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Our Syria: Recipes from Home
Syria is where food, memory, and resilience recreate the flavors of this beautiful country in Our Syria , for delicious meals anywhere in the world.
Syria has always been the meeting point for the most delicious flavors from East and West, where spices and sweetness collide. Even now, in possibly the country's darkest hour, Syrian families in tiny apartments from Beirut to Berlin are searching out the best tomatoes, lemons, pomegranates, and parsley to evoke the memory of home, keeping their treasured food history alive across continents.
Friends and passionate cooks Itab and Dina met Syrian women in the Middle East and Europe to collect together the very best recipes from one of the world's greatest food cultures. They spent months cooking with them, learning their recipes and listening to stories of home. Recipes like the following elicit vibrant images of an ancient
Our Syria is a delicious celebration of the unique taste, culture, and food of Syria-and a celebration of everything that food and memory can mean to an individual, to a family, and to a nation.
Syria has always been the meeting point for the most delicious flavors from East and West, where spices and sweetness collide. Even now, in possibly the country's darkest hour, Syrian families in tiny apartments from Beirut to Berlin are searching out the best tomatoes, lemons, pomegranates, and parsley to evoke the memory of home, keeping their treasured food history alive across continents.
Friends and passionate cooks Itab and Dina met Syrian women in the Middle East and Europe to collect together the very best recipes from one of the world's greatest food cultures. They spent months cooking with them, learning their recipes and listening to stories of home. Recipes like the following elicit vibrant images of an ancient
Our Syria is a delicious celebration of the unique taste, culture, and food of Syria-and a celebration of everything that food and memory can mean to an individual, to a family, and to a nation.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 3, 2017
50 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 25, 2018
I don’t think a cookbook has ever moved me to tears before, but that goes to show how much more this is than merely a collection of recipes. Throughout the text, it tells the stories of the women who inspired the dishes, and how these flavours and aromas help them retain a lasting connection to the homes they’ve been forced to leave. The intertwining of the recipes with such deeply personal stories beautifully illustrates the connectedness of food and culture.
If you only want one Middle Eastern cookbook on your shelf, this would be a good choice. It contains all the basics you’d expect - falafel, shawarma, hummus, tabbouleh, kibbeh - alongside many unexpected offerings, many of them vegetarian and even vegan. The recipes are presented in a straightforward manner with gorgeous photography throughout. Our Syria brings a fresh, modern take on the traditional cuisine of Syria to the already-familiar and uninitiated alike, and will quickly become a frequently-referenced tome in your home kitchen.
If you only want one Middle Eastern cookbook on your shelf, this would be a good choice. It contains all the basics you’d expect - falafel, shawarma, hummus, tabbouleh, kibbeh - alongside many unexpected offerings, many of them vegetarian and even vegan. The recipes are presented in a straightforward manner with gorgeous photography throughout. Our Syria brings a fresh, modern take on the traditional cuisine of Syria to the already-familiar and uninitiated alike, and will quickly become a frequently-referenced tome in your home kitchen.
July 9, 2018
Moving and yummy.
January 18, 2021
I've thought about it and I decided that you get to count a cookbook as "read" if you've made at least 10 dishes (one from each section). Mostly I just want to review how good this book is.
Our Syria has consistently given me amazing recipes alongside stories/education about Syria. When Americans talk about Syria it's always in reference to the refugee crisis, but the Middle East has so much rich history. This cookbook brings Syrian stories to life alongside delicious food. Most recipes an ingredient I had *never* used before. I also finally learned to appreciate eggplants, and even something like chicken and rice was transformed with new toppings. This is an excellent cookbook.
Our Syria has consistently given me amazing recipes alongside stories/education about Syria. When Americans talk about Syria it's always in reference to the refugee crisis, but the Middle East has so much rich history. This cookbook brings Syrian stories to life alongside delicious food. Most recipes an ingredient I had *never* used before. I also finally learned to appreciate eggplants, and even something like chicken and rice was transformed with new toppings. This is an excellent cookbook.
April 24, 2020
I got this cookbook a little over a month ago and in that time I have made about half of the recipes within and quoted two stories for a global maternal and child health course. The best cookbooks give you accessible recipes and teach you about the culture from which they came; Our Syria delivers on both.
October 2, 2020
Shadi and I purchased this cookbook right before the lockdown and what a stroke of luck that has been. We have made our way through about 3/4 of the recipes and each one has turned out wonderfully. I have enjoyed reading about each dish's background and the Syrian person who provided the recipe to the authors. The pictures are also beautiful - another plus!
There is a wide variety of recipes in this book - from simple to advanced - and they are easy to follow, even if you don't have advanced cooking skills. There are also recipes from all over Syria, so Shadi has been discovering some new dishes too. 😅🤣
A must have cookbook if you like Middle Eastern food or just love to cook from new cultures.
There is a wide variety of recipes in this book - from simple to advanced - and they are easy to follow, even if you don't have advanced cooking skills. There are also recipes from all over Syria, so Shadi has been discovering some new dishes too. 😅🤣
A must have cookbook if you like Middle Eastern food or just love to cook from new cultures.
December 5, 2018
I own quite a few cookbooks, most of which I pick out my top 3 recipes and pretty much never make anything else more than once. I loved this book. I've been cooking my way through it and have fallen in love. I haven't hit a recipe yet that I wouldn't make again. Before this cook book, I basically had never used tahini in a way that was any way pleasant. I've now burned through 16oz this week. A+
January 24, 2018
This is a lovely cookbook and SO MANY delicious recipes! I love how many fairly simple vegetarian dishes there are. And I'm looking forward to cooking fava beans and chard in new ways. Not to mention LOTS of eggplant dishes!
November 8, 2018
This is one of the top cookbooks I have purchased recently. It is so lovely to read and the recipes are tasty and well received. The book also has great stories of Syria and is enjoyable for reading as well as cooking.
March 19, 2018
This is a beautiful book about beautiful women and beautiful food. I enjoyed it immensely even though it was sad in parts. The writers did a lovely job. I'm richer for reading it.
May 7, 2018
Sumptious pictures, a variety of recipes using easily obtainable ingredients, heart warming stories. Well put together.
October 11, 2018
Great collection of recipes
Colorful photographs
Detailed recipe instructions
well organized
Can't wait to try qatayef
Colorful photographs
Detailed recipe instructions
well organized
Can't wait to try qatayef
September 4, 2020
Good recipes. Going to be difficult to find some ingredients, like pomegranate on a regular basis. Maybe canning will be a necessity?
December 9, 2020
what a beautiful collection of recipes !
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January 29, 2018641.59569 A999 2017
January 24, 2019
A beautifully written book with stories of friendship and food in a war torn country that many of us know little about. Have tried 6 recipes and they have been easy to follow and delicious.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews