Cookbook recommendation: Taste of Persia, by Naomi Duguid

Taste of Persia by Naomi Duguid is a fascinating culinary journey into the secret corners of the kitchens in one of the most interesting regions of the world for me. Singled out by a past of conflicts and a present of political turmoil and insecurities, this region promises instead a tradition of peaceful and extremely diverse meals. Through photography and intensive interractions with the people from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and the region of Kurdistan, Naomi Duguid succeeds to present authentic travel and taste stories, mapping the diversity of local products and tastes in over 120 recipes.

The beautiful photographs are adding more colour to interesting recipes with local ingredients not easy to find on the markets outside the region - especially in Europe. Therefore, one can understand the deep longing for home among people from those part of the worl while far away from their traditional cuisines and the hard task to cope with on the shoulders of the traditional restaurants opened overseas. 

Although significant differences - the demarcation between the use of pork in the case of the non-Muslim countries and the abundance of the beautiful wines of Georgia and the sophisticated rices from Iran - there are common ingredients shared in the region. Unfortunatelly, Afghanistan - for obvious security and safety reasons - is not featured which I am almost sure it shares some common features with many of the cuisines featured. For instance, the richness of versatile sauces or the frequent presence of walnuts - in salads, sweets or sauces, a detail I was not familiar with -, the fresh herbs, or the variety of fruits - including dried - consumed together with teas. 

Another great merit of the book is featuring a minority group only recently brought into the world attention and not for a good reason: the Yazidi, the victim in the recent years of a permanent genocide. As in the case of the Kurds, their 

There are many recipes that caught my attention and made me dream of a rich feast: mint oil - very easy to make at home too -, onion salad with barberies, grilled eggplant - including with pomegranate seeds, the variety of the Georgian vegetables pates, pkhali, the herbed yogurt soup, stuffed vegetables and dumplings, the roasted fish with walnut paste, the roasted poultry soaked in saffron water or the tart lamb stew with fried potatoes.

Very well organised, the book is covering the entire region, country by country, from spices and pantry essentials, to sauces, meat and fish, teas and sweets, bread and juices. As I recently developped a fascination - not yet followed by a perfect execution - for everything Persian rices, I would have love more variants and details of this beloved meal, but obviously, the Persian cuisine is more than that. 

The recipes are very clearly written, with simple directions that can appeal also the beginner chef with a lust to try a recipe from one of the most sophisticated kitchens of the world. I personally saved for later two recipes that I hope to try and share in the next weeks. The book has also a glossary of terms and many historical and travel references that bring the region closer to someone getting to know this region for the first time.

I strongly recommend this book which is more than travel dairy and more than an exploration of taste. It brings you more the hunger and the wanderlust which is a fantastic win-win.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review