Review: `Turkish cuisine is definitely one that can pride itself in being truly unique.'
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 21, 2014
Author/chef Bryan Rylee a passion for new cuisine ideas. His travels in search of the exotic in foods has resulted in his living with the Basque people of Spain and France, exploring the Mediterranean coast and deep into the countryside of Turkey where he discovered the Turkish fusion of far eastern tastes and North African culinary treats. His adventures have included the cuisines of Scotland, northern England, the islands of the Caribbean, and Iceland! All of this he is translating into books on the various cuisines he has sampled from his home base in San Francisco. Rylee shares his culinary secrets and discoveries of Turkish cuisine in this collection of 100 very special and unique recipes.In his Introduction Bryan states `All you need is a bold palate that can stand intense flavors, you need to step out of your comfort zone and try unusual combinations that will prove you how special and delicious the Turkish cuisine is.'He then proceeds to inform us of the basic common ingredients - olive oil, rice, eggplant, lentils, ground meat (especially lamb), bulgar, cumin, fresh herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro), cinnamon, kaymak (clotted cream), chickpeas, pistachio and walnut, rosewater, pomegranates, sumac, and tomato. From this starting point he takes off with recipes for Breakfasts: (Firenda Omelet - ricotta and tomato, Ymurtali Ispanak - spinach saute with eggs), etc, Hummus and acompaniments, many fantastic Salads: (Domates slatasi - tomato salad), Tabbouleh Salad,  Main Dishes: Bulgar Pilaf, Zucchini Moussaka, Kofka, etc, Soups and Stews: Turkish Red Lentil Soup, Toyga Soup (chickpea and yogurt soup), Umak Soup, etc, Desserts: Revani Cake, Pistachio Baklava, Coconut and Pistachio Pudding and on and on.As our chef and author states, `The Turkish cuisine is a balanced mix between the Mediterranean cuisines and the Oriental ones. After all, the country itself sits proudly just where two continents collide: Europe and Asia. But what's born from this collision is a culture that impresses, a culture that stood the test of time and still does, a country which attracts each year millions and millions of visitors eager to get a glimpse of the famous Turkish cuisine and learn more about the culture itself.'Simply reading through this colorful and incredibly tempting book substantiates his claims. He makes creating these Turkish dishes seem simple and offers images of many of the finished products. This is a Class A recipe book by an authoritative culinary king! Grady Harp, May 14