The Book Of Yogurt

I was delighted to see this definitive volume on yogurt cookery back in print. It is said that a cookbook is worth its price if it contains one really good recipe. I have already tried well over a hundred recipes from this book, and the results have been fantastic. Here are some of my favorites:

Feta and Cream Cheese Spread with Garlic and Herbs (although this recipe has been passed off as Armenian, Egyptian, Turkish, or Russian, it is actually Uvezian's own invention and one of the best cheese spreads I've ever had); Mushroom Dip (absolutely first-rate!); Zucchini-Cheese Turnovers (great with drinks or as an accompaniment to soup or salad); Persian Chilled Yogurt and Cucumber Soup with Hard-Cooked Eggs, Walnuts, Scallions, and Dill (ideal for a hot summer day); Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Sherry (wonderful hot or cold); Hungarian Chilled Cherry Soup (a splendid introduction to a summer meal); Spanish Vegetable and Seafood Salad (a perfect candidate for a summer luncheon); Czechoslovakian Omelet with Cranberries (delightfully original); Viennese Spinach-Cheese Soufflé Roll (elegant enough for company); Mexican Chicken Enchiladas (will please your palate as well as your purse); Cornish Hens in Mushroom, Tomato, and Wine Sauce (surprisingly simple to prepare); Veal Scallops with Apples (as delicious as it is uncomplicated); Meat and Eggplant Served with Yogurt Sauce with Garlic and Pine Nuts (pure bliss for eggplant lovers); Colombian Potatoes with Spiced Tomato, Onion, and Cheese Sauce (the sauce is also very good over cauliflower and zucchini); Avocado Yogurt Dressing with Garlic and Herbs (a natural with shellfish and tomatoes); Yogurt Crème Chantilly (Uvezian's own creation is a welcome alternative to sweetened whipped cream and a great way to slash calories); Yogurt Muffins (blueberry, banana, and cranberry are all delicious); Florentine Crèpes with Spinach and Mushroom and Cheese Fillings (a stylish entrée for a guest luncheon); German Apple Pancakes (an excellent choice for a leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch); Cheese Blintzes with Cherry Sauce (blintzes can't get much better than this!); Yogurt Lemon Cake (a standout among lemon cakes); Souffléed Cheesecake with Strawberries (utterly sublime!); Middle Eastern Date Cookies (altogether addictive); Frozen Raspberry Yogurt (fabulous!); and Italian Iced Fruit Shake (a taste of heaven on earth).

The success I have had with The Book of Yogurt led me to buy Sonia Uvezian's Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen: A Culinary Journey through Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, which, I must say, is one of the greatest ethnic cookbooks I have ever seen. This inspired volume has provided me with many hours of culinary pleasure as well as much fascinating reading. Not only that, it contains some truly magnificent recipes that make use of yogurt!

You don't have to love yogurt to love this groundbreaking work, which reflects the originality and professionalism of Uvezian's other cookbooks. There is an excellent introduction by the author's husband, and the recipes are clearly written and yield spectacular results. This eye-opening collection has become one of my all-time favorites. It is a joy to read, to cook from, to give, and to receive. I recommend it wholeheartedly!

Like the author's Armenian and Caucasian cookbooks, "The Book of Yogurt" is a classic in its own right and a remarkable guide to great eating. Written by a true connoisseur, it offers hundreds of sensationally good recipes and is a godsend for calorie counters since a majority of the dishes described are lighter and kinder to the waistline than their traditional counterparts. Many cookbooks are bought, set on a shelf, and never really used, but the recipes in this collection, which include some superb ones created by Uvezian herself, are impossible to resist. This consistently outstanding book by one of America's best food writers has expanded my culinary horizons and has made my everyday cooking healthier and more adventurous