From the Lands of Figs and Olives: Over 300 Delicious and Unusual Recipes from the Middle East and North Africa Paperback – January 1, 2001

Well it so happened, I went to a mosque and fell in love with Arabic food (and Persian is quite close as well). So I went to my local library looking for a good cookbook. I came away with 5 and tried a bunch of cookie recipes from this one. Although I'm not a cookie person, the kids and other folks loved these cookies. So I tried the Baklava which was infinitely simpler to make than my mothers super deluxe (also very tasty) version. In fact the spices were so similar, I was amazed. But everyone liked this recipe in this book, as did I since it was less work. ;) These are extremely authentic Arab recipes, and every one I have tried so far is a tasty treat. I returned, sadly, this book to the library when it was due, however I was determined to continue and try more of the recipes at a later date. I just bought the book last month and have begun cooking the recipes from here. I will update with good ones, but this is an encouraging book if you are trying to learn to cook Arab foods. It really is lovely how reduced carbs there are, and remarkable I find the recipes are fairly healthy. Of course they use butter and olive oil, so if you have cholesterol issues, this book and its recipes may not be the best for you. Sorry!!The book version I had at the library was wonderful, with great softcover and a spine that bent easily. The one I bought on Amazon is too stiff. I guess I'll have to use it a lot to get that worn in look, however I am afraid I'll break the spine of this book.This book has got me eating meat again, although I think the majority of the recipes are vegetarian or could easily be adapted to it.One tip I recommend is using swet onions because it adds so much to the flavor. I am certain I will be using this book for my family (and me) for a very long time into the future. The flavors are refreshing, with superb herb combinations. The recipes are fairly simple, as well. For special ingredients you should try to find an Arabic, Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian, or possibly Halal market. Some of the odd ones include "sumac" which I have found difficult to obtain.This is worth every penny you pay for the book. This is my MUST HAVE recipe book which I will keep for the rest of my life. I hope to try almost every one of the recipes. Oh I believe I tried the orange-olive salad and didn't care for it. That has been the only one so far.GOOD RECIPES: (215) Date Cookies (Iraq), 210 Baklawa (Syria, Lebanon), (209) Arabian Shortbread/Ghurayba (Syria/Lebanon), (189) Eggplant and Cheese Casserole/Bathijan ma' Jiben (Syrian/Lebanon), (175) Potato with Eggs/Batatis ma' Bayd (Iraq), (173) Fried bread with eggs/Fattoot (Syria/Lebanon), (90) Kufta with pine nuts (Syria/Lebanon), (79) "Saudi Rice" (orig. Stuffed Breast of Lamb) Did not add the tomato or worcester sauce. (24) Chickpea dip (hummus) (palestine and jordan)-but i used too much tahini. One more tasty recipe (that I could not find) included wrapping and frying an egg with spices, inside of filo dough. I believe it was referred to as an Arabian Hamburger. The kids loved that one, but it was very greasy.DIDN'T LIKE RECIPES: (212) Coconut Squares (Morocco) - too messy, but tasted good. (189) Dates with Rice (Arabian Peninsula) - kids refused to eat it. (58) Black Olive and Orange Salad (Morocco-Saudi version).

I really like this book. I am a 32 year old caucasian female from North Dakota and Minnesota and have never actually eaten middle eastern dishes before, so I don't know how true these are. I came across this book while googling how to make yogurt and someone said their recipe was from this book, so I first got it from the library. When I paged through it, I was so intrigued to try so many recipes! I am really pleased because a great deal are primal (Primal Blueprint)/low carb, and even more can be made low carb by just subtracting the rice or potatoes. We've liked every recipe we tried so far with plenty more I want to try, so I just had to order the book from Amazon. I tried the Baklava which was good (although I would make more layers than the directions, I don't like chewing through 20 layers of the phyllo dough on top). Then some dish with chicken, onions, prunes, cinnamon, honey - very different from my standard supper, but good. Another dish with chickens, onions, walnuts, paprika - also good. I really like this book for some variety. My only caveat is the book itself - it will not lay flat on the counter which really pisses me off! cans of soup, etc, will not hold the book open. The other night I finally thought of putting a very heavy, very big glass lid on top, and that finally worked. Can't the publishers think of these things with cookbooks?!

