Book excerpt: Well-known writer and food historian Copeland Marks again uses his unique talent for making exotic cuisines available to the home cook in The Burmese Kitchen, the first cookbook to examine the delicious cuisine and culture of this Central Asian country. Tracing its roots back some 2,500 years, Burmese cuisine results from a mixture of religious, tribal, and ethnic influences that produces delightfully varied dishes guaranteed to please even the most jaded palate. The recipes are diverse and reflect Burma’s regional differences. A bacon stew with mild sour flavorings show the Chinese influence from the north, while coconut spiced fish served in envelopes of cabbage points out Burma’s large and bountiful coastline. An especially interesting soup involving toasted rice and pork boiled in spices and shrimp flavoring is the invention of a tribe on the Thailand border. The cuisine of this fascinating, often-ignored nation emphasizes a dazzling array of ingredients and culinary techniques which will win praise for any cook.