Maria Speck

This is a cookbook that focuses on: Mediterranean whole grain recipes for barley, farro, kamut, polenta, wheat berries, & more.... I know from experience there is such a large variety of grains that Armenians eat and so many ways to cook & serve them and that makes for nice & healthy change from Pilaf (white rice).

The book is printed on a semi-gloss paper with a smattering of large color photographs, many of which look quite appetizing. With a few exceptions there is one recipe per page (which makes me happy) with the title being in a medium bold brown font, a paragraph about the dish in small bold blue font (which is easy to read), the ingredients are in the left frame in small italics (making it very difficult to read them), and the instructions are printed in an equally small normal font (making it also difficult to read).

Contents: Acknowledgements; Introduction; Recipes; Sources; Bibliography; and Index.

Breakfast, Brunch, & Breads: Orange polentina w/ honey mascarpone topping; Warm museli w/ figs, pistachios & anise; Citrus oatmeal w/ apricots & golden raisins; Saffron waffle w/ orange cream; Fig muffins w/ creamy goat cheese filling; Pine nut bread w/ fennel & sun-dried tomatoes; and Wild rice frittata w/ mushrooms & crisped prosciutto

Salads & Sides: Warm pasta salad w/ spinach & fresh mint; barley salad w/ figs & tarragon-lemon dressing; Bulgur w/ butter roasted almonds & cinnamon; Warm oat berries w/ walnuts & Gorgonzola; Cumin scented quinoa w/ red beets; and Spring pilaf w/ artichokes and green peas

Soups & Stews: Acorn squash soup w/ spicy yogurt topping; Mediterranean mussels w/ farro and white wine; Bulgur lentil soup w/ minted olive oil butter; chicken stew w/ artichokes & dried apricots over brown rice; and Greek egg & lemon soup w/ chicken & brown rice

Burgers, Savory Cakes & More: brie cakes w/ sun-dried tomatoes; lamb burgers w/ bulgur & mint; Quinoa cakes w/ smoked trout & lime mayonnaise; and Sesame crusted fish sticks w/ yogurt remoulade

Pasta: Rustic linguine w/ summer herbs & olives; Creamy rotelle w/ basil yogurt & Mozzarella; Homemade spelt fettuccine; and Conchiglie w/ lamb & minted yogurt

Modern Mains: Artichoke rosemary tart w/ polenta crust; Spelt crust pizza w/ fennel, prosciutto, & apples; Roast chicken w/ orange, lavender & thyme; Oat pilaf w/ chicken livers, marsala & sage; Greek millet saganaki w/ shrimp & ouzo; and Saffron risotto w/ white wine, clams & peas

Sweet Endings: Honey almond cantuccini; Purple rice pudding w/ rose water dates; Riesling zabaglione over red currants; Wheat berry fools w/ Grand Marnier figs; Ricotta millet pudding w/ warm raspberry compote; and Creme au chocolat w/ brandied blackberries.....


Mostly all sound good to me and it would be an even better cookbook if I could read the print/font... for this minus a star!… (meer)

I love this book for its delicious breakfast recipes. I needed some new ideas. I especially liked the two step method to cut down on cooking time for busy mornings. But that is just the start!

Maria Speck has given us wonderfully complete introductions to each of the grains. Letting us know about the texture, flavor and nutritional pluses of every one. She includes a cooking table for a quick look at grain to liquid ratios and ideal cooking methods. Her recipes are delicious and the fine points after each recipe offer gluten free and vegetarian options as well as variations of the dish. At the end there are listings of sources for these more unusual grains. Simply Ancient Grains is beautifully illustrated which inspires me to get into the kitchen and try something new.

Thank you for a very special addition to my cooking library. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.… (meer)