A Taste of Beirut. Kindle Edition

A Taste of Beirut. Kindle Edition

• Sunday 1 May 2016

Author: Joumana Accad

Edition: NetGalley ARC

5 STARS

About the author:

Joumana Accad, creator of the blog TasteOfBeirutdotcom is a native Lebanese, a trained pastry chef, and professional caterer. In her debut cookbook, the The Taste of Beirut, she shares her heritage through exquisite food and anecdotes, teaching anyone from newbies to foodies how to master traditional Lebanese cuisine. With over 150 recipes inspired by her Teta (grandmother) in their family's kitchen, Accad captures the fabulous flavors of the Middle East and makes them completely accessible to home cooks. Each recipe features step-by-step instructions, Accad's warm teaching style, and breathtaking color photographs that will make mouths water

My Thoughts:

Like many, I do love browsing through a cookbook but I need more than just recipes. Apart from having food I might like to cook and eat, I want logically sequenced chapters, regional information, little anecdotes, clear instructions and beautiful photographs. Not much to ask for is it?
This little gem has it all, and, as the author is native Lebanese I have faith in its authenticity. I was first introduced to Lebanese food years ago by a friend, he too came from Beirut. He missed his mothers cooking, and after he'd 'phoned home he would, almost tearfully, describe what his mother was preparing for dinner! He couldn't cook, so my introduction was more by way of detailed descriptions of the family dinners he was missing.
No excuses for me now, Joumana Accad makes things easy, this is what she has to say about cooking:

My philosophy about cooking exemplifies what I believe is a common thread for Lebanese culinary artists: striving to reach the highest flavor quotient with the smallest number of basic ingredients. Lebanese cuisine is not for the sophisticate; it is for the person who values conviviality above all else.

My favourite parts of the book are "the dos and donts of Lebanese cooking" which includes a nifty way of always having the essential onions always at the ready. Chapter 5 entitled: Mezzes: Dips, Finger Foods, Salads, and Sides is probably my favourite. Best of all, there's a glossary, this, for me is an essential element of any cookbook, especially one that uses ingredients with unfamiliar names.
Highly recommended
Thanks to NetGalley and HCI books who provided this review copy in return for an honest review