The Jewelled Table: Cooking, Eating & Entertaining the Middle Eastern Way

by Bethany Kehdy, Nassima Rothacker (Photographer)

In The Jewelled Table, Bethany Kehdy takes classic and traditional recipes and demystifies them, in turn reinterpreting them for a modern cook, without sacrificing authenticity. Over 80 ancient and every day recipes from the Middle East are reinterpreted and made accessible for cooking in a Western kitchen without losing their integrity. Find out the secret to nailing hummus once and for all, whip up a Persian herb frittata and make an impressive, delicious Ox cheek, shallot and rhubarb stew. From simple weeknight suppers to lazy brunches, Sunday dinners, celebratory feasts, and last-minute mayhem, Bethany illustrates that with a few key ingredients, Middle Eastern food is the perfect fit for every occasion. Featuring menu plans, detailed instructions on how to cook the recipes, as well as charming anecdotes throughout from Bethany's own experiences in the Middle East, all set to the backdrop of beautiful location shots, The Jewelled Table is an essential cookbook for anyone who loves the flavors of the Middle East.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food

272 pages, Hardcover

Published September 25, 2018

About the author

Bethany Kehdy is a Lebanese-American food author and presenter most notably known by her popular Middle Eastern food blog, Dirty Kitchen Secrets. Born in Houston, Texas to an American mother and a Lebanese father, Bethany grew up in Lebanon during the countryʼs most volatile civil war years.

To shelter from the war, her family retreated to the mountains of Lebanon where her father set up an eclectic farm on the ancestral land. For a great part of her childhood, Bethany helped to water orchards, harvest fruits and vegetables, chase after chickens, make cheese, and even milk the odd cow. Bethany had the opportunity to learn the art of Middle Eastern food preparation, cooking and preserving by watching and learning from her grandmother, aunties, and father in the family kitchen.

Bethany has spent the last 4 years heating up the kitchen and establishing herself as the most provocative Middle Eastern cook online, bringing together her childhood memories of traditional Middle Eastern cuisine and interpreting it in a fresh, modern approach, all the while incorporating her well-traveled palate.

(source)

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides being a practical cookbook, this book gives interesting history of middle Eastern foods, and clears up some common misconceptions.
From Lady Buran's sticky Badhinjan fingers to The Imam Fainted, the recipes are new to me and sound delicious.
Some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten was in Turkey and Lebanon, so I am excited to learn the history and techniques associated with cooking this food.

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice book with lovely pictures, but almost all the recipes called for ingredients that I wouldn't be able to find.

[Miss Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

a truly beautiful cookbook! a bit lighter on the food photos than i prefer (i like to have an idea of what the finished dish should look like) but what there was were lovely and i appreciated the additional photos of lebanon. there was one in particular i just paused to look at and dream of stepping through into the page. one day i will visit inshallah!

i've yet to cook any of these but i marked several of the recipes for the future. the 'decorate the table' and 'unfasten the appetite' sections in particular has several standouts for me. i love a varied table and middle eastern cuisine well accommodates my desire for variety! i'm planning to make her pomegranate and cumin cashews to bring over to friend's this evening, will report back on how it goes

4 stars

[Book Grocer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchase The Jewelled Table here for just $20!

My weakness is cookbooks, especially ones that are Middle Eastern. The Jewelled Table is a gorgeous book with amazing recipes and photographs to match. Also included is a treasure trove of fascinating historical and cultural tidbits to guide you in the Middle Eastern way of "nafas" - cooking with soul. A beautiful book to either start or add to your collection.

Alicia, The Book Grocer

[Rikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jewelled Table encompasses history, regional food fare and gathering into more than a cookbook.. It provides sporadic deep dive lessons in different aspects of dishes and the meaning behind them.

I appreciated the wide range of information, as well as how the back of the book had suggested menu sets.
While it had stunning photos, I do wish there were more showcasing food, meals, or tables set for gathering fanfare.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could’ve had more pictures, recipes are good