''The Food and Cooking of Eastern Europe,'' first published in 1989 and a companion volume to Lesley Chamberlain's acclaimed ''The Food and Cooking of Russia'', surveyed the rich and diverse food cultures known to few people in the West during the half century when Europe was divided. It contains more than two hundred recipes interwoven with historical background and notes from the author's extensive experiences traveling through Central and Eastern Europe. When originally published, this practical cookbook reminded us of how the world's most delicious sausages, goulash and sauerkraut, fruit dumplings, cheesecake and many other dishes tasted in their homelands. Now, in a quite different political world, this book is a vital resource for remembering life before the Iron Curtain was lifted. This Bison Books edition contains period illustrations and a new introduction by the author, which describes how dramatically this region and its food have changed since the end of its isolation in 1989. Lesley Chamberlain studied Russian and German languages and literature before working as a journalist for Reuters in Moscow.She has traveled extensively in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Russia and now works as a writer and a freelance scholar. In addition to her cookery books, her published works include ''Nietzsche in Turin: An Intimate Biography'' and ''In the Communist Mirror''.