Back to Square One: Old-World Food in a New-World Kitchen

by Joyce Goldstein

Gets readers back in touch with their food heritage with more than 240 recipes from diverse culinary traditions. By the author of The Mediterranean Kitchen. 35,000 first printing. $60,000 ad/promo.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688101224
• ISBN13: 9780688101220
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 420 Pages
• Weight: 2.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 7.7" x 10.2"

Customer Reviews

Back to Square One

One of my all time favorite cookbooks I would always want around. My purchase is for my daughter-in-law who shares my zest for cooking

A Treasure

I ate one of the best meals of my life at Square One in San Francisco. I keep the menu in the pages of this marvelous cookbook, which is one of my all time favorites. The recipes draw from many cultures---Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, French, Italian, Indonesian, Thai, Brazilian, Mexican, and more----and feature original combinations and cooking methods. The food is flavorful, straight-forward, and interesting with no fussiness. I love the way Goldstein offers alternative cooking methods and menu and wine suggestions for every dish. I can always find something interesting to cook in this book no matter what my mood, what ingredients I have on hand, and how much time I can spend. Among my favorite recipes are Bulgarian Salad of Roasted Peppers, Onions, and Walnuts; Ashe Maste(Persian Yogurt Soup with Meatballs); and Roast Duck with Pears, Chestnuts, and Ginger. Best of all, perhaps, are the fish recipes. Goldstein gives thirteen recipes for sauces and marinades that can be used with various kinds of fish as well as recipes for specific fish, including eight great recipes for salmon. There is also a wonderful chapter on wine by Evan Goldstein, the author's son.

My favorite cookbook of all time

I have drawn on this book almost exclusively for about six years. Underneath the specific recipies is an approach that has transformed my own cooking. A huge bonus are the wine reccomendations for nearly every dish--including soups, salads, and desserts--that provide a road-map for discovering the pleasures of thoughtful matching. It's not fussy, but chock full of good humor, finesse, and joy.

a must have

I bought this book at Square One a few years ago in SF. A great meal, and I have had the pleasure of making many of the easy top follow recipes in this book. The stories adjacent to the recipes give background and also hints on preparation and substitutions.