Rose's Melting Pot: A Culinary Tour of America's Ethnic Celebrations by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Publishers Weekly

Beranbaum ( The Cake Bible ) credits ``bright green abalone liver at a sushi bar in Tokyo'' as one of her long-lasting culinary inspirations, and uses Rose's Melting Pot to gather together other multicultural delicacies (or mainstays) that she has found closer to home. Not a new idea, but always a welcome one, and this time there are surprises, as well as Beranbaum's characteristic skill and enthusiasm: lemon poppy seed buttermilk pancakes (born of the author's lemon poppy seed pound cake); Ethiopian doro wat , or stewed chicken, highly spiced with cardamom, ginger, turmeric and more; salmon pie. The range inherent in the melting pot idea can hardly go wrong when challah and popovers are side by side in a shared chapter, though for some the author's standards (of hours, energy, enterprise, savvy) may at times be a bit high: her ``Ultimate BLT'' is made from brioche, which we are encouraged to bake from scratch. But Beranbaum's brio may help to overcome one's misgivings about whether to take the leap or not. Photos not seen by PW . (Dec.)

BookList

Here's a made-to-order item for cooks who still occasionally yearn for the good ol' days when calories didn't count and cholesterol was a word unheard of in the kitchen. The author of "The Cake Bible" (1988) has drawn on her many years as cook and food writer to present an unusual grouping of 100 ethnic recipes. Dishes originating in Italy, Ethiopia, Spain, Japan, China, and other countries share space with those from Beranbaum's own kitchen in a selection ranging from appetizers to desserts to beverages to brunch. For cooks ready to be challenged, there's dobos torte, a multilayered cake that combines the flavors of chocolate, butter cream, and caramel; those yearning for something homestyle or familiar will find chopped liver, hollandaise, and "perfect" American French toast. With full-color photographs, precise instructions, and a nice bit of anecdote to personalize the recipes, Beranbaum's delectable roundup is sure to deliver more than a few savory moments.

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