Sunday, January 29, 2017

Q&A with Brian Yarvin


Brian Yarvin is the author of a forthcoming updated edition of A World of Dumplings. His other books include Ploughman's Lunch and the Miser's Feast and The Too Many Tomatoes Cookbook. His work has appeared in publications including The Washington Post and Serious Eats. Also a photographer, he is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Q: You have a new edition of A World of Dumplings coming out soon. What are some of the updates in the new version of the book?

A: I have added dumplings from Afghanistan, Switzerland, Georgia and Tibet and a few sidebars about those foods too.

Q: How did you pick the types of dumplings to include? 

A: Usually, I first discover them in restaurants. But sometimes, I'll find them in books or on television. I am a compulsive cook, when I see something new, I have to try to cook it. And if I cook it successfully, I have to develop a recipe. It's in my blood.

Including them is another story. When I was working on the first edition of World of Dumplings, I kept spreadsheets of favorite dishes and the ingredients that went in them. That way, I could see what patterns emerged. The lists of recipes emerged from there.

Q: Do you have a particular favorite to eat or to prepare?

A: Not really, Knishes bring back childhood memories and momos are a new big thing in places (like here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) where there are large numbers of Nepali and Tibetan immigrants. I also really like Turkish Manti with a big spoonful of good yogurt.

In the end, any dumpling will do - and when I'm in places where I don't speak the language, I'll enjoy them without even knowing what they are.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: A couple of things; as always, I'm trying to improve my writing and photography technique, and I'm very curious about the sudden rapid growth of vegetarian and whole grain diets in Italy. This whole new interest in Appalachian cooking has caught my eye too.

--Interview with Deborah Kalb

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