Customer Reviews

Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Barbara Ghazarian's book is a wonderful collection of recipes that originated in an ancient culture. I enjoyed reading about her family and how Armenian food remains a large part of the communal family experience. These foods from the Mediterranean region are exciting, flavorful, and easy to make. Barbara's emphasis on bulgur wheat -- a staple in the Armenian diet -- is particularly important, as this whole grain product has stood the test of time. It might even be considered the gold standard of healthy, easy-to-prepare grains.

³Simply Armenian² gives Americans a way to incorporate whole grains, meats, and vegetables into a healthy meal that a family can share. While I read the book, a line kept running through my head: "our grandmothers were right." They cooked with simple, whole foods that provided excellent nutrition and variety from recipes that were handed down from mother to daughter. ³Simply Armenian² allows us to cook like our grandmothers and provide the same healthy choices for our modern families.

Barbara Ghazarian draws upon her years of experience writing a weekly culinary column and teaching culinary writing to adults to author Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy, a superbly presented anthology of more than 150 ethnic Armenian recipes that range from inexpensive peasant fare to gourmet palate pleasing specials. Of special note to vegetarians is that more than half of these "kitchen cook friendly" recipes are meat-free. From Toasted Pumpkin Seeds; Fried Zucchini Pancakes; Zahtar-Spiced Pasta Salad; and Barley Mash with Chicken; to Lamb-Stuffed Grape Leaves; Flapjack Skillet Bread; Chilled Yogurt Drink; and Quinces Stuffed with Walnuts in Syrup, Simply Armenian would be a welcome and confidently recommended addition to any kitchen cookbook collection.

Simply Armenian makes cooking things like spinach pie (spinach/ feta phyllo pie) easy with Ghazarian's recipes that help the cook get all the prep work done first. The numbered recipe steps become simple acts of assembling ingredients that have already been chopped, crumbled, peeled, and seeded.

Cooks familiar with Middle Eastern dishes will find many similar foods in Simply Armenian. Pork figures in several recipes as Armenia is a Christian country.

Family anecdotes put the foods in context and a glossary helps novice cooks keep the ingredients straight.

This cookbook makes me want to cook! It was a joy to read.

This book is no different from other Armenian cookbooks that mix Armenian recipes with non-Armenian recipes with little or no differentiation. Some interesting entries...

The spreads and salads are my favorites. I'm a low-maintenence cook (I use that phrase loosely), but need to bring something interesting to gatherings. These recipes are simple but exotic. They are always a conversation starter.

I received "Simply Armenian" last year as a gift and it is now one of my favorite cookbooks. Everything I've made from this cookbook has been delicious, healthful, and I feel a bit adventurous preparing these recipes. My husband loves the Nivik Salad and the Chicken and Spinach Borek stuffed pastry is the perfect meal in my mind. I also enjoy reading the accompanying family stories as I prepare each dish. "Simply Armenian" motivates me to step outside my comfortable routine of American and German cooking and try something different, more ethnic than usual. I'm happy to recommend "Simply Armenian".

Ghazarian's SIMPLY ARMENIAN is now a well-worn staple in my cookbook repertoire. The recipes are delicious, both historic and contemporary, and I give this treasured anthology as a gift to friends of all degrees of culinary expertise. Buy it for those who are adventurous or timid in the kitchen, and enjoy their appreciation. Elegant simplicity at its best!
VAndrews

I love this book and it becomes my constant resource for most of my home cooking. I too like Barbara Ghazarian am a Non-Armenian wife. But even more so, I come from German decent and sadly didn't know where Armenia was let alone what they cooked when I first met my husband! Her story, shared pictures and added details within each recipe makes me smile with understanding as I now too compare these recipes with my mother-in-law in our broken English, broken Armenian to communicate. Each recipe is easy to follow even for the novice in cooking anything Mediterranean to Armenian. I also suggest using Lebanese Cooking by Dawn, Elaine & Selwa Anthony which has some useful photos for the basics of these cuisines. With every meal I prepare from Simply Armenian my husband happily tells me how each reminds him of home, and even our two small children quickly munch up any recipe I've made over and over. Thank you Barbara Ghazarian you've made this Non-Armenian wifey very pleased!!!

To all HEALTHY "food-loving" fans:

Delicious, healthy and easy to prepare meals achieved by following the
"Simply Armenian" recipe book. You will be MOST satisfied...ENJOY!

[Chef David Michaels, Melbourne, Australia]

Love the recipes in this book. Many are very similar to the ones passed on to me verbally by my mother-in-law. It is good to see them in print so that I can finally pass them on to my daughter's. Everyone will enjoy these recipes if you enjoy branching out to try new and different foods. Very natural and healthy eating.