Chicken Shish Kebabs, Sumac: Recipes and Stories from Syria by Anas Atassi. Photography by Jeroen van der Spek.
The Syrian kitchen, shaped by influences from neighbouring countries, has deep historical roots and evolved to perfection over thousands of years.
Sumac is filled with traditional and contemporary Syrian recipes that were inspired by personal stories. The gorgeous photography illustrates how beautiful this country was and still is, and family photographs add depth to the author’s history. Each chapter is filled with the author’s memories of family celebrations and the country that inspired the book. He tells stories of traditional weekend breakfasts in his grandmother’s garden and of the mezze his mother cooked for family gatherings. There are memories of the rich aromatic flavours of the Syrian kitchen where fragrant spices like the lemony and deep red sumac are prized ingredients.