Lebanese Cuisine: More Than 250 Authentic Recipes from the Most Elegant Middle Eastern Cuisine

I grew up in a Lebanese household where my mom cooked for the family all the time. The recipes that I tried form this book tasted just as I remember my mom's home cooking. The stuffed grape leaves recipe tasted like the way my grandmother used to make them in the mountain village of Khenchara, Lebanon. I could almost smell the mountain of Lebanon right here in Kansas, USA. One recipe didn't work for me and that was "Kaak el-eed" or "Easter Galettes" -- the reason might be that I didn't follow the recipe exactly by not letting the semolina and milk mixture soak for an hour and a half as directed which made the dough too sticky to handle. I fixed the problem by adding flour and it worked out, and they came out good. My wife who lived all of her life in Kansas loves this type of cooking and it is a treat for her and our kids every time I cook Lebanese cuisine. My wife was not too fond of stuffed grape leaves until I cooked it using this book's recipe. She got hooked. I have altered a few recipes here and there but kept the main ingredients and procedures very much the same. I have two other Lebanese cooking books and I use them as a cross refernce, but this book is the one I end up using the most. The thing is that even though Lebanon is a very small country, one will find variations on the same recipe depending on the region of Lebanon. The recipes are a little wordy, but that might be preferred by some people. A little hint on the pocket bread "khibz": After rolling the dough into flat disks, let them rest for 20 minutes, covered. Meantime, place a cast iron skillet or griddle (Warning: DO NOT USE TEFLON coated-ware) on the second shelf in the oven. Turn broiler on and preheat skillet (about 10 minutes), then bake the bread disks with the broiler about 1 minute each and watch them puff up fully. It is important not to bake them too long or they will dry up and harden or even burn. As you pull the bread from the oven, let cool down under a towel, then put 8 or 10 loafs in a Ziplock plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Warm in the microwave for 5-10 seconds before use to soften.

Having lived in Lebanon and gotten cooking tips from many great "home cooks" I was delighted to find this book. The recipes and their introductions are so true to the character of real cuisine that I recommend this book to whomever asks me about Middle East cooking. Anyone who can make a M'lookhiyeh taste good enough to want seconds is tops! It is helpful to known something about the cuisine to fully appreciate the wisdom in Ms. Helou's advice.

Authentic recipes just like grandma's!!!! A truly Lebanese cookbook! Lebanese food does differ from others of the middle east and this author explains how and why. While there are good middle eastern foods and cookbooks, this is the one if you want a true Lebanese cookbook !

The recipes in this book will add an exotic touch to any dinner. You will impress your guests with the wonderfully tasty dishes as well as find recipes you can easily prepare everyday. One of my absolute favorites is the greenbeans with tomatoes this is the perfect dish with our August tomatoes. And I love the way the honest flavors of the foods shine with the Lebanese touch.

I can't wait to try all of these recipes - I have finally found a book that has all the wonderful lebonese food my grandmother makes...need I say more? :)