Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking: Traditional and Modern Recipes to Savor and Share

by Paula Wolfert

Book by Wolfert, Paula

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Ebooks

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second time we read this lovely book. It's jammed with excellent-looking recipes (with recommendations for what kind of clay pot to use) and great tips on how to care for clay pots.

I'm not quite sure how it happened that I became a clay pot "junkie." At age nineteen I bought my first clay pot, a beautiful, potbellied tripière, used for coking tripe. I had as yet no idea what tripe was and chose the vessel solely for its looks. Thus began a collection that grew exponentially through the years — enlarged by my travels and culinary adventures. Perhaps it was the different shapes and sizes, the colors and glazes, the myriad variations on primal shapes that attracted me. Or perhaps it was just that earthenware produced such great-tasting food. (Introduction, p.ix)

Like Paula Wolfert, we love our clay pots. But in our case, it has little to do with the shape or colour of them. It's the flavour of the food created in them.

The first time we read this book was to learn about Wolfert's ideas for cooking in a Romertopf. The second time was after we received an unglazed Moroccan tagine. There are several terrific tips and recipes.

While there are beautiful photos of various dishes, what is missing are specific photos (or even line drawings) of what each kind of clay pot looks like.

We had completely forgotten the descriptions of various clay pots that are available.

A Spanish cazuela is a round earthenware vessel glazed all over except on the very bottom. [...] The cazuela is the real workhorse of this book, as it can stand in for all kinds of Mediterranean skillets and shallow posts and can be used in the oven and on top of the stove. [...] Not that throughout I specify Spanish cazuelas. That's because they're well made, stronger than most others, and totally lead free. (A Clay Pot Primer, p.xiv)
~ ~ ~
The familiar terra-cotta Romertopf clay baker, with its domed cover, is based on the ancient "Roman pot" — a two-part, fitted cooking container made of unglazed earthenware that acts as a miniature oven. (A Clay Pot Primer, p.xiv)

There are also detailed descriptions of the Chinese Sandpot, Clay Casserole, Micaceous Cooking Pots, and - of course: The Moroccan Tagine.

There are three basic types of earthenware tagines: fully glazed, elaborately decorated vessels, which are used only for serving, and the simply glazed and unglazed earthenware tagines, which are used for cooking as well as serving. (A Clay Pot Primer, p.xvi)

Suddenly, we feel we may neeeeeeed a cazuela. If only we knew where to get a decent one. Hmmm, perhaps we are becoming clay pot junkies too.

[Merle Burbridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

For advanced and very dedicated cooks only.

Many ingredients not easily available. Complex and multi step directions. Many recipes are very time consuming. Not for timid cooks.

[Suhail Aziz]

Lets start reading.. i do now

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual Ms. Wolfert offers up the real deal as far as antiquated cooking methods and ingredients are concerned. There's some seriously good information in this book. Don't just learn how to make chicken braised in red wine vinegar, learn how to make the vinegar yourself--which makes all the difference.

[Ruthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd follow Paula anywhere on crazing cooking ideas

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will need to own this sometime soon. Yum!

[Velma]

Picked up a Schlemmertopf clay cooker for $8 at a thrift store today, and the internet tells me this is the resource I want to accompany it.