Hippocrene Books

"This is a fascinating book about history but not stuck in time. Janet is a time traveler, telling us stories about the past but always making them relevant, bringing the world of al-Andalus—a region very close to my heart—to our kitchens today."

--Chef José Andrés

This cookbook explores the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking.  Muslims first invaded the Iberian peninsula in 711 CE, crossing the narrow straits from North Africa and taking over most of what would become the country of Spain. The newly-conquered land initially under the caliphate of Damascus, was called al-Andalus and at one time covered almost the entire Iberian peninsula.

At his palace of Medina Azahar around 950 CE, the Caliph of Córdoba dined on refined dishes of almond cream, lamb cooked with spices, eggplant stuffed with meat and scented with cinnamon, and carrot salad with sprigs of mint. The kingdoms of al-Andalus lasted eight centuries, ending in 1492 with the fall of Granada. Islamic culture left a deep mark on the country that became Spain—on language, science, literature and most certainly on cuisine.

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe.

Sample recipes:

• White Gazpacho with Grapes (Ajo Blanco con Uvas)
• Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts (Espinacas con Pasas y Piñones)
• Fried Eggplant with Molasses (Berenjena Frita con Miel de Caña)
• Monkfish with Raisins and Pine Nuts (Rape al Mozarabe)
• Chicken in Almond-Saffron Sauce (Pollo en Pepitoria)
• Lamb Stew with Artichokes (Cordero con Alcachofas)
• Almond Cream Pudding (Sopa de Almendras)
• Marzipan Rings (Melindres)

Back in print in a new illustrated edition with color photographs!  Giovanna Bellia La Marca guides readers through the wealth of local delights in Emilia-Romagna, a region in northern Italy famous for its gastronomic offerings.

The Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy is home to several of the world’s most renowned gastronomic cities—the capital, Bologna, has given its name to the famed Bolognese sauce; from Parma comes exquisite prosciutto, the best-known pork product of Italy; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese has been made in Parma and Reggio-Emilia for over 700 years; and Modena has been producing unrivaled balsamic vinegar for centuries. This culinary heartland is also well-known for its delicate homemade pastas.

Giovanna Bellia La Marca (author of Sicilian Feasts and host of YouTube’s “Kitchen on the Cliff” cooking show) takes readers on a personally-guided tour through the culinary landscape of this beautiful Italian region. From homemade tagliatelle noodles with a rich, hearty Bolognese Ragú, to unique desserts like Torta Ferrarese, a confection made with fresh egg noodles layered with almonds, sugar, and butter that hails from the town of Ferrera, home chefs will fall in love with the classic Italian fare presented in these 140 recipes.

A section on cooking techniques teaches the correct way to peel chestnuts, clean leeks, soak dried beans, and much more. Also included are guides to the wines of the region and Italian ingredients, a resource section with specialty retailers, and a bibliography. Along the way, La Marca reminisces about her favorite meals, people, and places in Emilia-Romagna, sharing a true taste of the region with readers.

Sample recipes:

• Fritelle di Castagna (Chestnut Fritters)

• Cavoli alla Romagnola  (Savoy Cabbage Romagna Style)

• Ragu’ Romagnolo di Lugo (Meat Sauce From Lugo)

• Polenta con Funghi  (Polenta with Mushrooms)

• Ossobuco alla Romagnola (Ossobuco in the style of Romagna)

• Pollo Ripeno di Castagne (Chestnut-stuffed Chicken)

• Brodetto (The Classic Fish Stew of Romagna)

• Salsa Zabaglione (Zabaglione Sauce)

• Classico Ragu’ Bolognese (Classic Bolognese Sauce)

 • Torta Ferrarese  (Fresh Noodle Cake from Ferrara)

• Crostata di Albicocche  (Apricot Tart)

In this unflinching, detailed portrait of a forgotten group of Nazi forced labor survivors, author Sophie Horodowicz Knab reveals the personal stories of hundreds of Polish women who were forced to leave their homes to work in Nazi German factories and farms during World War II. From sexual assault, starvation, and illness to tremendous physical and psychological trauma, the atrocities these women suffered have never been fully explored until now.

Required to sew a large letter "P" onto their jackets, thousands of women, some as young as age 12, were taken from their homes in Poland and forced to work in Hitler’s Germany for months and years on end. As mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters, female Polish forced laborers faced a unique set of challenges and often unspeakable conditions because of their gender. Compelled to learn more about her own mother’s experience as a forced laborer, Sophie Hodorowicz Knab embarked on a personal quest to uncover details about this overlooked aspect of World War II history. She conducted extensive research in archives in the U.S., London, and Warsaw for over 14 years to piece together facts and individual stories.

Knab explains how it all happened, from the beginning of Nazi occupation in Poland to liberation: the roundups; the horrors of transit camps; the living and working conditions of Polish women in agriculture and industry; and the anguish of sexual exploitation and forced abortions—all under the constant threat of concentration camps. Knab draws from documents, government and family records, rare photos, and most importantly, numerous victim accounts and diaries, letters and trial testimonies, finally giving these women a voice and bringing to light the atrocities that they endured.

Yoruba, one of the national languages of Nigeria, is spoken by more than 30 million people worldwide. It is the most widely spoken language in Nigeria after English, and is also spoken in Benin and Togo.

This unique, two-part resource provides travelers to Nigeria and other parts of West Africa with the tools they need for daily interaction. The bilingual dictionary has a concise vocabulary for everyday use, and the phrasebook allows instant communication on a variety of topics. Ideal for businesspeople, travelers, students, and aid workers, this guide includes:

• 4,000 dictionary entries; phonetics that are intuitive for English speakers
• Essential phrases on topics such as transportation, dining out, and business
• Concise grammar and pronunciation sections

WINNER GOURMAND COOKBOOK AWARD for Best African Cuisine Cookbook

“An in-depth and truly remarkable collection of authentic Ghanaian recipes. This is the definitive Ghana cookbook.” — Pierre Thiam, chef and author of Senegal

The Akan proverb “The good soup comes from the good earth” elegantly sums up Ghana’s tradition of cooking with seasonal, local ingredients. With an emphasis on locally caught fish and seafood, vegetables, fruits and legumes, Ghana’s cuisine is vibrant, healthful, and eminently appealing. Limited access to wheat and dairy results in a variety of gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan options using starches such as plantains, cassava, taro, sweet potatoes and millet, and creamy nut-based soups and sauces.

