This cookbook explores the fascinating story of 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)

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)

“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 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

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.

“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.