Idlewild Books Owner Sees 'Vacuum as an Opportunity'
"More than 95 per cent of what's published here is American so that's what people buy, and even the foreign lit that does get translated and published doesn't get a lot of attention. As a new bookstore owner trying to make his way in the world of chains and Amazon, I see that vacuum as an opportunity. The great indie stores, in my opinion, are not homier versions of chain stores but rather places with great stuff on the tables that you don't see anywhere else. Even though there should be more of it, there is so much great literature in translation available here that you almost never hear about--and more all the time thanks to small presses like Archipelago, NYRB, New Directions, Dalkey and Europa. It needs to be brought to people's attention and promoted but that's what independent stores do best."--David Del Vecchio, Idlewild Books, New York, N.Y., in an interview with Bookslut. See our own profie (Shelf Awareness, June 15, 2008).
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Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa opens November 7. Sacha Baron Cohen and Cedric the Entertainer star as voices of a group of zoo animals escaping confinement in New York. A children's book tie-in, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: Air Penguin, has been published by HarperTrophy ($3.99, 9780061577642/0061577642).
Starting with a cookbook that could double as an art book, Haute Chinese Cuisine from the Kitchen of Wakiya by Yuji Wakiya (Kodansha, $42, 9784770030726/477003072X, November 2008) is a stunner. Sugar-glazed duck liver, echoing the curves of a black ceramic plate on the opposite page, resembles a sculpture of dark brown polished metal. An orange and gold wok-smoked fish mimics the blue fish painted on a white bowl. Crab meat and crab roe dumplings are a smooth ivory still life. Forest green plates seem to hover against a ruby red brocade wall. Tofu cubes covered with glossy black sesame sauce are edible lacquer boxes. Peonies, embroidered silk and moss-covered stones highlight recipes from Smoked Lamb Chops to Tan Tan Soup Noodles to Three Tea Sundae. Most of the recipes look doable; a few look more difficult, like Lily Bulb Soup and Shaoxing-cured Egg Yolk, but who would want to even open this book in a kitchen? You might need two: one for the kitchen, one for the coffee table.
Sumptuous is the word for Turquoise: A Chef's Travels in Turkey by Greg and Lucy Malouf (Chronicle, $50, 9780811866033/0811866033, October 2008), from the embossed cloth cover to the lavish photographs. The recipes are equally superb. Crunchy Red Lentil Köfte with fresh mint and cumin; Spicy Kısır Salad, which is like tabbouleh but with pomegranate molasses and green chile; Yogurt and Honey Sorbet; Pistachio and Lamb Kebabs; Pumpkin Soup with cardamom, cinnamon, leeks and pekmez (grape molasses). It all sounds perfect for the coming chilly months. The authors provide plenty of information about Turkey's culture and cuisine and have a refreshing, practical attitude. When describing the recipe for Sultan's Delight, a lamb ragout with cheesy eggplant puree, Greg Malouf says that traditionally a béchamel sauce accompanies the dish, but he subs Gruyère or cheddar, since he's "not keen on gloppy flour-based sauces." Conversations with cooks and food vendors are abundant, and the hospitality, warmth and food in Turquoise capture the essence of an extraordinary country.
The Book of New Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey by Janna Gur (Schocken, $35, 9780805212242/0805212248, August 2008) is another cookbook that resembles a coffee table book. Filled with luscious photographs of both recipes and Israeli scenes (the double-page spread of a pomegranate orchard is splendid), it's a treasure of diverse cultures and cuisines. Israeli cuisine is a mixture of Arab, Jewish, Eastern European, North African and other Mediterranean traditions, like the intriguing Water Salad--tomatoes and cucumbers are combined with garlic, parsley, mint and lemon, then covered with ice water and refrigerated, making a cold soup. Or roasted eggplant dips and salads; Tabuleh strewn with pomegranate seeds; Shakshuka ("It has three mandatory ingredients: tomatoes, hot sauce, and eggs. Anything else is open for debate, Israeli style."), served in the same frying pan it is cooked in; Laffa (Iraqi pita); Chreime, a North African hot fish stew; Balkan-style Stuffed Peppers; Magical Honey Cake that matures for seven days before serving. There are recipes for Passover and Hanukkah and for Ramadan and Eid El-Fitur. Truly an eclectic feast of a cookbook.--