In over 140 recipes that represent all regions of Ghana, the authors highlight flavor principles, seasoning techniques, and basic stocks, with later chapters dedicated to snacks, soups and stews, protein entrees, beverages, baked goods, and much more.

Sample recipes:

• Green Plantain Chips
• Black-eyed Pea Fritters (Akara)
• Chicken Peanut Soup (Nkate Nkwan)
• Fresh Fish Stew (Fante Fante)
• Vegetarian Peanut Stew
• Stewed Bambara Beans (Aboboe)
• Party-Perfect Jollof Rice with Chicken
• Hausa Spiced Porridge (Hausa Koko)
• Tiger Nut Pudding (Atadwe Milkye)

The first Chechen language course available in English!

Chechen is spoken by over 1.4 million people worldwide, mostly in the Chechen Republic. It is also spoken in the Chechen diaspora in Russia, Europe, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Middle East, notably in Jordan and Turkey. It is a Northeast Caucasian language that is written in the Cyrillic script.

Ideal for those new to Chechen, learning at home or in the classroom, Beginner’s Chechen with Online Audio teaches both written and spoken Chechen using modern pedagogy, and includes:

·        An introductory section on the Chechen language and its main features

·        Twelve carefully-paced chapters, each one opening with dialogues about an everyday topic followed by vocabulary, grammar lessons, and exercises  

·        Answer key to the exercises

·        Chechen-English and English-Chechen glossaries

·        Online MP3 audio files for free download featuring pronunciation by native speakers

“Packed with authentic regional recipes, beautiful stories and gorgeous photographs, Muy Bueno is above all else a delicious family love story."

—Matt Armendariz, MattBites.com and author of On a Stick!

*As featured in Eater, The New York Times, TODAY Food, Taste of Home Magazine, Woman’s World Magazine, Latina Magazine, Leite's Culinaria, People en Español Magazine, Cosmo for Latinas Magazine, Epicurious, and The Kitchn*

Siéntate a comer, esta muy bueno! Sit down and eat, it’s very good!

This was how Jesusita Mendias-Soza always welcomed guests to her table. The same words served as inspiration for her daughter Evangelina and granddaughters Yvette and Veronica, who wanted to honor her memory and preserve their family's recipes and stories for future generations. They started the Muy Bueno Cookbook blog in 2010 with this idea in mind, and quickly attracted thousands of fans and followers who fell in love with Muy Bueno's flavorful Mexican recipes, heartwarming family stories, and beautiful photography. Now they open their hearts and kitchens to an even wider audience in their first cookbook.

Spanning three generations, Muy Bueno offers over 100 recipes: traditional old-world northern Mexican recipes from Jesusita’s kitchen; comforting south of the border home-style dishes from Evangelina; and innovative Latin fusion recipes from Yvette and Veronica. Also includes a chile glossary with photos and step-by-step instructions for roasting chiles, making tamales, and red chile sauce.

*GREAT ON KINDLE*

Sample recipes:

• Homemade Flour Tortillas
• Tomatillo Salsa
• Persimmon Mojito
• Mexican Meatball Soup (Albondigas)
• Pork in Red Chile Sauce (Asado de Chile Colorado)
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Mexican Bread Pudding (Capirotada)
• Mexican Wedding Cookies (Biscochos)
• Horchata Popsicles (Paletas de Horchata)

Explore the unique Mediterranean flavors of the Maghreb region with over 100 authentic recipes!

The Arabic word Maghreb means “land where the sun sets.” The Maghreb is a multicultural Mediterranean region of North Africa which includes Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and Libya. It is bordered by the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, and in ancient times, the Maghreb included Spain, Sicily, and Malta. The history of this region is completely different from that of the rest of Africa, and today’s cuisine reflects those differences. It’s an inviting cuisine, made with fresh local and seasonal ingredients, that carries a diversity of flavors and time-honored traditions to the Maghreb table.

Before the Arab conquest, the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and later the Italians and French, colonized the Maghreb. Each new culture that entered the region left unique influences and together they created a multicultural cuisine using aromatic spices, fresh herbs, citrus, dried fruits, nuts, fresh fish, lamb, chicken, pasta, rice, and copious fresh vegetables. Ancient civilizations such as Phoenicians and Romans spread the cultivation of wheat. The Moors brought citrus and olives from Spain. The Berbers gave birth to couscous. Fennel, peas, and artichokes arrived with the Italian settlement, and the baguette, salad Niçoise, and mayonnaise were brought by the French when they colonized the area. Thus, the food of Maghreb became a mélange of Sicilian, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Berber cuisine.

Three generations ago, Alba Carbonaro Johnson’s family emigrated from Sicily to Tunisia. With this unique cultural vantage point, she learned to cook traditional Maghrebi dishes as well as the southern Italian specialties of her family. This book brings the best of both these Mediterranean cuisines together in simple, delicious recipes that readers will turn to again and again.

Sample recipes:

• Crostini with Dill and Pecorino
• Spicy Cauliflower Minestra
• Couscous for Festive Occasions (Seffa)
• Lamb Chops in Dried Fig Sauce
• Baked Whole Bass with Chermoula
• Shrimp Speidini with Golden Breadcrumbs and Pistachios
• Rustic Pizza Stuffed with Red Onions, Pine Nuts, and Golden Raisins
• Broccoli Affogati
• Marzipan-Stuffed Dates

This new 10^th anniversary edition of Menus & Memories from Punjab brings readers even more classic favorites from the Punjabi kitchen with 10 new menu chapters and dozens of new recipes! More than an exceptional guide to India’s most popular cuisine, this is also the intimate saga of a Punjabi family told through the food that has sustained and comforted them through the years.

