A TERRIFIC AND IMPORTANT BOOK! —ANTHONY BOURDAIN COOKING / Middle Eastern Maureen’s love letter to Lebanese food and the story of her family is so rich and delicious it was hard to stop reading and start cooking. But the recipes and photos compel me to do just that: thick yogurt in olive oil, lamb with spices and herbs, warm dates, pomegranate and rose sorbet. This book is a feast from Maureen and her family table, and I can’t wait to bring her food to mine. —Faith Durand, Executive Editor of The Kitchn (thekitchn.com) What a charmer of a book. Maureen Abood brings us Lebanon on a plate, the Lebanon of her family and her imagination. Her recipes keep bringing to mind descriptors like, “deliciously sexy” and “got to do this.” And the vegetable recipes alone are worth the price of admission. This is one for “The Keeper Shelf.” —Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Host of The Splendid Table® from American Public Media A warm and welcoming guide to the fragrant world of Lebanese cooking. Abood writes with an American heart and a Middle Eastern soul, and she takes us on a delectable journey infused with luscious recipes, stunning images, and sweet memories. —Louisa Shafia, author of The New Persian Kitchen Not nearly well known enough in this country, the rich and fragrant Lebanese cuisine finally gets this worthy representation both in the range of dishes presented and the gorgeous, mouth-watering illustrations of them. —Mimi Sheraton, longtime food critic of The New York Times and author of 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die Maureen’s unique perspective on Lebanese cooking is richly represented in Rose Water & Orange Blossoms. It is approachable, inspiring, and simply delicious. —Michael Solomonov, executive chef and co-owner, Zahav restaurant Maureen is a special kind of cookbook author—insightful, mindful of tradition, always appreciative. She uses charm, warmth, and evocative storytelling to invite us into the seductive realm of her Lebanese table—rose water, orange blossom, pomegranate, sumac, dates, and all. —Heidi Swanson, author of Super Natural Every Day ABOOD ISBN 978-0-7624-5486-0 Visit us on the web! www.offthemenublog.com $30.00 in U.S.A. $37.50 in Canada RUNNING £20.00 in U.K. Printed in China PRESS RW-PLC-3.indd 1 1/8/15 10:59 AM RWOB-TXT-2.indd 1 12/19/14 12:51 PM RWOB-TXT-2.indd 2 12/19/14 12:51 PM RWOB-TXT-2.indd 3 12/19/14 12:51 PM RWOB-TXT-2.indd 4 12/19/14 12:51 PM F R E S H A N D C L A S S I C R E C I P E S F R O M M Y L E B A N E S E K I TC H E N M A U R E E N A B O O D B Y P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y J A S O N V A R N E Y RWOB-TXT-2.indd 5 12/19/14 12:51 PM Copyright © 2015 by Maureen Abood Photography © 2015 by Jason Varney “Rose Water & Orange Blossoms” is a registered trademark of Maureen Abood “On Eating and Drinking” from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibrain, copyright © by Kahlil Gibrain and renewed 1951 by Administrators C.T.A. of Kahlil Gibrain Estate and Mary G. Gibrain. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. Published by Running Press, A Member of the Perseus Books Group All rights reserved under the Pan-American and International Copyright Conventions Printed in China This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher. Books published by Running Press are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the United States by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 810-4145, ext. 5000, or e-mail [email protected]. ISBN 978-0-7624-5486-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2014952836 E-book ISBN 978-0-7624-5604-8 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Digit on the right indicates the number of this printing Designed by Joshua McDonnell Edited by Kristen Green Wiewora Hand-lettering and Illustrations by Katie Hatz Food Styling by Chris Lanier Prop Styling by Paige Hicks Typography: Avenir, Constantia, and Gonte Page 14 photo courtesy of Maureen Abood. Page 19 photo © Stephanie N. Baker. Running Press Book Publishers 2300 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371 Visit us on the web! www.offthemenublog.com RWOB-TXT-2.indd 6 12/19/14 12:51 PM For my parents, Maryalice and Camille Abood, and in memory of all of my grandparents. You’ve taught me the most important ingredient in the Lebanese kitchen: love. And for my husband, Dan Shaheen. I’m so blessed to share a Lebanese kitchen and home with you. RWOB-TXT-2.indd 7 12/19/14 12:51 PM RWOB-TXT-2.indd 8 12/19/14 12:51 PM Introduction 10 Flavor Makers Pastry and Sweets 22 148 Maza and Salads Breads and Savory Pies 44 184 Main Dishes Pickles and Preserves 86 204 Grains and Legumes Drinks 134 222 Fresh and Classic Lebanese Menus 238 Sources 242 Acknowledgments 244 Index 246 Maza & Salads 9 RWOB-TXT-2.indd 9 12/19/14 12:51 PM