Shane Delia's Spice Journey is in its third television series, screening in Australia on SBS, in the UK, Europe, Africa and the Middle East on the Travel Channel and in Asia and the Pacific on the Discovery Channel. He is the owner of award-winning Middle Eastern restaurant Maha in Melbourne.
"Noting the latitudinal boundaries of the countries in this
handsome cookbook's subtitle, students of history will quickly get
the gist. This East' to West' culinary journey is deeply rooted' in
the author's Phoenician heritage, a legacy of trade and travel
dating to antiquity. Yet the equally adventurous modern cook will
appreciate the creative range of recipes offered here, rooted in
tradition, yet updated for the contemporary, albeit sophisticated,
kitchen. Starting in Malta, his ancestral home, chef Shane Delia
provides a version of the island's signature dish: rabbit stew. Due
east lies Lebanon, where traditional baked bulgar (kibbeh) is
nuanced with tomato, mint and pomegranate molasses. From Turkey
comes Delia's own twist on Turkish delight, made from fine semolina
and candied, spiced pumpkin. Beautiful photographs highlight the
rich diversity of these cultural cuisines.?
Chef Delia wants to reveal the breadth of flavors that extend from
one end of the Mediterranean basin to the other. As a native of
Malta, smack in the middle of the Mediterranean, he knows the
region well. For untold centuries, traders have carted wares from
Gibraltar to the Middle East and from Europe to Africa. This has
given the region many commonalities despite the very diverse
cultures surrounding the sea. Delia has special fondness for
Maltese pastizzi, buttery-crusted bread dumplings stuffed with
pork, peas, and mint, curiously marinated in decidedly Asian soy
and fish sauces. Lebanon contributes chicken wings with sour cherry
barbecue sauce. A Moroccan tagine enriches potatoes and eggplant
with lamb and sprinkles of walnuts, dates, and ginger. Delia
doesn't just reproduce the region's foods; he reimagines many of
them radically, even to transgressing dietary laws by cooking pork
belly with Iranian spicing. The color photographs throughout
enhance the whole experience of this cookbook.
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