Princes, poets, farmers and Punjabi immigrants across generations live on in these recipes and vignettes. At the heart of this cookbook-memoir is the story of two women, a Punjabi villager and her American daughter-in-law, and the lives they built together. Each chapter features a family story, historical figure, or seasonal festival along with recipes that typify the exuberant culture of Punjab. Tantalizing appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts are clearly marked vegan, vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Ayurvedic principles and the health benefits of spices are the cornerstones of these recipes.

The thirty-two menus feature a wide-ranging array of foods—from rustic roadside dhaba offerings to elegant entrees that have graced the tables of Maharajahs.

Sample recipes:

• Butter Chicken (Murgh Mukhanee)
• Whole-wheat flatbreads (Phulka)
• Ground Lamb Kebabs (Seekh Kebabs)
• Mixed Greens with Lentils (Saron da Saag)
• Tandoori Chicken
• Cornmeal Flatbreads (Mukkee dee rotee)
• Creamy Black Lentils (Mahan dee daal)
• Fried Fish Fritters (Muchee Pakora)
• Carrot Almond Halva (Gajjerella)

With a full glossary of Punjabi food terms, a detailed guide to spices and their health benefits, as well as tips and timetables for every menu, author Veronica Sidhu gives both novice and experienced chefs all the tools they need to make authentic, flavorful Punjabi meals. Whether you want to re-create a favorite restaurant dish or a recipe from your Punjabi grandmother's kitchen, this cookbook will be your trusted guide.

Start speaking Russian today!

Beginner’s Russian with Interactive Online Workbook offers an innovative, easy, and thorough way to speak, and read Russian confidently. This complete Russian course includes a user-friendly textbook and interactive online workbook. The carefully-paced, relevant lessons cover grammar and language basics in the context of everyday situations related to family, jobs, introductions, dining out, the Internet, and much more. The chapters are designed for the beginning student, and are full of photos, cartoons, games, and exercises alongside easy-to-understand lessons.
 
In addition to the book, you have access to an interactive website full of videos, audio, and self-correcting exercises. The enriching material on the website reinforces the basics of the lessons in the book, helping you acquire Russian skills in a natural, engaging way.

• Thorough explanations and instructions offer a gradual introduction to the language, Cyrillic alphabet, and grammar
• An interactive website features correct pronunciation by native speakers and helps learners start speaking Russian right away
• Ideal for individual self-study or classroom use
• Each chapter will take 5-6 hours of classroom instruction, or approximately 10-12 hours of study for the independent learner.
• Students should be able to attain the ACTFL Novice High or Intermediate Low levels of proficiency by the end of the course

This popular language textbook with an interactive website offers an easy, effective, and fun way for beginners to learn how to read, write, speak and understand Ukrainian. 

The Third Integrated edition is integrated with the Ukrainian-English Collocation Dictionary (2021) via a set of specially designed lexical and syntactic exercises in each of its 15 lessons.  

Beginner's Ukrainian covers such common conversational topics as meeting people, traveling, shopping, hobbies, family relations, vacationing, meals, weather, and much more. Priority is given to developing learners' conversational skills while providing them with a solid grammar foundation. The book's companion website offers a wealth of interactive conversational, grammar, and phonetic drills designed for use by both independent and instructor-led learners.

The book includes 15 useful lessons, covering everyday situations such as introductions, family, and shopping. An interactive website featuring audio dialogues and exercises recorded using native speakers is also available to users. The guide also includes:

• Useful cultural and grammatical notes
• Appendices of critical information, including declension tables, noun endings, common Ukrainian names, numbers, verb conjugations and more.
• A Ukrainian-English/ English-Ukrainian dictionary of words used in the book

Birthplace of Buddha and home to stunning Himalayan peaks, Nepal is also known for its unique cuisine and rich cultural traditions. Nepal is a landlocked country that had little contact with the outside world for centuries, resulting in a unique culinary culture that was not influenced by other cuisines. After opening borders in the 1950s, however, Nepal’s cuisine evolved to take on influences from neighboring India, China and Tibet. Those influences, combined with Nepal’s vast cultural and geographic diversity, result in a singular cuisine characterized by the simplicity of fresh local ingredients that are artfully paired with herbs and spices.

A Nepali staple is Daal-Bhaat-Tarkaari (lentil-rice-vegetable), found in many variations and flavors. It includes boiled rice accompanied by daal made from dried beans, lentils, or peas. A variety of fresh vegetables and leafy greens round out the meal. The use of spices is mild and subtle, but meals are often served with a side of spicy pickles. Meat, poultry, and fish are served only occasionally, mostly during celebrations.

Author Jyoti Pathak’s first cookbook Taste of Nepal won a Gourmand World Cookbook award for Best Foreign Cuisine Cookbook and showcased the foods and recipes of her native Nepal to a wider audience. This new cookbook brings the foods and flavors of Nepal alive with color photographs throughout, notes about important Nepali customs, festivals and holidays, and a collection of 185 recipes that spans traditional Nepali fare to popular fusion dishes, street foods and the modern Nepali table. Also included are helpful chapters on Nepali ingredients, utensils and cooking techniques and a glossary of Nepali-English words.

Sample recipes:

• Kukhura ko Chowelaa (Chicken Chowelaa)
• Jwaano-Bhaat (Ajowan Rice)
• Maas ko Khichari (Split Urad Bean-Rice Khichari)
• Panchamukhi Daal (Mixed Five Daal)
• Tinkune-roti (Flaky Roti Bread)
• Sit le Khaeko Raayo so Saag (Spiced Mustard Greens)
• Pharsi ko Munta (Pumpkin Vine Shoots)
• Rukh-Katahar ko Tarkaari (Green Jackfruit Curry)
• Alu ko Achaar (Spicy Potato Salad with Sesame Seeds)
• Dahi Haaleko Khasi ko Maasu (Goat Curry with Yogurt)

Learn Icelandic with this complete course, now with free audio download!

Icelandic is a North-Germanic language spoken by over 300,000 people, mainly in Iceland where it is an official language. The language can be traced back to the Old Norse brought by settlers from Norway in the 9th and 10th centuries. Because of Iceland’s isolation and remote location, the linguistic changes that occurred in other Scandinavian languages are not seen in Icelandic, which still has complicated grammar systems.

Ideal for those new to Icelandic, learning at home or in the classroom, Beginner’s Icelandic with Online Audio includes:

• Fourteen carefully-paced and practical lessons with dialogues, vocabulary, expressions, and exercises
• An alphabet and pronunciation guide
• English-Icelandic and Icelandic-English glossaries
• A brief introduction to Iceland’s history and culture
• Online MP3 audio files for download featuring pronunciation by native speakers

“A richly detailed and well-informed month-by-month accounting of all the major Polish customs and traditions practiced over the centuries. Ms. Knab stirs and reawakens our ancestral memory.”

―The Kosciuszko Foundation Newsletter

Now in a paperback edition with illustrations, historical black and white photographs, and color photographs throughout the book!

This unique, well-researched reference is arranged by month, showing the various occasions, feasts and holidays prominent in Polish culture―beginning with December it continues through Holy Week Customs, superstitions, beliefs and rituals associated with farming, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, midsummer, harvest festival, wedding rites, Name Days, birth and death. There is also a chapter on Polish pastimes and games for children.

Many of the customs and traditions described in the book have been lost even in today's modern Poland. World wars, massive immigration, the loss of the oral tradition, urbanization and politics have changed the face of a once agrarian people and their way of life throughout the calendar year. The changes, however, have not been able to erase the memory of that way of life completely.

Many communities of the Polish diaspora throughout the world still feel connected to Poland and choose to reenact harvest celebrations, reminding themselves of their ancestors' reverence for the grains and gifts of bread. The sharing of opłatek, the Christmas Eve wafer, and the words of love while doing so, continue to bind family and friends together.  Although the purpose and meaning may have been lost and forgotten, the oczepiny ceremony (the unveiling) is still the mainstay of almost every wedding where the bride declares Polish heritage.  

A New York Times Notable cookbook—now updated with new recipes, photographs and notes on Sri Lankan culture and cuisine!

“A terrific introduction to a great culinary tradition about which egregiously little is known. Well researched, authentic, and easy-to-follow recipes.” ―Anthony Bourdain (on the first edition)

S.H. Fernando takes readers on an unforgettable culinary journey through Sri Lanka, where a typical meal is simply referred to as “rice & curry.” Demystifying ingredients, spices and flavors to prove that Sri Lankan Food is a healthy option, Fernando gives us the best of generations of folk cooking traditions as well as time-saving tips and menu suggestions for the modern cook.

This new edition has been revised and updated with over 100 easy-to-follow recipes; an introduction to Sri Lanka’s history, culture, and cuisine; a detailed up-to-date travel section with for visitors; a comprehensive spice guide, sidebars on ingredients, techniques and notable aspects of Sri Lanka’s cuisine, and stunning color photos throughout.

Sample recipes:

·        Roasted Curry Powder

·        Spicy Lentil Fritters (Masala Vadai)

·        Duck Curry with Arrack (Thara Curry)

·        Hoppers (Appa)

·        Lamb Biryani

·        Leela's Chilaw Crab Curry (Kakuluwo Curry)

·        Chili Sambol (Katta Sambol)

·        Mango Curry (Amba Curry)

·        Shymala's Coconut Custard Pudding (Wattalampan)

Haitian Creole is an official language of Haiti. It is spoken by approximately 12 million people in Haiti and by the population of the Haitian diaspora across the Caribbean, France, and the United States. The language developed around the 18th century during France’s colonial occupation and contains elements of French along with strong influences from Spanish, Arabic, Taíno, Arawak, and English. 

This unique two-part resource provides visitors to Haiti with tools for daily interactions. The bilingual dictionary has a concise vocabulary for everyday use, and the phrasebook allows instant communication on a variety of topics. Ideal for businesspeople, travelers, students, and aid workers, this guide includes:  

• 4,000 dictionary entries with phonetics
• Essential phrases on subjects such as greetings, food & drink, shopping, transportation and much more
• A guide to Haitian Creole grammar and pronunciation

All the best vegetarian recipes from Alamelu’s cookbooks and TV show, plus many new ones!

Alamelu Vairavan, host of the popular PBS Create show “Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu” has been teaching viewers how to embrace vegetables and protein-rich legumes with her flavorful, easy-to-follow recipes for years. Now all her vegetarian favorites are available in one volume, for home cooks who want creative, palate-pleasing ways to prepare wholesome vegetables like kale, cauliflower, radishes, eggplant, swiss chard, squashes and much more. These recipes are low-calorie, low-fat and packed with nutrients, fiber and flavor!

Included are over 100 recipes, featuring many new ones that enhance vibrant vegetables with spices and legumes. They range from appetizers, soups, salads and vegetable entrees to chutneys and desserts, and each one is accompanied by a full-color photo and step-by-step instructions. Also included is a helpful guide to Indian spices and ingredients. Fans rave about how easy and fool-proof Alamelu’s recipes are—making nutritious, Indian-inspired meals will be a snap!

Sample recipes:

• Butternut Squash in Tamarind Sauce
• Baby Kale in a Garlic-Lentil Sauce
• Stir-fried Beets with Coconut
• Sweet Potato, Black Beans & Spinach Wraps
• Asparagus with Shallots and Garlic
• Black-eyed Peas Masala
• Eggplant and Potato Masala
• Bell Pepper and Tomato Rice with Cashews
• Chickpeas with Ginger and Mango
• Parsnips with Green Peas
• Colorful Vegetable Quinoa
• Mango Lassi

“ . . . the first cookbook that teaches the home cooking of these islands in clear, concise recipes.” — Molly O’Neill

Inspired by memories of her father and her own experiences on the islands, Ramin Ganeshram introduces readers to the cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago, where African, Indian, Chinese, Syrian and British culinary influences come together in a unique blend.

