Promotional Information

Orient Express is the follow-up to Silvena Rowe's hugely successful and critically esteemed Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume, sales to date in excess of 10,000

About the Author

Silvena Rowe is the Chef Patron of The May Fair Hotel, where, following a multimillion-pound refurbishment, her new flagship restaurant Quince has opened its doors in spring 2011. She is also an established and distinctive TV presence, making regular appearances on the hugely popular BBC programme Saturday Kitchen and ITV's This Morning. In addition, she was a judge on BBC Young Chef of the Year 2010, With a love of cooking instilled in her by her Turkish father and by her upbringing in the ancient city of Plovdiv, just 500 km from the ancient Ottoman capital of Constantinople, Silvena is uniquely placed to enthuse the widest possible audience of food lovers and travellers with her passion for the best of the eastern Mediterranean kitchen. Silvena was formerly the executive chef at the Baltic Group restaurants, including London's Baltic, Chez Kristoff and Wodka restaurants, and her diverse experience in the food world ranges from working in conjunction with major brands such as Waitrose's Delicatezze, to writing for the Guardian, and to working on David Cronenberg's film Eastern Promises. Silvena's first book, Feasts, won a prestigious Glenfiddich Food and Drink award, and in 2010 Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume won the Gourmand award for the best book on Mediterranean cuisine.

Reviews

Looking to capture the unique flavors and relaxed atmosphere of the Eastern Mediterranean, London-based chef and food writer Rowe (Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume) groups 100-plus small dishes and street foods into five flavor-themed chapters (e.g., Za'atar and Saffron, Chili and Cumin, Cardamom and Honey). Homemade spice blends, like Almond and Cumin Dukkah and Lemon Thyme Za'atar, are aromatic and subtle, and elegant dishes, like Kadaifi Wrapped Goat's Cheese and Cardamom Figs with Thyme Flowers, come together more quickly than their titles might suggest. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers looking to explore new spices. (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.