THE BEST OF NEAR EASTERN COOKERY

The subtitle defines the scope of this book:""Favorite Dishes from the Balkans, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and other countries of the Arabian peninsula"". Actually it extends even farther for there are here some of the dishes of North Africa, but the Arab accent is there. Food is a vital part of a people's culture, and the comprehensive menus reflect an over-all flavor rather than providing a basis for emulation. Throughout- as recipes are provided for the dishes in successive menus- one has sometimes a sense of duplication. Yogurt forms the basis of anything from soup to dessert; vegetables are somewhat limited, with okra, eggplant, chick peas and lentils appearing again and again. There seems to be more meat than fish; spicing is light compared to Asiatic dishes; chicken and lamb strike a dominant note. This should provide a guide for travelers to those parts of the world, as well as a variant for jaded appetites.