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Middle Eastern Cooking
Pictorial survey of the cuisine of nine Middle Eastern countries accompanied by a spiral-bound recipe book
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1969
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 18, 2009
Despite its age, this volume (in the Time-Life series* Foods of the World, copyright 1969, revised 1971) is a well-researched introduction to the region, spanning from Greece & Egypt all the way to Iran.
The first chapter introduces the common elements of the cuisines of the nine nations that are covered in this travelogue, as the author (an American of Greek descent) discovers the landscape, the peoples, and the foods along the route.
This is essentially why I treasure this old book - for the historical background, the explication of the culinary traditions uniting as well as differentiating the Middle Eastern cultures, and more than anything, the photographs that immortalize the people of the region as they prepare the food and consume it.
In Greece, the focus is on the Easter festivities, in Turkey a farewell family feast, in Lebanon a stylish urban cocktail and mezze spread, in Jordan a Bedouin tent mansaf, in Iraq the archeological roots of the agricultural staples on which the region's cuisines are based, in Israel the multicultural origins of the colonial settlers, in Iran meals with tilemakers and carpetweaving craftsmen, in Egypt the street vendors.
* The main text is a hardbound album, and the majority of the recipes are printed in a separate spiralbound booklet (which I don't own).
The first chapter introduces the common elements of the cuisines of the nine nations that are covered in this travelogue, as the author (an American of Greek descent) discovers the landscape, the peoples, and the foods along the route.
This is essentially why I treasure this old book - for the historical background, the explication of the culinary traditions uniting as well as differentiating the Middle Eastern cultures, and more than anything, the photographs that immortalize the people of the region as they prepare the food and consume it.
In Greece, the focus is on the Easter festivities, in Turkey a farewell family feast, in Lebanon a stylish urban cocktail and mezze spread, in Jordan a Bedouin tent mansaf, in Iraq the archeological roots of the agricultural staples on which the region's cuisines are based, in Israel the multicultural origins of the colonial settlers, in Iran meals with tilemakers and carpetweaving craftsmen, in Egypt the street vendors.
* The main text is a hardbound album, and the majority of the recipes are printed in a separate spiralbound booklet (which I don't own).
November 14, 2014
This is a wonderful book. Authentic. It covers travel, culture, food, history, plants, animals, religion, everything related to eating. I truly enjoyed it and have even read parts of it again. I even photocopied some pages and mailed them to someone interested in farming.
The photographs are marvelous. The recipes are very well done and include methods and preparation. There are small, basic recipes throughout the book (not in recipe form) which give enough of the general idea that I am sure I could make the dishes.
I discovered a new food, melokhiya, "of the king" which I had not heard of, and it is apparently almost the national dish of Egypt, Egyptian "spinach". It is like okra on steroids, which is an insoluble fiber very healthy to eat. It is called jew's mallow, Corchorus olitarius, (it is also called "tussa jute" which can make rope).
The author and his wife travelled over 6,000 miles on a tour to these nine nations of the middle east. They stayed in private homes in these countries and ate and studied the regional foods.
An absolutely marvelous book!
The photographs are marvelous. The recipes are very well done and include methods and preparation. There are small, basic recipes throughout the book (not in recipe form) which give enough of the general idea that I am sure I could make the dishes.
I discovered a new food, melokhiya, "of the king" which I had not heard of, and it is apparently almost the national dish of Egypt, Egyptian "spinach". It is like okra on steroids, which is an insoluble fiber very healthy to eat. It is called jew's mallow, Corchorus olitarius, (it is also called "tussa jute" which can make rope).
The author and his wife travelled over 6,000 miles on a tour to these nine nations of the middle east. They stayed in private homes in these countries and ate and studied the regional foods.
An absolutely marvelous book!
December 20, 2025
At first glance, this book might seem like a generalist’s compilation—and in many ways, it is. But approached with the right expectations, it becomes something valuable known too rarely in today’s cookbook landscape: an accessible gateway that does not insult its subject.
This is a book designed to introduce rather than overwhelm. It maps the region broadly, offering representative dishes rather than exhaustive depth.
And while purists may bristle at simplifications, there is an honesty here about its mission: to open doors.
The strength of the book lies in clarity. Ingredients are explained without mystique. Techniques are presented plainly. The recipes work in real kitchens with real constraints. For readers new to Middle Eastern cooking, this can be liberating rather than limiting.
What prevents the book from feeling superficial is its respect for diversity notes. It avoids collapsing the Middle East into a single flavour.
Persian, Levantine, Turkish, and Arabian influences are kept distinct enough to encourage curiosity rather than complacency.
This is a book that invites progression. You cook from it, enjoy it, and then—inevitably—you begin seeking deeper sources. In that sense, it performs an essential role in the culinary ecosystem.
Not every book must be definitive; some must be welcoming.
Try it out.
Used honestly, Recipes of the World: Middle East becomes a bridge. And bridges matter.
This is a book designed to introduce rather than overwhelm. It maps the region broadly, offering representative dishes rather than exhaustive depth.
And while purists may bristle at simplifications, there is an honesty here about its mission: to open doors.
The strength of the book lies in clarity. Ingredients are explained without mystique. Techniques are presented plainly. The recipes work in real kitchens with real constraints. For readers new to Middle Eastern cooking, this can be liberating rather than limiting.
What prevents the book from feeling superficial is its respect for diversity notes. It avoids collapsing the Middle East into a single flavour.
Persian, Levantine, Turkish, and Arabian influences are kept distinct enough to encourage curiosity rather than complacency.
This is a book that invites progression. You cook from it, enjoy it, and then—inevitably—you begin seeking deeper sources. In that sense, it performs an essential role in the culinary ecosystem.
Not every book must be definitive; some must be welcoming.
Try it out.
Used honestly, Recipes of the World: Middle East becomes a bridge. And bridges matter.
August 22, 2022
Well-researched and fascinating look at Middle Eastern foods, some of my favorite cuisines!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews