The Arab Table: Recipes and Culinary Traditions (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bsisu, an Ohio chef by way of Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait and England, sets out to define the cuisine of the Arab world. As she points out, a quarter of the globe is covered in her treatise, and she lovingly explores and clearly explains dishes from Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and the Arabian Gulf. What's most apparent is that Arab meals are elemental in nature, more often reliant upon foodstuffs than technique. There are perhaps a dozen key ingredients on which most of these 160 recipes are based. Bulgur (cracked wheat) gives rice a run for its money as the grain of choice and is integral in making Kibeh, an all-purpose dish that also employs beef or lamb, and a mix of spices, and can be made into skewers, balls or cooked in a baking dish. Yogurt is ubiquitous, and pomegranate finds its way into many courses, too, including Meatball Stew, and Sautéed Chicken Gizzards. There are also plenty of classics at hand, including a couple of different couscouses, Grape Leaves Stuffed with Lamb and Rice, and Chicken Shawarma. American home cooks will find this a family-style, down-to-earth, insider exploration of Arab cuisine and culture. Color photos. (On sale Sept. 6)
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Product Description

It is one of the world's oldest and most intriguing cuisines, yet few have explored the diverse dishes and enchanting flavors of Arab cookery beyond hummus and tabouleh. In 188 recipes, The Arab Table introduces home cooks to the fresh foods, exquisite tastes, and generous spirit of the Arab table.

May S. Bsisu, who has lived and cooked in Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, England, and now the United States, takes you along a reassuringly down-to-earth and warmly personal path through exciting culinary territory. The Arab Table focuses intimately on the foods of Arab countries such as Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria.

The book offers a bountiful range of appealing dishes: cold and hot mezza, or little dishes; vibrant salads and fresh vegetable preparations; savory soups, stews, and hearty casseroles; baked and grilled meats, poultry, and fish; cooling drinks; and ambrosial desserts. There are recipes for familiar dishes including Falafel, Chicken and Lamb Kebabs, and Baklava, as well as a diverse selection of lesser known delights greatly enjoyed around the world, such as Eggplant Pomegranate Salad, Zucchini with Bread and Mint, Grilled Halloumi Cheese Triangles, and Arab Flatbread. Celebration dishes, the cornerstone of Arab cuisine, include Moroccan and Lebanese Couscous, Baked Lamb with Rice and Chickpeas, and Baked Sea Bass with Rice and Caramelized Onions. No Arab cookbook would be complete without an ample selection of soups and stews, the customary way to break the fast at the end of each day during Ramadan. The Arab table is also well known for its sweets: Semolina Pistachio Layer Cake, Milk Pudding, and, of course, date-, nut-, and cream-filled pastries perfumed with rose and orange-blossom water are just a sampling of the desserts included here.

Along with these treasured recipes collected from May's extended family, friends, neighbors, and her own discoveries, The Arab Table is also a resource for learning about the traditions and customs associated with this time-honored cuisine. Throughout, essays on Arab holidays, from Eid Al Adha, the feast celebrating the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca, to Ramadan and Mubarakeh, the celebration for the birth of a baby, are explained and menus are provided for each. May enlightens readers as to customary greetings (How do you say Happy Ramadan?), gifts (What do you bring to an Arab home during Ramadan?), and wishes (How do you acknowledge the birth of a baby?) that are traditionally extended during these special occasions.

Now you can bring the abundance and flavors of The Arab Table to your table.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks (September 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060586141
• ISBN-13: 978-0060586140
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #174,771 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hands-down the best Mideast cookbook out there, September 18, 2006

By	Rasha Madkour (HOUSTON, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After perusing dozens of English-language Middle Eastern cookbooks over the years - none of which I found to be as comprehensive and authentic (based on my experience being raised in the Arab world) as I wanted - I was wonderfully surprised to receive this tome as a wedding gift. May Bsisu does a wonderful job explaining how to cook traditional Arabic dishes and the spectrum of the recipes she includes is impressive. I highly, highly, highly recommend this book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incomparable; perfect intro to Middle-Eastern cuisine, February 14, 2007

By	Niel Rishoi (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After perusing several cookbooks on Middle Eastern cuisine, this is the one I chose. For specifically two reasons: it contains two universal favorites: chicken schwarma and fattoush, which are the leading dishes served in all the Middle Eastern restaurants here in Michigan, specifically those in Dearborn. I was astonished to discover in so many like cookbooks that failed to contain schwarma and fattoush. Therefore, "The Arab Table" is definitely the one to have.

May Bsisu has done a splendid job, backed by all her friends and family, in giving us the pure basics of classic Middle Eastern fare. These are the recipes of dishes which are recognizable to the world at large. They are especially conducive to home kitchens, and are clear, easy to follow, and tantalizing. After you get started on these recipes, you may find yourself - as I did - at the outset making this cuisine a few times a week, rather than in a month, to savor all the riches of flavors, textures and colors.

In addition, Ms. Bsisu provides an excellent glossary, explanation of ingredients, and, as well, sources to obtain some of these, if there aren't any suitable markets in your area.

Best of all, though, in keeping with the generosity of spirit, there are histories, anecdotes, and background information about all that which surrounds the illustrious history of Middle Eastern cookery and traditions; therefore it makes a terrific reading companion as well. The author invites us (delightfully so) into her own family and her inheritance of their traditions. Laudably, Ms. Bsisu keeps these facts and lore to the basics, providing just enough details to both inform and entertain.

Perhaps most important of all, this book is a wonderful bridge to gap the Middle East to the West, in the most hospitable way. In a world where there is so much misunderstanding between cultures, this book could ostensibly serve as a small, but significant reminder that all of us, all over the world, share the love of the bounties of the earth, the comforts it provides, and the bringing together of families. We here in the West would be all the poorer without these riches of taste sensations.

Thanks to Morrow for investing in this luxurious compendium; and for Ms Bsisu for the sheer expansiveness and scope of this incomparable cookbook. Highly recommended.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good mix of both traditional and less familiar dishes, December 6, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Arab food is one of the world's oldest cuisines; yet surprisingly little has been written to provide an in-depth coverage: that's why The Arab Table: Recipes & Culinary Traditions' 188 recipes is so important as an introduction to the range of Arab culinary traditions. From Eggs with Ground Beef and Sumac to Chicken Stuffed with Spiced Beef and Rice and Fried Cauliflower, there's a good mix of both traditional and less familiar dishes. A centerfold of color photos enhances the appeal. If only one Arab cookbook were to round out an international culinary collection, it should be The Arab Table: its range and presentation can't be beat.