good things - Liz Posmyk
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • My book
  • Writing & Media
  • FAQs

The Original Lebanese Coobook by Dawn, Elaine & Selwa Anthony

4/5/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
The Original Lebanese Cookbook. Image courtesy Allen and Unwin.
The Original Lebanese Cookbook was first published 35 years ago in 1978 at a time when Lebanese food was very 'new' in Australia.  Dawn, Elaine and Selwa Anthony were born in Cowra in country New South Wales to parents who migrated to Australia from Lebanon in the 1920s.  Throughout their childhood they learned that generosity and hospitality are expressed through food.
The book begins with an introduction to Lebanon ('the biblical land of the Song of Songs and the homeland of the ancient Phoenicians') and Lebanese cuisine, a 'delight for the gourmet'...  and where 'hospitality requires an abundant table to be set at all times [with] a variety of food always being on hand to offer the unexpected guest.'

The sisters authenticated many of the recipes in the book from their mother and an aunt - recipes that had been passed down through the generations.  The secret to mastering Lebanese cuisine, they say, is in the preparation and organisation of the menu.  The Lebanese cook prepares several dishes in advance...  largely made of grain, cheese, yoghurt and fresh and dried fruits and vegetables. 

Mezza is explained as a selection of hors d'oeuvres often comprising thirty or more small dishes.  There is the wonderful Baba ghannouj and Hoummus with Tahini; together with fried cauliflower, fried chicken giblets in lemon juice and marinated tongue salad.  There are savoury pastries, including Lebanese pizza with zaatar, Sambousik (meat and pine nut pies) and spinach turnovers.  Lebanese soups are substantial: white bean soup, pumpkin soup made with ghee, lentil and spinach soup, for example.  A selection of fish dishes feature tahini and lemon juice and there are numerous recipes for Kibbi (ground meat and bur'ghul), kaftas, salads and stews.  I am drawn to the chapter on Sweets, which are served to visitors with coffee rather than at the end of a meal.  Here we find a range of sweet rice puddings, syrup cheese, kanaafi pastry, date walnuts delights, fig and pumpkin jams, crystallised flowers and Lebanese coffee.

For further delicious insights into The Original Lebanese Cookbook, Michael  Mackenzie from ABC RN First Bite discusses the book and Lebanese cuisine with 78 year old Elaine Anthony here.

The Original Lebanese Cookbook by Dawn, Elaine and Selwa Anthony, Allen & Unwin, $39.99.  With thanks to the Anthony Sisters and Allen and Unwin for giving me the opportunity to review and cook from this classic title.
Print Friendly and PDF
2 Comments
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef link
4/5/2013 02:18:55 pm

What a gorgeous photo for a cookbook! I love Lebanese food and I know John could live on nothing else and be happy. I'll have to look this book up. :)

Reply
Lizzy
4/5/2013 02:36:22 pm

It's gorgeous, isn' it Maureen... the book is filled with lovely recipes. Make sure you listen to the interview too. ; )

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Bookshelf

    Cookbook reviews and interviews with food writers and chefs.



    Titles/Authors

    All
    101 Cookbooks
    5:2 Lifestyle
    Adam Liaw
    Adrian Richardson
    Almond Bar
    Almonds : Recipes
    Ancient Grains
    Annabel Crabb
    Anna Bergenström And Fanny Bergenström
    Anna Gare
    Annie Rigg
    A Passion For Fruit
    A Story Of Seven Summers
    Australian Vegetable Garden
    Bake
    Catherine Saxelby
    Charmaine Solomon
    Chefs
    Clive Blazey
    Coffee Trails
    Complete Food And Nutrition Companion
    Cookery Book
    Country Womens Association Classics
    Crust
    Culture
    David Thompson
    Delicious
    Delicious Every Day
    Delicious. Home Cooking
    Dish It Up
    Doggylicious
    Dominique Rizzo
    Eat
    Eat In
    Eleanor Ozich
    Elizabeth David
    Emma Galloway
    Farmers Market Family Cookbook
    Food Markets Of The World
    Frances Mayes Edward Mayes
    Francis Van Arkel
    Fried Chicken & Friends By Gregory Llewellyn & Naomi Hart
    Growing Your Own Fruit And Vegetables
    Guy Mirabella
    Hayden Quinn
    Heidi Swanson
    Hilary Burden
    History
    Home Baking
    Home Cheese Making In Australia
    Hungry
    Ian Hemphill
    In A Glass
    Indochine
    Italian Food
    Jane Grover
    Johnnie Mountain
    Jo Wheatley
    Kate Walsh
    Limoncello And Linen Water
    Lorenza De'Medici
    Love
    Love Aimee X By Aimee Twigger
    Luke Mangan
    Luke Nguyen
    Maggie Beer
    Maggie's Christmas
    Margaret Fulton
    Marie Claire Summer
    Marion Grasby
    Marion's Kitchen
    Mark Jensen
    Matthew Evans
    Maximum Flavour
    Monday Morning Cooking Club The Food
    Monday Morning Cooking Club - The Food
    My Darling Lemon Thyme
    My Family Table
    My Kitchen Year
    My Petite Kitchen
    My Taste Of Sicily
    Naked Food
    New Vegetarian Kitchen
    Nicola Graimes
    Nigel Slater
    Pauline Nguyen
    Pies And Tarts
    Pig
    Real Food Projects
    Rediscover Australian Pears
    Richard Bertinet
    Ruth Reichl
    Salmon Cookbook
    Salt Grill
    Same Same But Different
    Secrets Of The Red Lantern
    Sharon Salloum
    Signature Dishes
    Simply Gluten-free & Dairy-free
    Simply The Best
    Slow Cooking
    Special Delivery
    Spice Notes
    Stephane Reynaud
    Super Natural Every Day
    Sweet Things
    Tessa Kiros
    Thai Food
    The Australian Vegetable Garden
    The Complete Asian Cookbook
    The Diggers Club
    The Dinner Ladies
    The Dirty Chef
    The Feast Goes On
    The Food Of Vietnam
    The Gentle Art Of Preserving
    The Good Life
    The Sisterhood
    The Stories
    The Tuscan Sun Cookbook
    Toby Smith
    Two Asian Kitchens
    Under The Tuscan Sun
    Under The Walnut Tree
    Valerie Pearson
    Veganissimo!
    Winter On The Farm


Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • My book
  • Writing & Media
  • FAQs