" A superbly crafted and nuanced book whose magic is turning what could have simply been a great collection of recipes and pictures into a compelling and inspiring gallimaufry of stories told through the prism of food and culture." -- Andrew Zimmern " I was transported, informed, and made very hungry by the recipes, writing, and photographs in this lovely, generous book. Robyn Eckhardt and photographer David Hagerman''s commitment to understanding and documenting the richness of Turkey''s regional culinary cultures is evident on every page." -- Naomi Duguid , author of Taste of Persia: A Cook''s Travels Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Kurdistan "Robyn Eckhardt whets your appetite with engaging images and descriptions, pushing you to explore the uncommon, and all along the way, she equips you with practical recipes for replicating newfound flavors in your home kitchen. Istanbul and Beyond takes readers and cooks on an enriching journey loaded with culinary gems. " -- Andrea Nguyen , author of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen and The Pho Cookbook " Istanbul & Beyond is nothing short of revelatory in its exploration of the secret flavors of Turkish food. Robyn Eckhardt deftly guides us through the country''s most distant corners, along the way offering up rich culinary lore and dazzling recipes, while David Hagerman''s beautiful photographs let us eat with our eyes even before we move into the kitchen . It''s a perfect union of passion and artistry .
" -- Darra Goldstein , Founding Editor, Gastronomica " Istanbul & Beyond is a book I''ve been waiting for, for a very long time! I''ve long relished the cuisines of Turkey and grabbed every chance to visit that fascinating country. Now I have an excellent and irreproachable guide in this wonderful book . If you think Turkish food is all kebabs and grape leaves, this book will change your mind and awaken your palate ." -- Nancy Harmon Jenkins , Mediterranean food authority, coauthor of The Four Seasons of Pasta "Eckhardt, creator of the blog Eating Asia, takes readers under her wing and introduces them to the wonders of Turkish cooking in this fascinating and tasty, if not especially adventurous, collection. As with Italy and China, Turkey has a varied landscape that greatly impacts food production. Each region has a deep-rooted history that results in a national cuisine with a wide array of dishes with vastly different ingredients. Despite this, Eckhardt provides a surprisingly familiar list of Turkish pantry staples including red pepper flakes, corn, and herbs such as dill, mint, and thyme. This familiarity carries over to her recipes, such as eggs poached in chunky tomato and pepper sauce, red lentil soup with chile and mint, and tomato and white bean stew.
Dishes are grouped by region, highlighting the best authentic cuisine each has to offer. Yeast bread stuffed with Swiss chard and herbs from the Black Sea region, handkerchief noodles with blue cheese and butter from the northeast, and meatballs in tomato sauce with pumpkin and spice butter from Hakk'ri are just a few of the mouth-watering delicacies on offer. This collection will delight and inspire home cooks who are unfamiliar with the region''s food but are looking to broaden their culinary horizons." -- Publishers Weekly "During regular travels to Turkey, journalist Eckhardt and her photographer husband, Hagerman, encountered a wealth of regional cuisines that left a lasting impression. Their exquisite cookbook richly captures the more than 15,000 miles they journeyed, bringing together unexpected and flavorful dishes for breakfasts, appetizers, salads, mains, pickles, beverages and much more. Ordered by region, beginning with Istanbul and ending with North Central Anatolia, this book includes recipes by category to help readers quickly locate specific dishes. All of the recipes are easily reproduced at home, often with conventional ingredients, and include suggestions for sources and substitutions for spices and pantry items that are harder to find. VERDICT Get ready to savor this evocative collection , which will seduce fans of food/travel titles such as Naomi Duguid''s Taste of Persia or Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford''s Samarkand.
" -- Library Journal "A "good" cookbook for me is one that has a couple of dozen great recipes I want to try. A "great" book is one where I can''t make up my mind where to start. Istanbul & Beyond is a great book." -- Brian O''Rourke, The Huffington Post " Istanbul & Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey is more than a cookbook. It delves into the culture of Turkey with stunning photographs that feature the people, landscapes, and life as well as food; anecdotes that explain traditional dishes and bring them to life; and a glossary of Turkish ingredients as well as phrases to help readers build their own Anatolian pantry as authentically as possible." -- Daisy Nichols, The Daily Meal.