This new full color edition has been completely revised and updated with numerous color photos, over a dozen new recipes, and a fresh, user-friendly design. Interspersed among the 170 recipes are cultural and travel notes that give readers a true taste of Trinidad’s rich, fascinating history.

Sample recipes:

• Accras
• Doubles
• Meat Patties
• Shark & Bake
• Tamarind Fish
• Mango Curry
• Paratha Roti
• Black Cake
• Guava Jam

WINNER GOURMAND COOKBOOK AWARD for Best Indian Cuisine Cookbook

“What a seductive book this is, a tantalizing world of flavors waiting to be cooked, tasted, experienced . . . but the scope of the book is much larger, including a personal and well-told story of Bengali cuisine. I love this book!” — Deborah Madison, author of The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Now expanded with over 60 new recipes and a new photo section, this perennial favorite of Bengali cuisine is more comprehensive than ever! Bengalis have been compared to the French in terms of food-obsessed peoples, as dining and entertaining are such an integral part of the culture. This book begins with a thorough introduction to Bengali culture and cooking, including sections on spices, ingredients, and equipment. Following are recipe chapters (incorporating a balance of traditional and contemporary recipes) on Rice & Breads, Lentils, Fried Vegetables and Fritters, Vegetarian First Courses, Vegetarian Entrees, Eggs, Fish, Chicken & Poultry, Meat Dishes, Chutneys & Relishes, Drinks & Snacks, and Desserts.

Includes 200 easy-to-follow recipes, including a new chapter on globally-influenced Bengali favorites, plus sections on spice pastes, spice blends, and essential tools, and sidebars with family anecdotes and historical and cultural information.

Sample recipes:

• Chicken Kacchi Biryani
• Haleem (Lentil, Meat and Cereal Porridge)
• Creamed Spinach with Mustard (Shorshe Saag)
• Bengali Golden Fragrant Rice
• Fish in Light Ginger Gravy (Halka Pabda Maacher Jhol)
• Saffron Rice with Meatballs (Moti Churi Biryani)
• Yellow Split Peas with Cauliflower and Radishes (Mulo ar Kopir Data Diye Motor Dal)
• Pepper-Spiced Bengali Vegetable Stew
• Lightly-spiced Pan fried Eggplant (Begun Bhaja)
• Channa Pudding (Channar Payesh)
• Cottage Cheese Cakes (Sandesh)

The most up-to-date two-way Icelandic dictionary available, from the author of popular textbook Beginner’s Icelandic!

Icelandic is a North-Germanic language related to Norwegian, Danish and Swedish. The language can be traced back to Old Norse brought by settlers from Norway in the 9th and 10th centuries. Old Norse is the language of the Icelandic Sagas and these works from the Middle ages can be read by Icelandic speakers today with little difficulty as the written language has not changed drastically over the centuries.

Ideal for businesspeople, travelers, and students, this dictionary features:

• Over 18,000 word-to-word entries, including common words as well as technical, legal, business and locally-specific terms (such as cities, foods, and cultural terms)
• Guides to the Icelandic alphabet and pronunciation
• Practical usage guide which outlines the parts of speech

Due in large part to Iceland’s isolation and remote location, the linguistic changes that occurred in other Scandinavian languages are not seen in Icelandic, which still has complicated grammar systems such as four cases for nouns and three genders (male, female, and neuter). The Icelandic literary tradition is a large part of the nation’s culture and understanding the language is a necessity to learning more about Iceland.

The essential Mandarin Chinese resource!

This bestselling bilingual Chinese dictionary features over 14,000 word-for-word entries that cover essential vocabulary for study, business, and travel.

This comprehensive two-part resource is perfect for students learning Chinese or for Chinese speakers learning English.

The dictionary includes:

• 14,000 dictionary entries
• word-for-word equivalents for each entry in Chinese and English
• simplified Chinese characters and the internationally standard pinyin Romanization for all entries
• a character index to make finding Chinese entries easy

“Filled with illustrations and fascinating information, Polish Herbs, Flowers & Folk Medicine is a veritable treasure trove of history, how-to, and inspiration.”—The Midwest Book Review

Taking the reader on a historical tour of herbs and flowers used in Poland throughout the centuries, this carefully-researched volume captures the unique history and role of plant life once essential to the people of Poland. Wander through monastery, castle and cottage gardens with acclaimed Polish-American author Sophie Hodorowicz Knab as she explores the growth of medicine and pharmacies and provides information on the use of over 100 plants, used in healing as well as in daily life and seasonal holidays throughout the year.

You’ll find legends, cautionary tales, and love potions, as well as a chapter devoted to wedding plants and herbs. There are home remedies for everything that ailed the people of Poland, from acne to arthritis, relaxants to rejuvenators, and heartache to heartburn. Gleaned from old Polish herbals, Knab provides recipes for balms to treat ailments such as stress, insomnia, slow metabolism, perspiring feet, limp hair and oily skin. Also included are recipes for homemade herbal vinegars, soups, syrups, and liqueurs, including elderberry syrup, homemade Benedictine, and a healing vodka drink from Gdansk.

This revised edition includes new information and research as well as new illustrations and color photographs. All plants are listed alphabetically according to their English common name, followed by Latin botanical name and common Polish name. There is an index of scientific names for quick reference. History buffs, gardeners, and anyone interested in their Polish ancestry will find much to explore here.

The most comprehensive collection of authentic Afghan recipes published in English, this cookbook brings the legendary hospitality and foods of the Afghan table to readers everywhere.

Since ancient times, Afghanistan’s location in the heart of Central Asia has made it a crossroads for multiple cultures and culinary influences. The ancient city of Kabul was a hub for European, Chinese and Indian merchants as well as intellectuals and spiritual leaders. In this context, Afghanistan’s rich and multifaceted culinary identity evolved.

