Rich spices of cumin and cinnamon, sharp notes of lemons,
muted aromas of cardamom and rose, these are some of the smells that should
come from your store cupboard after reading the reprint of Diana Henry’s book “Crazy
Water, Pickled Lemons” (2011, Octopus Books); a mosaic of wonderful recipes
that take you from Marrakesh to Istanbul and Catalonia to Sicily in the space
of a chapter, only to get the mental jet lag all over again in the following
ones.
Although I thought I was going to have difficulty with
the style and layout of the book, I barely realised how far into it I had gone
before putting pen to paper, how much I really was enjoying it; nor, having put
it down mid read to go shopping, had I consciously realised that I had
ingredients for Moroccan style chicken in my basket. And that is what makes
this book so good. It grows on you, envelopes the senses, and makes you see
your larder in a different light.
Each of its chapters have wonderfully beguiling names,
like “Fruits of Longing” and “Fragrances of the Earth” that immediately draw
the reader in; each of the chapters dedicated to a set of flavours rather than
the usual meat, eggs, poultry etc. Although that in itself could be a bit
discomforting to the reader (see my earlier comment about the worry of getting
into the flow) the joy is that given the cuisines that are written about, it is
a sensible if not original way of doing it.
Familiar to me were the chutney recipe from Adam’s Cafe (which
I ate on a visit there recently) and the Persian restaurant in a Portakabin in a
car park in Kensington (a real blast from the past. I wonder what happened to
that?) Unfamiliar were the exotic names: Ladies’ Navels; Pearl Diver’s Rice;
Ottoman Lamb with Sultan’s Pleasure; Muhamara, and Crazy Water of the title,
which intrigue as well as amuse.
Whilst Diana Henry provides a lot of Persian, Turkish and
North African recipes these are balanced well with a collection of Spanish,
Italian and French ones that remind the reader that the exotic, the delightful
and mouth-wateringly flavoursome isn’t that far from our own shores: Lemon and
Basil Ice Cream; Catalan Chicken with Picada; Provencal Lamb stuffed with Figs,
Goat’s Cheese and Walnuts; Socca and Sardine, Roasted Tomatoes, Olive and
Parsley Salad, and Ruby Grapefruit and Campari Granita (a particular eye
catcher for me!) All the more inspiring because they bring something new to
familiar cuisine.
Scattered liberally amongst all these mouth watering
recipes and mood lifting descriptions, like the herbs and spices in the book,
are various quotes. These are delicious snippets to add more metaphoric flavour
to the reader’s imaginings, Biblical writers and classic authors to writers of
note and others in between.
The only real downside for me was the index at the back,
which doesn’t reflect the names of the recipes, nor necessarily some of the
ingredients. Although it is a pleasure to flick through the book to find
something and revisit some brilliant photographs (by Jason Lowe), it is a bit
frustrating to look for, as an example, the Socca and Sardine recipe and see
neither under ‘S’ but under ‘F’ for fish (that sort of helpfulness reminds me
of a sign outside a restaurant in Cephalonia, which invited the guest to ask
the owners what the fish of the day was, only to hear every time “very fine
fish”).
Part of me feels it a shame that it is merely a cookbook
rather than something more for the coffee table. Each introduction evokes
memories of the past and imaginings of things that never happened but are just
as palpable. Diana Henry’s descriptions of childhood trips to the South of
France for example had me subconsciously wafting my hand over imaginary lavender
whilst sitting in bed. The descriptions inspire you to want to eat what comes
later before you have even read the recipes.
The final word should go to Claudia Roden, who says: “[It
is] A glorious and magical feast for the senses”, I would have to agree (and
wish I said that myself!) I am so happy I have this book as part of my collection;
Diana Henry has written something worth hunting down if you haven’t already got
it.
