Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Wright continues his exploration of the Mediterranean region (after Mediterranean Vegetables and A Mediterranean Feast) with this investigation of tapas, antipasti, meze and whatever else one might call small dishes that start a meal. The recipes-and there are a generous 500 included-are uniformly excellent, but sometimes Wright's commitment to authenticity leads to too much exotica (Curried Cucumber and Lamb Tongue Skewers, Vols-au-Vent Stuffed with Veal Sweetbreads and Black Truffles), with too little space dedicated to clever but more accessible tidbits such as Spinach with Garlic Yogurt on Fried Arabic Bread and Rolled Yogurt Balls. Numerous recipes, such as Tunisian Lamb, Brain, and Fried Potato Frittata with Cheeses and Baby Octopus in Piquant Sauce call for hard-to-locate ingredients. Chapters are organized by type of dish, with two chapters dedicated to fried foods: the one on fried turnovers opens with four recipes for briks (North African pastries). Another chapter on cheese-based foods (despite Wright's earlier insistence that cheese "is too rich and heavy" to make a good starter) includes Taleggio Cheese and Buckwheat Flour Fritters from Lombardy. Although Wright provides copious information in headnotes and sidebars, there is one integral thing lacking. A long list of menus for parties of various types and an introduction that details the history of eating small dishes before a larger meal are helpful, but there is no indication of how to figure portion sizes when serving items such as Pizza Margherita, Stockfish, Fava Bean, and Potato Stew from Liguria and Polenta with Porcini Mushrooms as entrees. (Oct.) Forecast: Americans may resist putting much effort into a dish that will be scooped up immediately before the "real meal" starts. This may be a harder sell than Wright's Real Stew and his James Beard Award-winning A Mediterranean Feast. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Several other solid books on the "little" dishes of the Mediterranean have recently appeared, including Diane Kochilas's Meze and Anissa Helou's Mediterranean Street Food, but none has the wide-ranging scope of this latest entry in the genre. Author of several books on Italian food and The Mediterranean Feast, an authoritative cookbook/culinary history, Wright turns to the mouth-watering tidbits and other delectable morsels that are staples of the region, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Middle East and North Africa. The hundreds of recipes, grouped into enticing categories such as "Saucy Little Dishes" and "Cheesy Mouthfuls," include not only delicious versions of enduring favorites but also many unusual and unfamiliar savories. The informative headnotes are both readable and engaging, and dozens of boxes on ingredients, techniques, and more are further evidence of Wright's thorough research. Highly recommended. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