To this day, Afghans retain the tradition of preparing food with freshly harvested ingredients. In most villages, flour is still ground in local mills and cows are milked daily, and the milk is then processed into fresh butter or yogurt. Kabobs, ranging from chicken, beef, lamb and fish, are seasoned with delicate spices before grilling. A variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs, along with lentils and meat, are used to prepare traditional stews called qurmas.  Considered Afghanistan’s national food, rice dishes called palow are cooked with meat, onions, and distinctive spices such as cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Dough prepared with fresh ingredients is shaped into bread, cookies, and cakes before being baked in a preheated ground oven called a tandoor. Aromatic spices and crunchy roasted nuts combined with fresh milk and wheat create unique desserts that are simple to prepare but deliver impressive results

Kabul native Zarghuna Adel brings a lifetime of cooking experience and years of research into this unique cookbook, which features authentic Afghan recipes that were lost or forgotten in the course of four decades of war and displacement. This volume features over 225 recipes, each with easy-to-follow instructions and a color photograph. Fifteen chapters cover the range of Afghan culinary offerings, from appetizers, soups, salads, and main dishes to condiments and desserts, and each chapter includes a detailed introduction to the history, origins, and cultural traditions that surround the recipes.

Sample recipes:

·       Ashak (leek dumplings with yogurt and ground beef)

·       Kabob Teka (marinated lamb and vegetable kabobs)

·       Badenjan Borani (eggplant appetizer with tomatoes and yogurt)

·       Chapli Kabob (fried spicy ground beef patties)

·       Qabeli Palow  (long grain rice with onions, spices and tender meat)

·       Halwa Ardi (wheat flour halwa with cardamom and nuts)

·       Rout (fluffy sweet bread with sesame and nigella seeds)

·       Chai Chawa (green tea with ginger, fennel and walnuts)

“… a superbly presented collection of rich, lip-smacking treats offering a festival of taste and exploration for adventurous dining.”—The Midwest Book Review

Now available in an illustrated edition with new recipes and color photos!

In this new third edition, La Marca adds a number of popular Sicilian recipes that have been featured on YouTube on the popular “Pasta Grannies” channel as well as on La Marca’s own cooking show, “Kitchen on the Cliff.”

Sample recipes:

• Omelet with Peas (Frittata ri priselli)
• Rice Balls (Arancini)
• Stuffed Artichokes (Carciuofuli cini)
• Handmade Pasta (Causunedda)
• Fennel and Orange Salad (Finuocci e aranci a ‘nzalata)
• Roasted Leg of Lamb (Coscia ri agnieddu arrustuta)
• Swordfish with Salmoriglio (Piscispada co’ salmurigliu)
• White Milk Pudding (Biancu manciari)
• Watermelon Dessert (Gelo di melone)

A Hippocrene Trilingual Reference

Quechua is a Native American language spoken by nearly 10 million people, primarily in the Andes region of South America. It is best known as the language of the ancient Inca empire. Alongside Spanish, Quechua is an official language in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Ideal for anthropologists, students and travelers, this dictionary features over 11,000 entries as well as an introduction to the Quechua language and basics of grammar.

This unique full-length dictionary includes 3 sections: English-Quechua, Spanish-Quechua, and Quechua-Spanish-English. Spanish is a logical conduit language between Quechua and English, and many Quechua words are found in Peruvian Spanish.

“a magnificent job in making known the secrets of the Haitian kitchen . . . a testimony of love, family harmony, and strong determination!”— Yvon Nicolas, Haïti Progrès

Now available in paperback for the first time, this popular Hippocrene cookbook brings the flavors of Haiti to readers. With African, French, Arabic and Amerindian influences, the food and culture of Haiti are fascinating subjects to explore. From the days of slavery to present times, Haitian cuisine has relied upon staples like root vegetables, pork, fish and flavor enhancers like pikliz (picklese, or hot pepper vinegar) and zepis (ground spices). This cookbook offers over 100 traditional Haitian recipes, including holiday foods and the author’s favorite drinks and desserts.

Interspersed throughout is information on Haiti’s history, holidays and celebrations, food staples and cooking methods to guide the home chef on a culinary adventure to this beautiful island. Recipe titles are provided in English, Haitian Creole and French.

Sample recipes:

• Doukounou
• Salted Codfish Croquettes (Boulet Pomdete ak Mori)
• Picklese (Pikliz)
• Breadfruit with Okra (Tonmtonm ak Kalalou)
• Rice with Pigeon Peas (Diri ak Pwa Kongo)
• Polenta with Smoked Herring (Mayi Moulen ak Aranso)
• Pumpkin Soup (Soup Joumou)
• Guinea Fowl (Pentad)
• Creole Red Snapper (Pwason ak Sos)

The #1 Chinese self-study course on the market is now available with online audio! Designed for the beginner who has no previous knowledge of Chinese, this guide provides 10 easy-to-follow lessons that cover the basics of the language and can be mastered during the equivalent of one academic semester for adults. Students will be able to start speaking and communicating in Mandarin immediately!

Spoken by over 900 million people worldwide, Mandarin Chinese is the standard dialect for business and trade in China, one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and the world’s most widely spoken language.

Ideal for those new to Chinese, learning at home or in the classroom, Beginner’s Chinese (Mandarin) with Online Audio includes:

• Ten carefully-paced and practical lessons with dialogues, vocabulary, and expressions
• A Chinese-English glossary of vocabulary used in the book
• Additional exercises for teaching stroke order and writing skills
• An index providing traditional character equivalents
• Technology sections on how to read and write Chinese characters on a computer
• Comprehensive section on Internet Resources for students to supplement their study of Chinese
• Online MP3 audio files for download featuring pronunciation by professional voice actors from Beijing

Discover favorite foods from all over India with the first regional Indian cookbook authorized by Instant Pot!

