Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Lebanese-born, New York-based Caterer, Chef, and Owner of Edy’s Grocer in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Born and raised in Lebanon, I have a passion for Middle Eastern food, culture, and, cookbooks. Growing up with a grandmother who never wrote one recipe down, it's been a journey to nail each recipe she used to make. When I moved to America, it was so hard to find good Middle Eastern cookbooks. Fast forward to 2024, a plethora of talented chefs have written books to help transport me back to Lebanon, sharing our Middle Eastern cultures, flavors, and heritage in such a beautiful way. I am proud of these cookbooks representing the Middle East.


I wrote

Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

By Edy Massih,

Book cover of Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

What is my book about?

In addition to Edy's immigrant story from Beirut to Brooklyn and heartwarming letters to the women who shaped his life…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora

Edy Massih Why did I love this book?

I just love all of Reem’s stories about her upbringing in Palestine and her journey of bringing amazing Middle Eastern food to the West Coast through Reem’s California.

So many of our recipes overlap, as do our stories and paths, and it’s really beautiful to see what she did with it.

By Reem Assil,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Arabiyya as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

IACP AWARD WINNER • A collection of 100+ bright, bold recipes influenced by the vibrant flavors and convivial culture of the Arab world, filled with moving personal essays on food, family, and identity and mixed with a pinch of California cool, from chef and activist Reem Assil
 
“This is what a cookbook should be: passion, politics, and personality are woven through the fabulous recipes.”—Ruth Reichl, author of Save Me the Plums

ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Food & Wine, Los Angeles Times, Saveur, Epicurious

Arabiyya…


Book cover of Bahari: Recipes From an Omani Kitchen and Beyond

Edy Massih Why did I love this book?

What Dina Macki did with this book is beautiful, specifically the visuals and how she showcases the food. Many people, myself included, don’t know much about Omani food specifically, and this book dives deep into the unique food, culture, and region, including beautiful photos taken locally throughout her travels and mini-history lessons.

This is the first Omani cookbook ever written, and she did it well.

By Dina Macki,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bahari as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With honesty and curiosity, British-born Omani-Zanzibari chef Dina Macki explores the unique foodscape of Oman, in the first Omani cookbook to be written by an Omani chef.

Bahari, meaning "ocean" in Swahili, is a culinary exploration of the rich flavors and history of Omani cuisine, a food culture shaped by boundless coastlines and complex maritime history, with origins and influences spanning Pakistan, Iran, India, the Swahili coast, and Portugal.

In this distinctive cookbook, Dina Macki travels across Oman and Zanzibar, unearthing regional delicacies and recreating the food of her heritage. With more than 100 recipes for meat, fish, vegetables, homemade…


Book cover of Maydan: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond

Edy Massih Why did I love this book?

Rose from Washington DC’s Maydan also takes a deep dive into her cookbook, from growing up in Lebanon and the recipes she grew up with to opening the restaurant and watching it grow.

It’s cool to see that whole journey represented in a cookbook and Lebanese food on display in another beautiful cookbook.

By Rose Previte, Marah Stets,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Maydan as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The debut cookbook from Rose Previte, creator of the Michelin-starred restaurant Maydan and beloved Compass Rose, explores bold flavors, accessible, shareable recipes, and overlapping foodways, spanning from the Middle East to North AfricaRose Previte introduces readers to the eclectic cultures of the region spanning North Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East through food, offering a nuanced, informed, and yet entirely warm and personal way in. Before opening her beloved Washington, DC, restaurants Maydan and Compass Rose, Previte traveled old spice trade routes to learn from home cooks, and it became apparent how adjacent cooking traditions informed and folded back…


Book cover of Sofreh: A Contemporary Approach to Classic Persian Cuisine

Edy Massih Why did I love this book?

This cookbook is not really for the everyday home cook. The recipes are not simple, and they are not modernized. And that’s what’s so cool and special about this book and Nasim’s cooking.

