OP: Czech Cuisine
Avicenum, Prague, 1986. Hardcover. Good.
The introduction to this 1986 book suggests that the best way to understand the culture and history of a people is through their food. It is a delight, then, to better know the Czech people through dishes like:
- Yeast soup with any mix of available vegetables
- Pork goulash with sauerkraut, sour cream, paprika, garlic, and caraway
- Ham and kohlrabi frittata
- Potato pudding—a mix of mashed potatoes, farina, and lard, topped with poppy seeds, sugar, and cheese or grated gingerbread; leftovers can be fried and served as side dish to a meat entree or salad
- Lemon- and vanilla-scented Bohemian donuts, served with grated hard cottage cheese or jam
Lacking headnotes and with only brief commentary at the start of each section, the food is left to speak mostly for itself. However, the rich and hearty cuisine attests to a warmth and conviviality which might be welcome at any table.
Ours is an ex-library copy with all the usual markings and additional, occasional, spots of soiling and marginalia. The rear free endpaper has been cleanly removed and there is some loosening of the binding. Also, someone has taped a slip of paper with the definition of a roux onto the contents page. Still fully functional and readable.
