A Book of Middle Eastern Food

After President Nasser expelled her family along with most of Egypt's Jewish population in the 1950s, young Claudia Douek, art student in London, began to collect memories and family recipes from her fellow refugees.

The subtext is what it means to be a woman - young or old - obliged to create a new life in an alien land. I once asked Claudia why it is that so many cookery writers are of Jewish descent (as am I): "Simple. We need to remember who we are." 

A stylish writer with an artist's eye who's also a serious historian, Middle Eastern… show more.

It’s important in a book list of Middle Eastern culture to include a cookbook, especially one annotated by the author’s memories of people and places where food was served. Food is too central to ignore. It brings family members together and serves as the basis for celebrating all life’s events. I have seen women argue heatedly over which spices to use and when to add them. Such differences define whole sub-cultures, as well as families. Rodin’s book is a classic and a must-read book. As a woman the easiest way for me to immerse myself in local culture was to… show more.