Rinku Bhattacharya — cookbook author and founder of Spice Chronicles — has put together a collection of 100 authentic recipes that showcase the diversity and range of the foods of India, where every state and region boasts its own unique dishes. Whether you crave takeout favorites or want to be introduced to lesser-known specialties, this cookbook brings the best of India to your table in an instant!

The Instant Pot® lends itself perfectly to Indian recipes, making flavorful, nutritious Indian fare (like simmering-all-day dals, legumes and all manner of curries) in minutes instead of hours. Instant Indian features numerous vegetarian and vegan options , and nearly all recipes are gluten-free.

With step-by-step instructions and color photos throughout, Instant Indian makes Indian cooking easy and fool-proof using all the functions of this popular appliance.

Sample recipes:

• Chicken Korma
• Kofta Pulao (Saffron Rice Pilaf with Chicken Meatballs)
• Goan Pork Ribs Vindaloo
• No-Knead Naan
• Kerala Shrimp Curry
• Parsee Steamed Fish with Coconut-Mint Chutney
• Cucumber Raita with Homemade (Instant Pot) Yogurt
• Hakka Noodles
• Tamatar Masala Anda (Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce)

The innumerable contributions of Polish immigrants and their descendants on communities in North America can be seen on monuments, bridges, churches, cultural centers, and cemeteries across the continent. These “footprints” of Polonia (the Polish diaspora), commemorating towering events and figures from history that are a source of pride among Polish Americans, are cataloged for readers in this unique volume. From Revolutionary War heroes Tadeusz Kosciuśzko and Casimir Pulaski to more recent figures like Pope John Paul II and political movements like Solidarity, statues and historic sites all over North America pay homage to their contributions and importance.

A version of this guide was originally published in 1992, and in the intervening decades, many shifts have occurred in Polish American communities. The Polish American Historical Association (PAHA) initiated work on this new volume with the goal of highlighting new sites of Polish-interest and the important ways in which Polish immigrants contributed to history, politics, arts and society. This book explores key Polish-interest sites in forty-six U.S. states, eight Canadian provinces and parts of Mexico and the Caribbean as well.

This project is based on the input of volunteers from Polish organizations all over North America, who helped identify the most important sites in their region and provided summaries and pictures for over 200 entries. The guide is organized alphabetically by states and provinces, with entries that describe the historical significance of each site. Most entries also include a color photo. Informative prefaces and introductions from the editor and other historians help contextualize the culture of Polish immigrants and their deep, lasting connection to Poland.

Footprints of Polonia can serve as the perfect travel companion for anyone who wants to learn about the rich history and heritage of the Polish diaspora. It is also an excellent resource for Polish language schools and Polish American organizations who want to learn more about and take pride in sites of interest in their area.

Gourmand World Cookbook Award winner

“My copy of The Kerala Kitchen has notes scribbled in it and has turmeric stains on certain pages. Now it’s your turn to enjoy. So line up your spices, ready your grated coconut and go to it. You are in for both a literary and gastronomic treat.”

—Abraham Verghese, author of The Covenant of Water

Now in an expanded edition with new recipes and photographs, this unique cookbook-memoir transports readers to Kerala, a verdant, tropical state on the Malabar Coast of South India.

Since ancient times, seafarers and traders have been drawn by the lure of spices to Kerala. Saint Thomas also traveled this spice route, converting several Brahmin families who later intermarried with Syrians who had settled here; thus was born the vibrant Syrian Christian community of Kerala. Today, ayurvedic massage resorts and backwater cruises make this scenic land a top tourist destination, and spices still draw both travelers and gourmands to its rich culinary heritage. It is this legacy that The Kerala Kitchen brings us, through more than 170 recipes and the stories that accompany them.

Authentic and easy to prepare, these recipes are adapted for the North American kitchen, and accompanied by a guide to spices, herbs, and equipment, as well as a glossary of food terms. Interwoven between these recipes, in the best tradition of the cookbook memoir, are tales of talking doves, toddy shops, traveling chefs and killer coconuts, evoking the beauty of a bygone era as well as the compelling pull of the present one.

Sample recipes:

• Meen Vevichathu (Fish Curry Cooked in a Clay Pot)
• Parippu (Lentils with Coconut Milk)
• Thiyal (Shallots with Tamarind and Roasted Coconut)
• Pesaha Appam (Steamed Rice Bread)
• Paalappam (Lace-Rimmed Pancakes)
• Karikku Pudding (Tender Coconut Pudding)

Learn Dutch with this complete course, now with free audio download!

The native language of about 23 million people, Dutch is spoken in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname (the three states of the Dutch Language Union), and holds official status in the Caribbean nations of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and St. Maarten.

Ideal for those new to Dutch, learning at home or in the classroom, Beginner’s Dutch with Online Audio includes:

• An alphabet and pronunciation guide
• A short primer on Dutch history and culture
• 12 carefully-paced and practical lessons with dialogues, vocabulary, and expressions
• Exercises for each lesson with answer key
• English-Dutch and Dutch-English glossaries
• Online MP3 audio files for download featuring pronunciation by native speakers

“. . . fills a void for the delightful, little-known and vibrant cuisine of this South American nation. You will be thrilled by the ethnic diversity and originality of the dishes passionately and thoroughly gathered by native chef Patricia McCausland-Gallo.” —Jacques Pépin

From the coffee and cacao grown high in the Andes Mountains, to the tropical fruits of the Caribbean and Amazonian regions, the great cattle farms on the plains, and bountiful seafood from the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, Colombia is a country of varied and exotic culinary offerings.

Now updated with a new chapter on lighter Colombian fare, this bestselling Hippocrene cookbook shares even more secrets from this beloved cuisine. With a 16-page color insert, glossary of Colombian foods and ingredients, an introduction to Colombia’s cuisine and regions, and of course, over 200 easy-to-follow recipes, this cookbook brings the vibrant culinary tradition of Colombia alive!

