Sharing Morocco: Exotic Flavors from My Kitchen to Yours

by Ruth Barnes

Bring Morocco into your kitchen with Ruth Barnes, the Petite Gourmande. In Sharing Exotic Flavors from My Kitchen to Yours , Ruth Barnes bring to life the rich culinary history of her family's homeland while also making the cuisine accessible to the home cook. She shares her tips and techniques for preparing Moroccan classics like bastilla, lamb with apricots and prunes, and chicken with preserved lemons, as well as more familiar dishes like baba ganoush, baklava, and kebabs. Like so many home cooks, Barnes is a busy spouse, parent, and professional who cannot spend all day in the kitchen preparing complicated meals. But, like so many, she is committed to serving her family home-cooked meals that are fresh, healthy, and flavorful. In Sharing Morocco , she has simplified the recipes that she loves by identifying common ingredient substitutes or demystifying the complex spice combinations so often found in Moroccan cuisine. She does not shy away from shortcuts, like utilizing pre-made phyllo dough. And, as an avid hostess, she is an advocate for freezing an extra batch of this or that to serve to unexpected guests! Sharing Morocco is an ideal cookbook for home cooks who are new to the flavors of the Middle East or who simply enjoy exotic food. Readers will find Barnes to be a warm and welcoming guide to a culinary journey of the colorful spices and vibrant flavors of her homeland.

Genres: Cooking

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2014

Reviews

[megHan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I've mentioned before, I am a huge fan of cookbooks - read 'em every chance I get. I am especially excited to read ones about cuisines from other countries. So when I saw this one, I just couldn't help myself.

I really liked this book. She includes a really nice history of Moroccan cuisine at the beginning and the book is filled with beautiful photos. There are a lot of delicious recipes - a few I've tried and a lot more that I want to try in the future - and tons of information.

Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. No other consideration was offered, expected or received.

[Kim Ambrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is filled with wonderful Moroccan-inspired recipes, beautiful photos, and clear instructions to prepare these dishes. I can’t wait to dig into this cookbook and try some of them out!!

[Nerisa Eugenia Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morocco….just the very word conjures up images of exotic jewels, beautiful colors, tantalizing music, and exotic spices and foods. Ruth Barnes gives us a round trip ticket to the world of Morocco and brings Morocco and it’s culture…and culinary world… to our kitchen in her new cook book “Sharing Morocco: Exotic Flavors from My Kitchen to Yours.”


Ruth Barnes has taken traditional Moroccan recipes influenced by Northern Africa, Spain and France… and has simplified these recipes by cutting the preparation time in half…making hosting a traditional Moroccan dinner stress free.

Despite the simplicity of the book cover, this cookbook is a treasure trove with beautiful…and absolutely breathtaking photography…something that I enjoy in a cookbook. I was pleasantly surprised with the beautiful photography, not something that I was expecting, and that goes for the recipes as well.

So did we kitchen taste? Absolutely! It was hard not to with such beautiful photography as inspiration. We wanted to see if we could really create a Moroccan feast without the stress of the lengthy traditional methods.

The recipes were easy to follow… and the ingredients were readily available at my local market. Although I haven’t had the pleasure of traveling to Morocco, I’ve had Moroccan food, and the simplified recipes in this book were as delicious… and as flavorful… as the dishes I ate years ago in a Moroccan restaurant during my travels.

So what was on the menu?
Well of course we started off with Morocco’s national drink “Atay bil na’na” which translates to (Mint Tea) followed by “Salada del Chiyar” (Cucumber Salad), “Geraa bil Tomates” (Zucchini with Tomato Sauce), “Tagine Shikshou ul Chudra” (Tagine of Couscous with Vegetable) and “M’hummar” (Frittata with Green Peas, Carrots, and Onions).

And honestly we could have kept going with kitchen testing this cookbook, but we decided to stop and save some recipes for later. This cookbook has so much to offer…from drinks to salads… from street food to soups…from side dishes to main dishes…and of course our beloved dessert section.

I think this is the perfect cookbook to whip out when you want to impress the in-laws, or if you are cooking for that special person for the first time. I absolutely love this cookbook…and if I can find those beautiful outfits that Ruth Barnes wore in this cookbook…life would be perfect.
“Sharing Morocco: Exotic Flavors from My Kitchen to Yours” will be available in a retail bookstore near you on October 7, 2014…and I highly recommend it.


Full Review as on Myohosisters.webs.com:http://myohosisters.webs.com/apps/blo...-

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any successful chef (and even unsuccessful ones like me) will tell you that you eat with your eyes first. This is true for the presentation of a plate in front you, and for a book tempting you with foods to eat. Especially for foreign foods that I'm not especially familiar with, pictures are so important to get a feel for what I'll be eating, and to give me guidance for what the finished product should look like.

That's why I was so excited to see that this cookbook is filled with beautiful, delectable pictures. Almost every recipe had a corresponding picture. Some were pretty straightforward (Cucumber Salad), but others were totally wow (Marrakech Fish Tagine with Olives and Chickpeas, and Tagine with Eggs and Tomatoes -- side note, these two were coincidentally tagine recipes, but there is quite a variety in the book). Bonus thumbs up for Ema's chicken soup (M'rrq D'mama) which is a spin on matzo ball soup.

These recipes are a great introduction to Moroccan food, and good for a beginner to intermediate chef.

I won a copy of this cookbook from Good Reads First Reads.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Sharing Morocco: Exotic Flavors from My Kitchen to Yours as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

Ruth Barnes' family lived in Morocco before immigrating to Israel. Now settled in the United States, she brings this beautiful book full of recipes from her homeland to American audiences. I admit, receiving this book is particularly well-timed as I just returned from the wedding of some friends, and the groom's mother's family is French-Moroccan. Thus the rehearsal dinner was full of incredible food that left me craving more.

I'm excited to delve into this book, perhaps after the holiday season. One thing I already appreciate in just looking at the recipes, is that they (and the ingredients they call for) are simple--no complicated techniques or specialized, expensive spices. Beautiful photography and delightful-sounding dishes have my mouth watering already.

[Shesani · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I've only been able to read the introduction and stories that proceed the wonderful recipies (that I brefly skimmed) this book is going to be a staple in my kitchen. The Pictures are so vibratley finded with color and visuals. The ingridients are easy to find and healthy at that. The prepartion is well detailed and easy to follow.

I cannot wait to try some of the side dishes during the Holidays in my attempt to change up some of the hum-drum side found during this time.

This is a wonderful add.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book with large color photos of every recipe. The directions are straightforward and simple, though some are a bit time-consuming. Of the recipes I've tried so far, my favorite was the Shredded Carrots and Orange Salad. I appreciate the author's liberal use of orange blossom water, which is one of my favorite Moroccan ingredients. I look forward to trying more recipes.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for sharing

This was an interesting cookbook. Im sure there is a lot of people who will enjoy this book. The prep times are cut so it makes it easier for individuals who want that exotic taste but don't have the time.