August 1, 2016
Saini (masalababyfood.com) offers up purees with an international flair along with baby-friendly spices. Why spice the baby's food? "Babies have 2,000 to 10,000 taste buds," according to the author, and this enables them to be more open to new flavors as they grow. First, global spices are highlighted. For six months and up, there are mango banana saffron oatmeal (India), congee, or rice porridge (China), and purple potato mash (Peru). Meals such as niter kibbeh, a spiced clarified butter (Ethiopia) and seasoned lamb kebabs (Turkey) are featured for babies ages seven to nine months, while muhallabia, or rice pudding (Lebanon) and sinangag, or garlic fried rice (Philippines) are on the menu for ten months and up. The book has an attractive layout, with color photos, maps, and background text that complement the recipes. Also included are preparation and serving tips. Recipes are fairly simple to execute; the main item needed to puree is a food processor or blender. There are also a further reading section and metric conversion chart. VERDICT This book delivers a wide variety of purees that will captivate your baby's palate and encourage future exploration in the world of solid food.--Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO
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