Bloomsbury to Publish Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan

Bloomsbury to Publish Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan
Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen

A dazzling cookbook with vibrant recipes, captivating stories and stunning photography from Palestine

‘A moving, hugely knowledgeable and utterly delicious book’ Anthony Bourdain

Bursting with the freshness and brightness that is characteristic of all Levantine cuisine, Palestinian food is fragrant, healthy and delicious. From a colourful array of bountiful mezze dishes to rich slow- cooked stews flavoured with aromatic spice blends, it’s a cuisine that represents the very best of modern Middle Eastern cookery.

In this beautiful Palestinian cookbook, food writer Yasmin Khan shares recipes and stories from her travels through the region. On her journey she harvests black olives from the groves of Burquin in the West Bank, hand-rolls maftool – the plump Palestinian couscous -in home kitchens in Jenin and even finds time to enjoy a pint with workers at the Taybeh brewery, which is producing the first Palestinian craft beer. As she feasts and cooks with Palestinians of all ages and backgrounds, she learns about the realities of their everyday lives.

Zaitoun includes herb-filled salads, quick pickles, fragrant soups, tender roasted meats and rich desserts, and has a special focus on vegetarian versions of Palestinian classics. It has recipes for olive, fig and honey tapenade, roast chicken stuffed with pine nuts and raisins, and pomegranate passion cake, among many others. And surrounding the recipes, there is a chorus of stories from those who love, live and cook with Palestine in their hearts.

  • For fans of Middle Eastern food and cookbooks by Yotam Ottolenghi, Sabrina Ghayour (Persiana), Sam & Sam Clark (The Moro Cookbook) and Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer (Honey & Co.)
  • This is not just a recipe book: Yasmin conjures up a powerful sense of place and culture through unique location photography and stories.
  • The book is a beautiful design package that highlights the vibrant colours and textures of an ancient region.
  • Recipes are incredibly accessible and suitable for the modern Western kitchen all ingredients are available in the supermarkets. Yasmin has appeared several times on Sunday Brunch, her pistachio soup a particular highlight when both the hosts and Gary Barlow said it was the most delicious thing they’d ever eaten!

Author’s Bio: Yasmin Khan is an award-winning author, campaigner and cook who is passionate about sharing people’s stories through food. Her debut book, The Saffron Tales, explored her culinary adventures through Iran and was named by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme as one of the best cookbooks of 2016. Prior to working in food, Khan spent a decade working as a human
rights campaigner for NGOs and grassroots groups.

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