Customer Reviews

A Taste of Latvia (Hippocrene International Cookbooks)

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

 

 

This cookbook is really bad. As a Latvian cook, I can tell the author does not know real Latvian cooking. The best Latvian cookbook with authentic Latvian food is the one by Latvian women from Ontario Canada. The book is called Latvian Cooking. It has had 9 printings, so you know it is good. The Taste of Latvia cookbook has very weird recipes in it for Latvian food. Also it has editorial errors. For example, the recipe for Klingeris starts with " cups very warm milk". It does not specify how many cups. The recipe for Alexander cake is to make it in three layers. I have never made or seen one with 3 layers, not even in Latvia. It is always made with 2 layers. Also, the book is missing basic Latvian foods, like braised sauerkraut. Braised sauerkraut is a Latvian staple and no book on Latvian cooking is complete without it. I won't even go into her errors on Latvian history. The author would have been better off writing a cookbook from her own heritage. Latvian is definetly not her heritage.

Siri Lise Doub has collected in her book "A Taste of Latvia" many recipes that should have been learned from Vecmamina (Grandma). There aren't many Latvians in the world, and many of those who have emigrated to other lands often regret not getting a long ago enjoyed recipe. A Taste of Latvia brings together many traditional Latvian recipes. Latvian cuisine is not fancy by any means, but the recipes take advantage of fresh ingredients and relatively simple preparation.

The author has also incorporated a good bit of history of this old culture. Included are fragments of the millions of collected folk songs, mythology, and poems that make up the fabric of Latvian culture. For those seeking a good introduction (or revisit) to Latvia, I recommend this book.

The only negative comment is that there are several typos in the ingredient lists; those who are experienced with recipes could figure out the missing amounts. It is a bit disconcerting to try to use a bread recipe and not know how much yeast to use!

This in-depth focus on traditional Latvian dishes provides over a hundred easily-followed recipes from pirogi and potato pancakes to Courland Sour Porridge, all adapted for the American kitchen. Black and white photos and cultural insights pepper the book but it's these rarely-found dishes, including one for a traditional caraway-rye bread made with apple cider, which are treasures.

This book is filled with an array of recipes from yesterday and today, a newer Latvia. The pictures give you a taste of how creative and in love with the arts Latvians are. The folk songs are beautiful. As well as the symbols, and stories of yesterdays past. It is a great introduction into a mysterious culture that is very much alive, as well as unknown.

OK so its got a few spelling mistakes, but at least some one has bothered to collect and publish these old time family favourites.

"Caraway Cutlets"?, I think she meant "Kotlettes" (meatballs).
Its the sort of recipe book that will happy sit on the cookbook shelf near the stove, as a reference to remind you of how grandma used to cook. I've always wondered how to make "Galerts", and there four different recipes for "piragi" dough.

A bit US-centric for my taste, but thats easily overcome.
A few photos of the prepared meal would be nice, you would normally expect it in this price range.

There are a good range of recipes including a whole chapter on potatoes, meat fish, breads, soups and porridges.

Not sure how many of my Kiwi mates would buy it, but hey, thats their loss.

Love the historical stuff interspersed with "dainas" (Latvian Folk Songs) and Latvian symbols.

Presentation is frankly unimaginative, but I can live with that.
I enjoyed this little cookbook, and look forward to the day it's updated with more recipes and colour photos.

Author Siri Lise Doub has thrown together her book "Taste of Latvia." First of all the book was not proofrd nor edited. It shows the appearance of being thrown to gether. The Latvian words are printed correctly in others they are not. The carelesness shows that the author plucked recipes like she did with "dainas". I would be reluctant to test her recipes. If Ms Doub is an editor, she should have done a better job than this.

I would not give even one star for this book.