Taste of Eritrea: Recipes from One of East Africa's Most Interesting Little Countries (New Hippocrene Original Cookbooks) [Hardcover]

Olivia Warren (Author)

Book Description

Series: New Hippocrene Original Cookbooks | Publication Date: January 2000

Eritrea, a beautiful, small country in north-east Africa, won its independence from Ethiopia in 1991. Influenced by many occupying and neighbouring cultures, Eritrea's cuisine includes fruits and vegetables brought by the Italians, chili peppers from the Turks, European style beer from the British, a traditional bean stew from the Egyptians, and many staples from Ethiopian cuisine. Here are over 100 easy-to-follow recipes that will allow home chefs to bring a real 'taste of Eritrea' to their tables. The author's informative and insightful introduction, which covers aspects of Eritrean history, culture and traditions, also offers the reader a fascinating look at this lovely country.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Taste of Eritrea provides 100 recipes and a substantial amount of background on this little-known country on the eastern coast of Africa. The cooking of Eritrea shows strong influences from such diverse regions as neighboring Ethiopia, former ruler Italy, Turkey, and England. From Ethiopia comes the use of berberé, a fiery blend of red chilies, garlic, ginger and other aromatic spices; ghee, a kind of clarified butter seasoned with ginger and a distinctive blend of other ingredients, including celery seed and fenugreek; and ingera, a sourdough flatbread made from wheat flour or teff, a local grain. This dish of towel-size, spongy bread is used as both plate and eating utensil by Eritreans. Like the Ethiopians, they eat with their hands, tearing off pieces of this moist bread and using it to convey every bite of food to their mouth.

It may seem odd to find pizza and lasagna in an African cookbook, but while few Italians remain in their country, Eritreans still eat spaghetti, drink espresso, and love Macedonia di Frutta, a mixed fruit salad served everywhere. Easy dishes likely to please include Alicha, a mixed vegetable curry; spiced Eritrean Doughnuts; and Doro Zigni, a spicy chicken stew akin to the incendiary wats of Ethiopia. Author Olivia Warren opens Taste of Eritrea with a good description of the country, its history, and culture. Anyone planning a trip there will also find it somewhat useful as a travel guide. --Dana Jacobi

About the Author

Olivia Warren

Product Details

• Hardcover: 139 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781807646
• ISBN-13: 978-0781807647
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,015,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This isn't the way to do it............, July 9, 2004

By 

"jazzney" (Sweden, Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taste of Eritrea: Recipes from One of East Africa's Most Interesting Little Countries (New Hippocrene Original Cookbooks) (Hardcover)

Okay, I've lived in Eritrea, and I can assure y'all: what this book is presenting is NOT authentic Eritrean cuisine!!! The recipes are very simplified and a lot of spices and ingredients are missing. The cooking technique isn't properly described, either. And half the book is full of Italian recipes..... so, if you're really interested in Eritrean cooking, buy "Exotic Ethiopian Cooking" by Daniel Jote Mesfin instead. Eritrean and Ethiopian cooking is almost the same (Ethiopian is even more versatile).
I give this book 1 star, because the author at least tried.... and the way she writes about the Eritrean culture in the introduction showes that she got a lot of love for the country.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Taste of Eritrea Disappoints, October 19, 2003

By 

Francine Geraci (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taste of Eritrea: Recipes from One of East Africa's Most Interesting Little Countries (New Hippocrene Original Cookbooks) (Hardcover)

My title says it all. Of the 100 or so recipes in this book, most are of Italian vintage. The remainder are fairly humdrum versions of traditional Ethiopian dishes, better recipes for which are widely available (The Africa News Cookbook; Dorinda Hafner's Taste of Africa, etc.). Further, the author's Ethiopian ingredients are limited to berbere, onions, and tomato paste, guaranteeing that each new dish the reader prepares is going to taste a good deal like the last one.

Either the author is herself an inexperienced cook, or she is writing down to those who are. For example, she gives extensive instructions for boning a chicken breast on the assertion that "you cannot buy this cut of chicken," contrary to the evidence available at any North American supermarket.

Warren's affection for Eritrea is evident in her introduction and the anecdotes that accompany some of the recipes. But spending a little time in a country doesn't usually qualify a traveller to write a cookbook when she gets home.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ok I AM AN ERITREAN, July 16, 2007

By 

AlmazB - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taste of Eritrea: Recipes from One of East Africa's Most Interesting Little Countries (New Hippocrene Original Cookbooks) (Hardcover)

The book was nice enough but was not a true representative of Eritrean cooking I bought the book because I admire how the author felt a love for my country.

Bless you