Sample recipes:

• Pandebono
• Ajiaco bogotano (Chicken and Potato Soup)
• Crema de Zapallo o Ahuyama (Cream of Pumpkin Soup)
• Buñuelos de Maíz (Corn Fritters)
• Pernil de Cerdo (Fresh Leg of Pork)
• Carne Desmechada (Stripped Beef)
• Cocktail de Calamares (Squid Cocktail)
• Pescado Frito (Whole Fried Fish)
• Bolas de Tamarindo (Tamarind Balls)

Start speaking Russian today!

Now in an updated second edition, Beginner’s Russian with Interactive Online Workbook offers an innovative, easy, and thorough way to speak, and read Russian confidently. This complete Russian course includes a user-friendly textbook and interactive online workbook. The carefully-paced, relevant lessons cover grammar and language basics in the context of everyday situations related to family, jobs, introductions, dining out, the Internet, and much more. The chapters are designed for the beginning student, and are full of photos, cartoons, games, and exercises alongside easy-to-understand lessons.

This new edition includes updated vocabulary to reflect ongoing changes in contemporary Russian culture and society, new speaking and writing activities that allow students to interact with technology and media, and new individual and group projects and oral presentations to engage learners' creativity and help them develop communicative competency.

In addition to the book, you have access to an interactive website full of videos, audio, and self-correcting exercises. The enriching material on the website reinforces the basics of the lessons in the book, helping you acquire Russian skills in a natural, engaging way.

• Thorough explanations and instructions offer a gradual introduction to the language, Cyrillic alphabet, and grammar
• An interactive website features correct pronunciation by native speakers and helps learners start speaking Russian right away
• Ideal for individual self-study or classroom use
• Each chapter will take 5-6 hours of classroom instruction, or approximately 10-12 hours of study for the independent learner.
• Students should be able to attain the ACTFL Novice High or Intermediate Low levels of proficiency by the end of the course

The best of Alamelu’s cookbooks and TV recipes in one volume!

“I highly recommend Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu to readers who want to take advantage of the powerful, healing antioxidant qualities of spices and at the same time, indulge in the flavor-rich, wholesome offerings of Indian cuisine.” — Dr. Bharat Aggarwal, author of Healing Spices

This cookbook contains recipes featured on the first three seasons of Alamelu Vairavan’s popular MPTV/PBS cooking show, “Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu,” along with updated and improved recipes from her previously-published cookbooks, Healthy South Indian Cooking and Indian-Inspired Gluten Free Cooking.

Included are more than 120 flavorful Indian favorites—each with a full-color photo—that are sure to please fans old and new. With a focus on vegetables and protein-rich legumes, the recipes include soups, curries, crunchy salads, and a host of vegetarian specialties that are not only low-calorie and low-fat, but packed with nutrients, fiber and flavor. Step-by-step recipes and a helpful guide to spices and ingredients make it easy for readers to create authentic Indian dishes at home.

Sample recipes:

• Salmon Tikka Kebabs
• Peanut and Coconut Chutney
• Cauliflower and Lentil Soup
• Sweet Potato Quinoa Soup
• Masala Dosais
• Fragrant Lemon Rice
• Pomegranate Yogurt Salad
• Kohlrabi Sambhar
• Cabbage with Ginger Poriyal
• Lentil Crumble with Coconut
• Chettinad Chicken Masala
• Spice-Rubbed Seared Fish

“They are works of art that speak to the creative spirit that once stirred within a heart to carve a statue, to gather stones to build a foundation, or gather words to form a poem or mix colors for a painting; they are messages from the past telling what at one time was important to this person, to this village, to a city block.”—from the author’s Introduction

It is said that every country has its own genus loci or “spirit of place.” Poland’s distinct character can be found in the tens of thousands of roadside chapels, crosses and shrines that dot both its cities and countryside. A thousand years of Christianity, and the Polish Catholic tradition in particular, have left their mark on the country’s landscape. It is impossible not to notice the religious statues and little chapels that seem to be everywhere. Enter a courtyard in Warsaw or Kraków and discover a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary mounted on a pedestal with fresh flowers at her feet. Drive through a small town, and you’ll spy a niche under the eaves of a home containing a figure of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or a little wooden box on a tree holding a small image of Our Lady of Częstochowa. All of them seem to blend harmoniously with the environment and beautify it. What are these objects? What do they mean? How did they come to be in this particular place? Why are they important?

Acclaimed Polish-American author Sophie Hodorowicz Knab explores the origins and purposes of these roadside shrines, examining the different types of shrines and the significance of the various religious figures represented in them to the people of Poland. Additional chapters are devoted to the artists and sculptors who created the shrines, the role these local shrines played in the annual holidays, customs and traditions of the community, and their role in everyday life as well as death. Color photographs throughout depict the artistry and local setting of these shrines.

This exploration of Poland’s roadside shrines is a unique lens through which the reader can learn about Polish history and culture. For anyone interested in Polish history, religious traditions, art and ancestry, this book offers much to explore.

A groundbreaking new translation of the only historical novel by noted Polish writer Bolesław Prus.

“ . . . unique in world literature of the nineteenth century”--Czesław Miłosz

Imbued with poetry, leavened with humor, and graced with moments of transcendent beauty, Pharaoh offers a compelling picture of life at every level of ancient Egyptian society.  As the story unfolds, Egypt is experiencing internal stresses and external threats that will culminate in the fall of its Twentieth Dynasty and New Kingdom. The young Pharaoh Ramses learns that challenging power leaves him vulnerable to seduction, defamation, intimidation and even assassination. The ultimate lesson learned by Ramses is the power of knowledge.

Prus is a distinctive voice in world literature and was Joseph Conrad’s favorite Polish writer. This new edition of Christopher Kasparek’s translation of Pharaoh vividly brings this extraordinary novel to life. It includes a detailed foreword and annotations, based on extensive research and textual refinements, that will enhance the reader’s appreciation not only for ancient Egypt, but also for Prus’ composition process.

Pharaoh has been translated into twenty-three languages and was adapted as a 1966 Polish feature film.