This review by was originally published on Green Man Review.
Hard work and effort multiplied by experience equals a meal. The equation of cooking is immutable and honest. Tips, tricks, and substitutions lead to failure. But pragmatism balanced with creativity creates the most delicate reward: a meal. Not just food, a meal stimulates conversation, turns company into family, creates enticing aromas, encourages the tongue to appreciate every subtle difference in flavor. In short, when the equation is followed, the product is the summation of every wonderful aspect of the human condition.
Similarly, a cookbook is one of the few places where chefs confront the challenge of total honesty. One untested recipe becomes a lie ruining years of work and undermining a reputation built over a lifetime. Of course, little lies are published all the time. Pamphlets promising crock-pot miracles in fifteen effortless minutes and magazines advertising the latest, greatest ways to perfect the hellish Watergate salad will never disappear from grocery store racks. And they’re worth less than the paper they were printed on.
Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey reads and instructs like a labor of love and devotion by a team who understands every aspect of that equation and will not be deterred by hard work or fooled by shortcuts. The photographs and short essays stimulate the reader’s appetite long before opening a single spice jar. The nuances of each recipe hint at months of experimenting and testing before achieving success.
As a cookbook, Turquoise is unapologetically honest and strict. Greg and Lucy Malouf have produced a cookbook not for the cowardly or timid fibber who occasionally dabbles in the kitchen. Their work is a cookbook for chefs by chefs as much as it is an excellent example of culinary reportage.
Lucy Malouf’s essays are the best examples of food and travel writing coming out of Australia. Her details about their trip make Turkey seem mystical yet within reach. She describes the exotic without crossing into Orientalism. And her ability to relate the meals to the sights makes the mouth water.
Like melon-scented wine matched with testi kebab, Greg Malouf’s mini-essay before each dish balances Lucy’s beautiful travelogue with an informative and succinct introduction. In each one he suggests some other food pairing, and explains why he occasionally deviates from the traditional method. Those unfamiliar with the cuisine should take his menu planning tips into consideration. And, for those who know Turkish cooking, it’s a wonderful insight into his mind. But the best parts of the book are the recipes hidden within other dishes. The Butcher’s köfte kebabs are mouth watering, but the real surprise was the simple soft herb salad tucked beneath as a side dish.
Like any cuisine, Turkish cooking comes with its own spices and flavors. Foodies will enjoy the thrill of seeking out sumac and Persian cucumbers, befriending a trustworthy butcher to grind the lamb, and identifying a regular source for paprika — both hot and sweet varieties — Greek-style yogurt, and Turkish hot peppers. While this may scare away the more timid hobbyists, home chefs with an interest in cooking Near Eastern and Middle Eastern food will find the challenges a wonderful opportunity to explore their city and meet their local fine food purveyors.
With a $50.00 (USD) shelf price, Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey may cause some sticker shock. But a quick flip through reveals that it’s a mere pittance compared to what the Maloufs deserve for this wonderful work.
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