She cooks, showcases, and writes about beautiful classic Persian food so well, keeping the integrity of the food and the recipes throughout the book. 

By Nasim Alikhani, Theresa Gambacorta,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sofreh as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The much-anticipated cookbook—an exquisite collection of Persian recipes—from the James Beard–nominated chef of Sofreh, one of Brooklyn’s most acclaimed restaurants.

A Best Book of the Year: Los Angeles Times, Epicurious

"I got lost in the flavors of Nasim’s mint oil, saffron rice pudding, and meltingly tender chicken stew laced with sweet-tart flavors from Pink Lady Apples and sour cherries. Her naan e-barbari is the best!" —Suzy Karadsheh, New York Times best-selling author of The Mediterranean Dish Cookbook

Growing up in Isfahan, a province in central Iran, Nasim Alikhani was a passionate cook from childhood, spending the first years of her…


Book cover of The Lebanese Cookbook

Edy Massih Why did I love this book?

Any of the books Salma Hage comes out with are absolutely amazing. She has the perfect approach to bringing authentic Lebanese food to the Western palate. This beautiful and massive cookbook is the encyclopedia of a Middle Eastern kitchen—it’s like my bible.

It’s been a reference for me throughout the years, like a stepping stone into Lebanese cookbooks. It was one of the first I ever picked up—512 pages with 500 recipes!

By Salma Hage,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Lebanese Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The definitive book on Lebanese home cooking, featuring 500 authentic and delicious easy-to-make recipes

On the shores of the eastern Mediterranean and a gateway to the Middle East, Lebanon has long been regarded as having one of the most refined cuisines in the region, blending textures, and ingredients from a myriad of sources. First published as The Lebanese Kitchen and now back in print under its new title, The Lebanese Cookbook, this is the definitive guide, bringing together hundreds of diverse dishes, from light, tempting mezzes and salads, to hearty main courses, grilled meats, sumptuous sweets, and refreshing drinks.


Explore my book 😀

Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

By Edy Massih,

Book cover of Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

What is my book about?

In addition to Edy's immigrant story from Beirut to Brooklyn and heartwarming letters to the women who shaped his life and career, the first cookbook from Chef and Owner of Edy's Grocer features 115+ easy-to-follow recipes, spotlighting traditional Lebanese fare with a modern twist.

Book cover of Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora
Book cover of Bahari: Recipes From an Omani Kitchen and Beyond
Book cover of Maydan: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond

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Steamed and Steamy: Recipes from the Steampunk World of Industralia

By Lori Alden Holuta, Tanya Paterson (illustrator),

Book cover of Steamed and Steamy: Recipes from the Steampunk World of Industralia

Lori Alden Holuta Author Of The Flight to Brassbright

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Word addict Earth mama Avant garde crocheter Steampunk Expat Seattleite

Lori's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

After writing The Flight To Brassbright, I realized that my characters spent a lot of time enjoying a wide variety of foods and beverages. I suppose it couldn't be helped since their author is such a foodie.

I thought it would be fun to spin off a cookbook with real, practical recipes so that readers could enjoy the same foods as my wacky cast did on their adventures. There's something for everyone, as the cookbook runs the gamut. You'll find mouth-watering treats such as hearty meat pies, 'coal' cookies, Victorian-era 'hot dogs', bread and butter pickles, and home-spun cotton…

Steamed and Steamy: Recipes from the Steampunk World of Industralia

By Lori Alden Holuta, Tanya Paterson (illustrator),

What is this book about?

Even fictional characters gotta eat. These are their recipes. Now you can make the favorite foods of the fictional country of Industralia, from breakfast right on through to late night snacks. You’ll even learn how to make traditional New Year's “Coal Week” holiday treats.

"Ah, the delightful sounds and smells of cooking. And explosions. Or maybe that is just my kitchen... Venture forth into the wilds of your own kitchen to explore the possibilities for flavor and ingredients you encountered in your explorations of Industralia! From carnival peanuts and cotton candy to some hearty meat pies these recipes can help…


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