The world cookbook for students

We've all had the assignment: make a dish from another country and bring it to school for the cultural potluck. The recipes in The World Cookbook for Students now make that assignment a piece of cake! In five volumes, hundreds of recipes representing nearly 200 countries and regions of the world can be found. Moreover, the authors go beyond listing recipes and offer students a glimpse of different ways of eating and preparing foods. Arranged alphabetically, each country entry contains brief historical and geographic comments, lists of typical foods and dishes served, and a description of how and when foods are eaten. For example, the entry for Benin lists foodstuffs like goat, sorghum, gnembue (a vegetable), mangoes, and wangash (a tofulike cheese) and dishes such as akassa (cornmeal wrapped in leaves) and ago glain (a special-occasion stew). The recipes in each entry typically include an appetizer, soup, main dish, dessert, and festival dish. At least one vegetarian dish is in each entry as well. Although five recipes are the norm, more are provided for the five "great cuisines" of the world. Each recipe includes when the dish is typically served, a list of ingredients in U.S. standard measurements, and directions. The recipes are designed for four people based on one-half pound of meat and vegetables per person. As for the U.S. recipes, pancakes, relish, meatloaf, fried chicken, ice cream, and brownies are represented. Unfortunately, there are no photos or other visual guides to assist students with the preparation or to demonstrate the final product. This is disappointing considering the number of unusual ingredients and dishes included in the set. Several black-and-white sketches, found throughout the volumes, illustrate a food item or utensil. Volumes begin with a list of countries and the included recipes, but recipe names are not indexed nor are some key terms—rice, for example. Although volume 5 contains an extensive bibliography, including numerous Web sites, the glossary is paltry, defining only 12 terms. Overall, the recipes and background information on countries are informative and creative, but the set lacks a much-needed visual component combined with a strong index and glossary. For public and school libraries. Polanka, Sue
The world cookbook for students