The traditions of Syrian cooking go back hundreds of years, and is
notable for its sensory components, in which aroma and texture are as
important as taste and nutrition. Over the centuries, the unique dishes
of Greater Syria (bilaad al-shaam) were preserved by those who cooked
them. For cooks in imperial households, family homes, or on simple
peasant farms, recipes were handed down from generation to generation.
Despite centuries of occupation, unrest, economic hardships, and
political strife, the people of Greater Syria continued to cook their
burghul, lentil, chickpeas, kishk, and yogurt dishes as if life around
them never changed. Syrian-born Habeeb Salloum and his daughters Leila
Salloum Elias and Muna Salloum have researched and explored the far
reaches of Syrian cuisine for many years (and in Habeeb's case,
decades). Their resulting cookbook, Pomegranate and Rose Water, provides
a succinct window into the dining tables of eighteenth and
nineteenth-century Syria, featuring many delectable, heart-healthy
recipes that have never before been published in English. The book also
provides a poignant window into Syrian culture and everyday life then
and now--bound together by ageless and truly beautiful food traditions.
Partial proceeds from the sale of this book will benefit the Syrian
Cultural Centre, a Montreal-based non-profit organization dedicated to
help alleviate the plight of the displaced and those who have been
impacted by the current situation in Syria. Includes 144 recipes;
full-color throughout.
