Arabiyya
Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora [A Cookbook]
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
IACP AWARD WINNER • A collection of 100+ bright, bold recipes influenced by the vibrant flavors and convivial culture of the Arab world, filled with moving personal essays on food, family, and identity and mixed with a pinch of California cool, from chef and activist Reem Assil
“This is what a cookbook should be: passion, politics, and personality are woven through the fabulous recipes.”—Ruth Reichl, author of Save Me the Plums
ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Food & Wine, Los Angeles Times, Saveur, Epicurious
Arabiyya celebrates the alluring aromas and flavors of Arab food and the welcoming spirit with which they are shared. Written from her point of view as an Arab in diaspora, Reem takes readers on a journey through her Palestinian and Syrian roots, showing how her heritage has inspired her recipes for flatbreads, dips, snacks, platters to share, and more. With a section specializing in breads of the Arab bakery, plus recipes for favorites such as Salatet Fattoush, Falafel Mahshi, Mujaddarra, and Hummus Bil Awarma, Arabiyya showcases the origins and evolution of Arab cuisine and opens up a whole new world of flavor.
Alongside the tempting recipes, Reem shares stories of the power of Arab communities to turn hardship into brilliant, nourishing meals and any occasion into a celebratory feast. Reem then translates this spirit into her own work in California, creating restaurants that define hospitality at all levels. Yes, there are tender lamb dishes, piles of fresh breads, and perfectly cooked rice, but there is also food for thought about what it takes to create a more equitable society, where workers and people often at the margins are brought to the center. Reem's glorious dishes draw in readers and customers, but it is her infectious warmth that keeps them at the table.
With gorgeous photography, original artwork, and transporting writing, Reem helps readers better understand the Arab diaspora and its global influence on food and culture. She then invites everyone to sit at a table where all are welcome.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this knockout debut, Assil, owner of San Francisco bakery Reem's California, wryly and skillfully kneads a call for social awareness with an invitation to the table via "recipes for resilience" that are inspired by her Arab heritage. A primer on bread-baking and its cultural significance offers two master recipes for dough (one using sourdough, and the other, commercial yeast) that is used to fashion disks baked on an overturned wok, flatbreads topped with lamb, and sesame-crusted pouches, called ka'ak, that resemble purses. Sweets include nests of laminated dough with quince preserves, Yemeni honeycomb bread, and three kinds of baklava. Expert instruction and commentary appear throughout: a recipe for hummus, for instance, comes with a sidebar on culinary appropriation ("The word hummus means ‘chickpea' in Arabic—not ‘dip.' Calling it black bean tahini hummus is like calling a hamburger ham") and is accompanied by a range of spreads, including one that incorporates smoked fish and caramelized onions. Assil also showcases variations on familiar standards: falafel encases a spicy onion mixture, while labor-intensive ma'amoul cookies are streamlined as bars. This is packed with delicious food and universal truths—chief among them that, "through our food, we create home wherever we are."
