A Taste of Latvia (Hippocrene International Cookbooks)

Siri Lise Doub has collected in her book "A Taste of Latvia" many recipes that should have been learned from Vecmamina (Grandma). There aren't many Latvians in the world, and many of those who have emigrated to other lands often regret not getting a long ago enjoyed recipe. A Taste of Latvia brings together many traditional Latvian recipes. Latvian cuisine is not fancy by any means, but the recipes take advantage of fresh ingredients and relatively simple preparation.

The author has also incorporated a good bit of history of this old culture. Included are fragments of the millions of collected folk songs, mythology, and poems that make up the fabric of Latvian culture. For those seeking a good introduction (or revisit) to Latvia, I recommend this book.

The only negative comment is that there are several typos in the ingredient lists; those who are experienced with recipes could figure out the missing amounts. It is a bit disconcerting to try to use a bread recipe and not know how much yeast to use!