Bottom of the pot Persian recipes and stories

Deravian relates her personal journey from Iran to Los Angeles via Italy and Canada in a work that is primarily a cookbook, with chapters outlining pivotal segments of her life tied in with descriptions of her family's deep relationship with food and cooking. This personal background as well as brief descriptions preceding each recipe provides context and makes for a much more engaging read. The dishes themselves cover a broad range, literally from soup to nuts. This is not fusion cooking; it's the real deal. While most ingredients are readily available, some recipes call for harder-to-find items such as dried rose petals and dried limes. Instructions for dishes such as fresh herb stew and saffron chicken are presented in a conversational tone, with tips on substitutions and cooking techniques scattered throughout. Well organized with a solid index, the book is also nicely illustrated with gorgeous close-up photography of the recipes. VERDICT A delicious introduction to Iranian life and food. Recommended for all cookbook collections.-Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.