A Taste of Lebanon: Cooking Today the Lebanese Way

Sharon A. McCue, freelance writer, lived in Chisasibi, James Bay, Quebec.

The format of this book is the first of its winning qualities. Its coil binding, its large, easy-to-read print, and its colour pictures don’t make the recipes taste any better, but they certainly make the book more pleasurable to use.

The book includes brief background information on Lebanon and an explanation of the basic ingredients used in Lebanese cooking. The latter is particularly helpful if an adventurous cook wishes to experiment but is intimidated by unusual and unexplained ingredients. This is a book with which a cook might venture into new territory without having to face customs personnel to acquire the ingredients.

A Taste of Lebanon has the usual range of cooking areas, beginning with soups and appetizers and moving through salads, entrees, and sweets. Along the way, some sections are definitely better than others. The stuffed vegetables and pita fillings are the highlights, showing a creativity and variety that leave the reader wondering what to try first. Unfortunately, none of those interesting qualities are found in the soup section, all of whose recipes have a certain sameness.

The recipes are not always as described or desired (e.g., I question whether a domestic oven can reach the heat required to produce really good pita). Nevertheless, this book is recommended for those who wish to venture into new worlds of cooking — but with a minimum of risk.