Taste of Beirut

The Taste of Beirut Cookbook was something I was interested in checking out because I've been trying to learn more about Mediterranean and Middle East cooking for many of their health benefits. This sounded especially interesting once I read through the introduction because Joumana Accad tells stories of her life that not only helps you understand what a food is but gives a taste of the culture. She really explains what some of the more traditional ingredients are and where you might be able to find them. Joumana also gives tips and ideas to help you create dishes that would normal take a day or more to create properly in less than an hour, since most Americans don't have that sort of time to prepare one meal.
I really like the idea that I can make my own falafels and shwarma. Those are the recipes I'm most excited about. I already make my own hummus but her variations sound good enough to eat.
One thing I appreciate in cookbooks that have recipes and ingredients that aren't necessarily well known to us Americans is the author explaining what things are and how they should taste. Joumana made Lebanese cuisine very accessible for the average American and I definitely recommend this cookbook for anyone looking to branch out in what they are cooking for dinner.
I received this book for review at NetGalley.