Here is the collection of treasured family recipes that were brought to this country at the turn of the century by the authors' grandparents, immigrants from Aleppo, Syria. All of these recipes are reproductions of meals still prepared in Syria today. While some dishes (like hummus) are prevalent throughout the Middle East, the tastes of Aleppo are unique in their particular mix of spices and textures. This cuisine is also particularly healthy, with many vegetarian recipes reflecting the sophistication.
Born and raised in the large Syrian/Lebanese community of Brooklyn, New York, Virginia Jerro Gerbino, a grandmother herself, is the family cook and the keeper of its culinary traditions. She has inherited her love of cooking from her mother Helen, who excelled in the preparation of Syrian pastries. She is a legal secretary and now resides in New Jersey.
Her first cousin and co-author Philip M. Kayal, also born in Brooklyn and presently residing in New Jersey, is a recently retired sociologist at Seton Hall University in New Jersey and the author of several books on the Arab-American experience.
Realizing that food is part of ethnic identity and heritage, the authors see this cookbook as a necessary contribution to the culinary melting pot of America.
