm not sure if there are enough to make it worth the $25.