The Food of Portugal [Hardcover]

Jean Anderson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1986

• An extensive bilingual glossary explains, defines, and describes
• Portuguese food, wine, cooking, and restaurant terms.
• With notes for cooks and travelers on the language
• of Portuguese wine, food, and dining.
• Wine notes have been completely revised and updated.
• Color photographs of Portugal by the author.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Portugal, as much as Portuguese cooking, is the subject of this book, which is enlivened by veteran food writer (coauthor of The NEW Doubleday Cookbook Anderson's familiarity with the country's people, regions, rivers and markets. A lengthy glossary in the introductory section notwithstanding, the narrative is buoyed by historical notes, reminiscences and tips on the best inns and restaurants in Portugal. When Portuguese is used in the recipes, the English translation is also included, thereby precluding the necessity of making frequent reference to the glossary, a mild annoyance with many ethnic cookbooks. The recipes depend on simple ingredients, often in unusual combinations ("pork and clams may sound like a new low in surf 'n' turf dinners, but it is in fact a Portuguese classic"), subtly seasoned with olive oil, bay, tomatoes, garlic and the spices of the East introduced to Portugal by explorer Vasco da Gama at the turn of the 16th century. Meat, fish and chicken, often marinated, and soups are emphasized. In the interests of health and ingredient availability, some traditional Portuguese dishesmany egg sweets and lampreys, or fat eel, delicacieshave been omitted. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

The winner of five best cookbook awards (Tastemaker, James Beard, IACP) and a member of the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame, Jean Anderson writes for Bon AppÉtit, Food & Wine, Cottage Living, Gourmet, More, and other national publications. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Morrow; 1st edition (1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688043631
• ISBN-13: 978-0688043636
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Winner of six best-cookbook awards and a member of the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame, JEAN ANDERSON is one of America's most trusted cookbook authors, a careful researcher and painstaking recipe-tester. She credits her Cornell food chemistry courses plus years in the New York test kitchens of THE LADIES' HOME JOURNAL for teaching her the absolute necessity of recipes that work.

In addition to writing cookbooks, Anderson writes food and travel pieces for major American magazines and newspapers, among them BON APPÉTIT, FAMILY CIRCLE, FOOD & WINE, the late, lamented GOURMET, MORE, THE NEW YORK TIMES, and TRAVEL & LEISURE.

Known as the 'RECIPE DOC' because she loves nothing better than diagnosing and solving cooking problems, Anderson was for several years the "red phone" both at GOURMET and THE FOOD NETWORK. Got a recipe prob? Click on www.jeanandersoncooks.com and Anderson will do her best to solve it.


Photo by Rudy Muller.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a genuine tribute to Portugal, September 4, 2000

By 

"elenajoana" (Petaluma, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Food of Portugal (Paperback)

My Luso-Americano husband bought me this cookbook when I expressed my desire to try to learn to cook Portuguese food for him like his mother and grandmother did. I pulled off a few good meals and loved reading about the country and the Portuguese way of life. A few years later we moved to Portugal to work there, and I found out for myself just how delicious virtually every dish really is! Jean Anderson's book became even more helpful to me, as I was able to translate the ingredients I was buying, understand the reason for combining certain flavors, and taste the original inspirations for Jean's choices. Portugal is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and its people (and cuisine) are friendly and accessible -- I wish everyone who wants to experience a truly unique culture would visit. It is NOT Spain or a poor imitation of Spain, and does not deserve to be lumped into all of those travelogues as if it were. We lived there for 4 1/2 years and I can tell you that Jean Anderson's recipes will give you as close a taste to being there as is possible! (Jean, if you're out there I'd love to compare notes some day -- please write to me!)

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Portuguese Cookbook I have found so far., August 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Food of Portugal (Paperback)

I was born in Portugal and came to the United States at the age of 6. Being able to speak and write the language fluently is something that I am very grateful to my parents for. However my one fault is the inability to convert the European to American measurements. Well my mother has a wonderful cookbook on traditional Portuguese cuisine but it is all in Portuguese. Therefor I decided to use the WEB to find a Portuguese cookbook with the recipes in English to avoid the conversion issue. Well, I found "Food Of Portugal" and figured why not order it and see. After all if I didn't like I would and could return it. That was months ago. I love this cookbook. It is the best Portuguese cookbook, with recipes in English, I have found so far. It has all of the traditinal dishes which I grew up eating and many more. I would recommend this book to anyone Portuguese or not. My sincere congratulations to the author for a job very well done.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the bible of Portuguese cooking, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Food of Portugal (Paperback)

The Food of Portugal is the most complete and authentic Portuguese cookbook I've ever had the pleasure of coming across. Being Portuguese, I was doubtful that anyone could capture the food I grew up eating. But recipe after recipe proved me wrong. Even my mother begrudgingly admitted they were delicious. And that's no small feat.