Checked this book out of the library a few weeks ago, and decided to purchase a copy. I LOVE the variety of recipes, and appreciate the notations about their countries of origin! If a number of the recipes didn't call for 1/2 cup of olive oil (!), I would give it five stars instead of four. The canned ingredients called for are in 19-oz cans, and in the US most of ours are 14.5-15.5oz cans. Still, I can work around that by adjusting down some of the other ingredient quantities. Some people have complained about the hard-copy version not lying flat. Mine is fine, but perhaps because it's not brand-new. I'm an Anglo woman, grateful to live in a community with many people from Afghanistan, India and the Middle East. Now I'll be able to make my kitchen smell as tantalizing as the local Islamic Center does on their feast days. :-)

Another great cookbook from Habeeb Salloum...I highly recommend this an especially his Arabian Nights cookbook....can't go wrong! Easy to follow, readily accessible ingredients and the most amazing flavour. :)

The book was in great condition.I'm very happy with it.

Was as expect and delivery was timely.

...but I am still looking for the best Arab cookbook out there, and I havent found it.I made the Iraqi date cookies.....those were good. I also made katayif.....the filling was nice but the batter was chewy.The baklawa turned out nicely, and the spinach pies were alright.However I made something called "chicken milina" which supposedly is from Morocco.....in the end, chicken mixed with sliced onion and tomatoes made for a rather mushy, and visually unappealing dish. I thought Moroccan cuisine was supposed to be the most sophisticated? This recipe didnt do much to support that idea.The Iraqi "meat pies" were similarly disappointing. It was basically hamburger mixed with rice, no spices except S&P, and cilantro...but the cilantro's flavor is cooked out of existence, leaving me with a glorified hamburger patty.Kufta bis Sayniya was another disaster. Ground beef layered with tomato sauce and onions and a few spices....and then 1/4 inch thick potato slices that never cook all the way through even if you follow the directions and then give it additional time.So far, Im not "wow'ed" by the actual entrees, but most of the desserts have turned out well.

Great recipes. The author really knows what she is writing about.

The only thing missing are more pictures! So many great recipes but just 4-6 pictures! Why??? BOOO I was not happy with this! :(

とあるエスニック料理のお店にはまって以来、アフリカ・中近東の料理に興味を持ち、この本を購入しました。英語のレシピ集です。写真がほとんどないのが難点ですが、ヒヨコマメやナス・ラム・・・など様々な食材を使用した料理が載っています。スープ・サラダ・肉料理・デザート・ドリンク・・・・・などさまざまな項目に分かれており、見やすいです。料理名をながめるだけで、おいしそうな感じが伝わってきます。

Thanks to Kannys Bookshop in Galway, I got this long searched book very quickly.1.160 / 5.000ÜbersetzungsergebnisseAfter spending almost a year in Bizerte, Tunisia, during which time I got to know the intricacies of Middle Eastern cuisine as F&B & Hotel Manager, I have long searched for books for my collection that contain more than just beautiful pictures and everyday recipes and stumbled upon Habeeb Salloum's (Author) and his translations of cookbooks from ancient times to the present day and this is the 4 of his that I now own and would highly recommend to anyone with the necessary technical knowledge to To use recipes that consist only of the basics, without large quantities and other modern-day frills, such as the first ones by Escoffier and Pellaprat in the early 20th century, to use these data to prepare the dishes that have provided the basis for today's highly acclaimed cuisine. And all I can say is thank you to Kenny's Bookshop in Galway, Ireland for getting this book all the way here to Montreal, well packaged, faster than expected. So I can only recommend, be it the author or Kenny, to anyone looking for something special.

very good thanks

The book has great content, so 10/10 for that, but was in a very 'tired' state to be sold in 'good condition'.Husband is Lebanese and this has some great ideas for really tasty, creative Middle Eastern dishes.