Armenian Food or Rustico

Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction & Folklore

Author: Irina Petrosian

Food is the portal to Armenia's past and present-day culture. This culinary journey across the land called Hayastan presents the rich history, wondrous legends, and fact-filled stories of Armenian cuisine. Authors Irina Petrosian and David Underwood take readers on a memorable and sometimes humorous tour of Armenia by way of the kitchen.

What ancient Armenian fable warned against genetically-altered food?
What little-known Armenian fruit may have helped Noah on the ark?
What was the diet of David of Sassoun, the legendary Armenian Hercules?
What was the influence of the Soviet Union on the food ways of Armenia?
What strange and exotic fruits and herbs are sold in Armenia's markets?
Why do Armenians go to cemeteries to "feed" the dead?
What role did coffee and lavash bread play in Armenian marriage rituals?

These questions and more are answered in this first modern guide to Armenian food. If you are curious about one of the world's most ancient cultures, or are contemplating a trip to Armenia, don't miss the chance to read this book. Includes rare photos and illustrations, notes and sources, and index.

Table of Contents:

INTRODUCTION
Cuisine Shaped by History
Old Yerevan
A Taste of the Soviet Times
Dining in Soviet Yerevan in the 1920s
The Soviet Armenia Cookbook
Armenia's Natural Produce
FOOD OF ARMENIA
BREAD
Lavash
Wraps
Once Upon a Time ...
Matnakash
Lore and Symbolism
May You Never Have a Longing for Bread
CHEESE, YOGURT AND BUTTER
Cheese
Yogurt
Butter
Lore and Symbolism
GRAINS AND PASTA
Grain Dishes
Hasooda
Harissa
Pasta
The Kukuruz Craze
MEAT AND FISH
Symbol of Plenty
Khorovats
Tolma
Tzhvzhik
Khash
Kufta
Khashlama
A Village Woman's Life
Khinkali
Kchooch, Bozbash, and Borscht
Clay's Comeback
Basturma
Fish
VEGETABLES
Potato and Cabbage
Tomato and Cucumber
Eggplant and Peppers
At the Bazaar
FRUITS
Apricot
Grapes
Pomegranate
Apples
Watermelon As Medicine
The Fruit Vase
Other Fruits
HERBS AND SEASONINGS
Aghaman - The Salt Jar
BEVERAGES
Did Churchill Like Armenian Brandy?
Coffee
SWEET TREATS
Tortes and Cakes
Dried Fruits
Mooraba
FEASTS, FESTIVALS AND MORE
RITUALS, TRADITIONS AND ETIQUETTE
Old Style Table Etiquette
Menu of the Armenian Urban Elite
Taking Tea in Old Armenia
The Matagh Ritual
How to Prepare Sheep for Matagh
The Lenten Table
A Perspective on Sheep and Mouflons
Feeding and Honoring The Dead
Kef
Toasting
Feasting Soviet-style
Winter Fun with Ancient Foods
Sunflower Seeds
HISTORY ON A PLATE
King Tigran's Table
Medieval Feasts of Armenian Nobles
Armenia's Strong Man Diet
Feasts for Westerners
WORD FLAVORS
FOOD LANGUAGE
"Russenanian"
Words: Why and How
Glossary of Culinary Terms
NOTES AND SOURCES
ART & PHOTO CREDITS
INDEX OF RECIPES
ARMENIAN COOKBOOKS
INDEX

Read an Excerpt

Look this: Healthy Helpings or Vegan

Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking

Author: Micol Negrin

Americans have fallen in love with Italian regional food, from the casual fare of Tuscan trattorias to the more refined creations of high-end Piedmontese restaurants, from Sicily’s wonderful desserts to Emilia-Romagna’s superb cheeses and cured meats. Rustico is the first American book to explore the remarkable breadth of these richly varied cuisines, devoting equal attention to each of Italy’s twenty regions. This includes thorough treatment of such places as Val d’Aosta, high in the Alps, whose fare is an intriguing mix of northern Italian, French, and Swiss influences: truffled fondue or grappa-spiked venison stew will
transport you to the slopes of Monte Bianco. Or Trentino–Alto Adige, with the southernmost German-speaking towns in Europe, for goulasch and spaetzle. Or the scorched southern regions like Basilicata, known for their spicy dishes; the Veneto, with the aromatic foods that are a legacy of Venice’s reign as the spice capital; or Sardinia, with its Spanish-inflected cuisine.

