The Arabesque Table - Reem Kassis

This recipe book is one of the most beautiful that I have seen in recent years. The layout and photography are all stunning and . . . and the recipes look enticing. Reem Kassis is a Palestinian writer whose previous book, The Palastinian Table, won The Guild of Food Writer's First Book Award.

In the introduction she describes Arabesque as an ornamental design of intertwined flowing lines; like its nameksake 'this book weaves recipes and stories of past and present to tell a tale of culinary evolution'. The basics in the first section include shattah chilli paste, amba tahini and vegetable pickles. The sub-sections of the rest of the book are then centred around a particular ingredient and include those on aubergines and tomatoes, pomegranate and lemons and coriander, cumin and cardamom. Among the recipes that I am keen to give a whirl are those for roasted beet muhammara, cauliflower, almond and yoghurt salad and nut and sesame seed stuffed pancakes.

Hardback. 255 pages.

Measurements:

19.5cm x 25.2cm x 2.7cm