The Complete Middle East Cookbook

I found this cookbook at a small middle eastern store in the Dominican Republic and immediately knew that I had to buy it. It's a great cookbook, with a wide diversity of recipies, and also provies cultural context for each cuisine represented. Each country is given it's own chapter, with a brief historical overview, cultural information, including eating style, followed by recipies. Although a few recipies aren't for the faint of heart (lamb's brains being a key ingredient), the majority are delicious and range from the easy to prepare to requiring a fair degree of skill. However, all recipies are clearly laid out and well explained. There could be more photos, but those that exist are beautifully laid out and capture the composition of the dishes. I'd highly recommend this book for almost any level of cook. It would also be a lovely addition if you just enjoy learning about other cultures.

I have several Middle Eastern cookbooks and this is one of the best ones. My mother (who is an excellent cook also has a copy and refers to it constantly). The book covers every region of the Middle East with the exception of North Africa. The recipes here are authentic with a few exceptions. (See below. But then again every middle eastern home has their own version of certain recipes) and the results are always good. They are also well written and are very easy to follow. If you cook from this book you will definately be able to fool anyone into thinking that you've been cooking for years. She also has another Middle Eastern cookbook which contains some of the recipes in this book but also has pictures for every recipe. I suggest buying that book first if your not familiar with the way Middle Eastern food looks. However this book is much more extensive. The only book that compares to Mallos' book on middle eastern food is "The New Book of Middle Eastern Food" by Claudia Roden. I highly recommend both books and honestly cannot recommend one over the other. I prefer Tess Mallos' recipes slightly more than Roden's but both are excellent. Mallos' layout is better for those who want to understand the differences between the different regions of the Middle East (the book is divided by region), while Roden's layout is better if you are simply looking for a recipe. Roden's book has more historical anecdotes (though this is not necessarily a good thing because some of it is inaccurate) and read more like a story while Mallos' is more "academic" concentrates more on the specific food related practices of each region. I think Roden's book is more interesting to read just for fun. Both books skip over entire regions. Mallos skips over North Africa for some reason (she also includes Greece and Cyprus) while Roden ignores the Gulf region, Iraq and Afghanistan. I disagree with some of the recipes that Mallos gives (e.g. her tabbouleh recipe) and prefer May Bsisu's book in that regard. However, Bsisu's book is less extensive and some of her recipes take a long time. I highly recommend buying this book. An absolute favorite.

This handsome, thorough, and practical guide featuring many full-color photos offers a panoramic view of the region's food traditions. The recipes are easy to follow and range from earthy to exotic. The author's clear, detailed instructions and her sense of humor are most welcome. I have owned this cookbook for some time and refer to it often. I have also given several copies as gifts to friends who like to cook, and they have been truly pleased.Another cookbook that belongs in every serious food lover's library is "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen: A Culinary Journey through Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan," by Sonia Uvezian. This remarkable, richly illustrated volume captures the soul of the region's cookery in a fascinating blend of exceptionally informative text and hundreds of magnificent recipes.

    In 1984 I was in college, living in an international married-student housing complex, where I quickly developed a large number of friends, including several who were from the Middle East and were in Oregon to study.             We used to gather in the courtyard between our ramshackle (but very cheap) apartments for casual potlucks to share our favorite dishes. The food was always varied and quite wonderful. However, the cooks wouldn't always part with their mothers' "secret" family recipes. So I went cookbook shopping.               The full-color photos of dishes in Mallos' book were worth the purchase price alone. Using the clearly written recipies, I prepared Lebanese, Arab, Greek and other dishes I had tasted at our informal dinners. Then I got brave and tried new ones. My friends and family RAVED. Several of my closest Middle Eastern friends even seemed a little jealous...they finally told me that I cooked their favorites better than did their mothers, and they went out and bought copies of the cookbook for themselves!        You will find how easy it is to make hummous, olive-oil-infused flatbreads, tabouleh, and a score of other now-trendy dishes you pay a fortune for at the deli.         The spanokopita is divine, with the golden, buttery phyllo leaves melting in your mouth to reveal the tang of feta melded with the spinach, onions, and toasted pine nuts.          Mallos' book also contains the recipe for the BEST baklava anyone has ever tasted (at least of those I've served it to). A million calories a bite, but well worth it!          If you are a creative cook who loves the pleasures of making good food for family and friends, this belongs in your kitchen -- or better yet, on your coffee table where you can pick it up and drool...         I recently bought a new edition for my brother. The binding is far nicer than the earlier release Ð my beloved and well-used copy is crumbling, but I can't bear to toss it . . . it falls open to our favorite recipes!

I bought this book when it was first published a dozen or soyears ago and am so glad to see it back in print so I cangive copies to a couple of friends who always drool over my copy of the book. Gorgeous photos, clear directions, and wonderful, authentic results. Make your own spice blends, yoguts, meat, vegetable, pastry and/or desserts, its all in there. These are old fashioned, labor intensive dishes; it is a cookbook for someone who likes to cook. Like pita bread, and hummus, or want some felafel to serve in the bread? All these from scratch recipes are present, and great.