The author of the acclaimed young adult fiction series of Desta books (a fourth installment in the series is underway) and of Four Pillars for Your Health, Longevity and Good Looks introduces us to the richness, splendor and goodness of the cuisine of his native Ethiopia in this latest addition to his library of books about nutrition.Getty Ambau has done it again.

In Ethiopian Foods and Drinks For Your Taste, Pleasure and Good Health Mr. Ambau conjures up the incredibly rich history of this ancient culture to whet our appetite for the succulent dishes of this fabled land – as well as expertly describing the many nutritional benefits of Ethiopian food, drink and spices. With the stylistic grace  of the born storyteller coupled with the no-nonsense approach of the scientist (the author does, after all,count a major in biochemistry from Yale University among his many accomplishments) author Ambau gives us a fascinating look – recipes included – of a cuisine that is taking America and many other places by storm.

“The Ethiopian woman…had no constraints. She was limited only by the extent of her talent and imagination. Because of this freedom that the women enjoyed, we have a great variety of some of the most sophisticated dishes in the world.

Le spice c’est tous!?

Ethiopian women can make as many as 750 or more dishes,” one woman once told me.
“How?”
Spices!

The Ethiopian woman combines many different spices to make dishes as distinctly different from each other as Beef Strogonoff is from Peking Pork Chops. She also uses food preparation techniques such as aging, smoking and drying to bring out distinct aromas and flavors in foods, and the dishes that are prepared from these ingredients are often succulent, zesty and healthy.

As researchers around the world are finding out, spices have many beneficial properties. Their antioxidants help prepare the body against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other degenerative conditions. the vibrant shades of red, yellow, orange brown and other colors that are often seen in Ethiopian spices represent their component phytonutrients. These compounds have many wonderful benefits.

You can see on the back cover of this book a sample of the spice colors found in Ethiopian foods. Traditionally, there is no standard recipe book. Nothing is written down. Each family has its own way of making its own dishes, usually inherited from the older generation. Yes, there are a few common ingredients found across the board: onions, garlic, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, etc. What a woman can add beyond these constituents, and their proportions, becomes her property.”

– Buy Ethiopian Foods and Drinks For Your Taste, Pleasure and Good Health