For each of the twenty regions, Micol Negrin provides ten authentic, truly representative recipes, with a special focus on original, rustic dishes, encompassing the entire meal—antipasti to dolci. Each chapter is introduced by an overview of the region, its culinary influences, food staples, and important recipes; each includes information on specialty products like cheeses and wines; and each explores the traditions, preparations, and life of the region, not only through recipes but through anecdote, history, and captivating photos. Each chapter, in fact, is a book unto itself; and the sum total is the last Italian cookbook you’ll ever need.

Publishers Weekly

As the former editor of the Magazine of La Cucina Italiana and Italian Cooking & Living, Negrin could have churned out any number of recipes for well-known classic dishes from Italy's 20 regions and left it at that. But Negrin set herself a larger challenge and succeeded admirably. She has bypassed the more familiar regional specialties to focus on lesser-known gems and has made an effort to eschew frou-frou cooking for home-style dishes. In doing so, she points up yet again why Italian cuisine is one of the world's best it offers a seemingly unending supply of surprising, fresh and delicious traditional dishes. Take a region such as Tuscany, which has been trampled by millions of tourists and has been the subject of so many cookbooks. There, Negrin finds Deep-Fried Sage Leaves, which sandwich bits of anchovy, Chestnut Flour Polenta with Sausage and Scallions, and Braised Squid with Chili, Greens, and Tomatoes. So often in regional Italian books, less glamorous regions are paired with overpowering neighbors, so that it is rare to read about the minuscule region of Molise (about a third the size of Rhode Island), but Negrin has taken the time to tease out the differences and has discovered thrifty specialties such as Hand-Cut Pasta Squares in Asparagus Cream with homemade pasta that finishes cooking in an asparagus puree. Negrin has also avoided the trap of focusing too much on Italy's deservedly famous first courses and offers in abundance antipasti (Spicy Robiola Cheese and Onion Spread from Piedmont), breads (Cheese-Stuffed Focaccia from Recco in Liguria), second courses (the Aeolian Islands' Herb-Stuffed Tuna Bundles from Sicily) and desserts (Nut-and-Fruit "Snake" of the Capuchin Nuns from Umbria). Recipes are lucid and easy to follow, and chapter introductions stylishly and accurately convey a sense of place, while sidebars offer bits of folklore. (Sept.) Forecasts: This is a truly outstanding take original enough to revive what sometimes feels like a tired subject. With this comprehensive volume her first Negrin stands poised to become an Italian expert on the level of Faith Willinger or even Marcella Hazan. Expect robust sales. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

As Milan-born Negrin observes, regional identity has always been an important aspect of the Italian character and remains so today. But as prosperity, globalization, and the European Union blur regional boundaries and local dialects disappear, Negrin fears that "the various dialects of Italian cuisine are [also] endangered." Thus, her cookbook/guidebook offers a tour of Italy's 20 regions, with ten carefully chosen recipes for each. Some are "signature" dishes intimately associated with a particular region, but more are what she describes as lesser-known "regional gems." Each chapter opens with a brief, scene-setting introduction and a list of favorite restaurants and shops; boxes on all sorts of topics, from "A Typical Day in Prewar Val d'Aosta" to "The Italian Capital of Chocolate," are scattered throughout. Scenic photographs by Negrin and her husband illustrate the text, and there are also photographs of many of the regional specialties she lovingly presents. Although far from the only cookbook on regional Italian cooking, this is an attractive one and a good choice for most collections. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.