Diaspora Cookbooks Hit Their Heyday

"But this year there is a proliferation of books-often written by an émigré, or their children, or both-that make dishes from distinct world cultures doable in kitchens here, sometimes with a gentle North American spin. Being able to do this is largely possible thanks to developments in shipping, globalization, and the supply chain that can let these cuisines flourish. When we can get a formerly hard-to-find item without breaking the bank or making a time-gobbling quest, it opens a door."

"Yotam Ottolenghi, with his sumac and barberries and dried omani limes, helped get the ball rolling. The momentum was accelerated by "pantry" books like The Modern Larder and The Global Pantry Cookbook that highlighted powerhouse ingredients from around the world and showed us ways to use them. Then the dam burst and we got and Korean American. We saw and, even more on target, . We feasted from Meera Sodha's and Vishwesh Bhatt's Gujarat-on-the Mississippi I Am From Here."

Ten years ago, cooking from a cookbook from another culture often required many substitutions and rare, hard-to-find ingredients. Improved shipping, globalization, and supply chains have increased availability and affordability of global pantry items. Pantry-focused books and chefs spotlighted versatile international ingredients and how to use them. Diaspora cooks and their descendants have published accessible cookbooks that adapt world cuisines for North American kitchens while preserving authenticity. Ready access to ingredients like amba and sumac enables faithful preparations without costly searches. Proliferation of modern cookbooks and brands has transformed home cooking into a practical exploration of diverse global flavors.

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