Nowhere is America's rich ethnic and cultural diversity more apparent than in its restaurants. Every city and region of the United States has a unique cultural heritage - whether it's Cuban, Thai, Spanish, Italian, Indian, French or German - reflected in its dining choices. So what do you order in an ethnic restaurant, and how do you eat? The Ethnic Food Lover's Companion provides all the information you need to make every ethnic dining experience a pleasant and memorable one. In this book you will find information about what to expect in any type of ethnic restaurant; detail profiles of each ethnic cuisine, including key ingredients, spices and methods of preparation; cultural tips to put you at ease with the customs and etiquette of each cuisine; representative dishes of each cuisine defined and described; recommended complete meals from appetizer through dessert and easy recipes you can prepare at home.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 3 reviews)

Explore a world of flavor

Love trying new and exotic foods? Then this book is for you. This is not a recipe book per say, although there are a few recipes included in each chapter. This book is more of an encyclopedia of the foods of the world organized by country.

Each chapter includes a basic introduction to the foods of a specific region, a discussion of the country/region and it's history as it relates to food, the main ingrediants and dishes that dominate that regions cuisine, instructions on how to eat and order like a native and a few recipes.

You would have to go to another resource if you were interested in making the food yourself, but you can not beat this book for giving you a basic knowledge of all the different types of food and beverages that are out there to try.

The How to order and eat like a native sections are superb and cover and array of things including table manners, utensil (or non-utensil) usage (did you know that it may be considered less then polite to eat with your chopsticks in your left hand in China? I didn't) and intersting tips.

Love love love this book as will anyone with an interest in ethnic food.
January 08, 2007

Before you go to a restaurant . . .

"The Ethnic Food Lover's Companion" is a great book if you like to go out to "ethnic" restaurants. ("Ethnic", i.e., "foreign food" restaurants). In easy-to-read chapters it gives you information about culture, gastronomy, and history for most of the world's great cuisines: Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Russia, etc.); Africa (North Africa, Ethiopia, West Africa); Middle East; Greece and Turkey; India; Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, etc.) Asia (China, Japan, Korea); Americas (Mexico, Caribbean, Brazil, Peru, etc.). There are descriptions of typical flavorings, cooking methods, and dishes. Highly interesting and recommended.
September 20, 2001

Intelligent, witty and entertaining!

This book is a must-have for any lover of ethnic cuisine as well as all the "foodies" that enjoy the inside scoop on the American dining scene. Eve Zibart provides bacground, cultural tips, recipes, and recommended dishes from ethnic cuisine from around the world. Her writing style is intelligent yet witty and always accessible. The practical tips alone are worth the price of the book. How do you use chopsticks? How do you eat Ethiopian food? This book is a delight from cover to cover and a valuable addition to any food lovers library.
August 09, 2001

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