Red Sands: Reportage and Recipes through Central Asia, from Hinterland to Heartland

I am enchanted with this cookery book, which actually is more of a travel journal with authentic and beautifully crafted recipes. The photography is stunning and really brings you into Central Asia. Having spent some time in the Himalaya on several occasions, I ache to follow in the author's footsteps, but now, at 75, this probably is a pipe-dream. Her superb book brings me closer, though, and I am grateful to her, and others, who share their journeys. As an aside, I am about to attempt the bread, having received the authentic stamps from an Amazon seller in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Wish me luck!

Super excited to receive Red Sands. I have been waiting for Caroline’s book to come out for a few months now. Having lived, worked, and studied in Central Asia, I am familiar with many of the recipes in this book, particularly Tajik ones. Caroline puts her own twist on a few recipes, since some ingredients are hard to find in the states, and/or may be easier for those learning the recipes. For those collecting books on Central Asian history and culture, and/or those interested in Persian culture, Turkish-Uzbek culture, you will find Caroline’s cookbook an interesting read. Can’t wait to try the many recipes :)

I was so excited to see that the New Yorker recently made Red Sands one of their best cookbooks of 2020. I have followed Caroline's work since Samarkand, and she writes beautifully and vividly about the places and people she encounters. There are some very moving stories which will stay with me for a long time! The recipes are not too difficult or contain so many exotic ingredient that they are impossible to cook. The photographs are absolutely gorgous and the physical object of the book is just a joy to hold and behold.

If what you wanted is a cookbook or a guide book, on Central Asia, you will be disappointed. Like Ms. Eden's book "Black Sea," the majority of the text is a random personal diary with a modest number of recipes interspersed. I returned both books.

the book is beautifully written providing very interesting information on Central Asia .The food coverage is fascinating , focusing on communities that are not well known, and providing a window to central Asia and its moslem background.

This is not a cookbook. It hardly has any recipes in it. It’s a hodgepodge of the author’s life, irrelevant stories, and other things unrelated to cooking. Out of 309 pages, I only counted 40 recipes (one of which happens to be pickled onions… as if that’s worth putting in a cookbook). Seriously disappointed with this book and author. Only reason I didn’t return this is because it was 80% off.

This book is wonderful. I have lived in Central Asia and traveled all over the region and still, I learned a lot from Red Sands. This book succeeds where so many others fail because Caroline Eden approaches the region and the people who live there with an open mind, curiosity, and empathy. She lets the people she meets speak for themselves and tell their own stories. Unlike so many other books, Eden doesn't cheapen or demean the region or the people who live there with shallow insights and tired stereotypes. Now I need to get moving and make some of the recipes in the book.

This book doesn’t contain very many recipes. As a vegetarian, I wouldn’t make most of the recipes anyway. I understand that Central Asian cuisines are meat heavy but honestly they must have at least a couple recipes that are or could be made vegetarian. Recipes are meat heavy and boring. This book also falls short as a travelogue. If you’re interested in Central Asia, try Sovietstan by Erika Fatland or The Lost Heart of Asia by Colin Thubron. You’ll learn a lot more and the writing is better. I really enjoyed Samarkand another Central Asian cookbook by this author. I don’t know what happened after that, her next book Black Sea and this book Red Sands lack substance in both recipes and travel writing.

A Wonderful insight into countries most of us have never visited. Very atmospheric.

This is a travel journal with interspersed recipes. She's clearly quite knowledgeable about the history of the area, and if she'd leaned more into the history, or the recipes, I'd have enjoyed this book, but I was also disappointed to see Ukrainian zapikanka and Russian Kulich (a bread which is largely decorative), in lieu of Central Asian classics like besh parmak. The one recipe that really got me excited was the ashlan-fu. A sample from the text, "I dropped my bag at Ruslan's and we headed into Kyzyljum for an afternoon walk. The desert light was clear and clean, promising sunburn and wide views. We snaked slowly along, driving through sandy loam and clisters of bluegrass and camel thorn..." A lovely keepsake from her journies, and something to share with friends and families, but not what I was looking for.

I enjoyed this interesting travel book about Kazakhstan, which also has recipes for ethnic dishes.

Brilliant book, received immediately after the book was published. Beautiful quality book, and exceptionally interesting content and photos.

Brilliant read