Links to Reads: February 2016

Links to Reads: February 2016
Dried Herbs Market in Lahij, Azerbaijan

A glimpse at a local market in the remote village of Lahij, Azerbaijan. I spotted at least 30 varieties of dried herbs and flowers, used in the kitchen or as traditional remedies.

Are you ready for the new round of Links to Reads.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy the top 10 from February.

* Turns out that it is possible to ditch white bread in favor of other substitutes, such as whole wheat bread, rye bread, and others. For health reasons? No. For patriotic ones. This was done before. Find out.

* For strong bones and healthy teeth we all need calcium. If you are vegan or have a lactose intolerance, it could be quite a challenge to find calcium-rich foods that are also dairy-free. No more. Here are 5 such foods.

*  LA Times veteran Russ Parsons interviews chef Yotam Ottolenghi on his experience with translating restaurant recipes for the home cook.

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  • Last copies of 'Pomegranates and Saffron' Cookbook
    Last copies of ‘Pomegranates and Saffron’ Cookbook
    Photo: Receiving Best in the World Gourmand World Cookbook Award in Yantai in June, 2015. I have some news. I didn’t think this would come any time soon, but, I found out I only have about 200 copies of my cookbook, Pomegranates and Saffron: A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan, left. In the world! The news is as rewarding as it...
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  • Shorgoghal, or Spice-Filled Flaky Breads | AZCookbook.com
    Shorgoghal, or Spice-Filled Flaky Breads
    Spring is here and so is the spring holiday Novruz! A lot of holiday baking has been done by Azerbaijanis around the world to celebrate the arrival of spring on March 21st. Along with scrumptious multi-layered pakhlava (baklava) and tender nut-filled shekerbura, spice-stuffed savory breads called shorgoghal are among the bakes to adorn generous festive tables every year. The following...
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  • Hello 2019 and New Food and Culture Tours to the Caucasus & Turkey
    Hello 2019 and New Food and Culture Tours to the Caucasus & Turkey
    Hello friends! Happy New Year! It took me long to write this post. I was away from blogging for so long that, honestly, I didn’t know where to begin. Sorry for being silent without any notice. Life happened in 2018, including many good things, such as my unique food and culture tours to the Caucasus, my birthplace. A crazy idea...
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  • Guba-Style Baklava, Photo by Pierre Cabanettes | AZCookbook.com
    AZCookbook is 10 + Cuisine and Culture Tour Update
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  • Apple Sharlotka | AZCookbook.com by Feride Buyuran
    Apple Sharlotka
    Photo: Greg Seber This post was originally published on October 16, 2009 and is now updated. I have added a recipe video and tweaked the recipe for best results. ______ Apple Sharlotka is a classic Russian cake that is prepared with tangy apples. Anyone who spent a chunk of his or her life (like me) in Soviet Union knows this...
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