Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen by Yasmin Khan - Non Fiction - Hardback

Details:
Condition: BRAND NEW
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781408883846
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Age Range: Adult / General Readership

Overview:
Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen is Yasmin Khan's celebrated hardback cookbook, blending over 80 tested recipes with first-hand travel writing from across Palestine. It explores herb-filled salads, quick pickles, fragrant soups and rich desserts, capturing both flavours and the human stories behind Palestinian cuisine. Beautifully photographed and warmly written, it's perfect for home cooks, food lovers and anyone curious about Levantine cooking, and makes a thoughtful gift or standout kitchen shelf addition.

About the Book:
In Zaitoun, food writer Yasmin Khan travels across the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and the diaspora to gather recipes and testimonies from Palestinian home cooks, farmers and families. The book is built around everyday dishes such as maqluba, musakhan and freekeh salads, alongside sweeter fare like pomegranate cake and semolina pastries, giving a genuinely wide-ranging taste of the region. Each recipe is paired with a story: a grandmother tending an ancient olive grove, a family cooking for guests despite hardship, a trader's memories of Jerusalem's markets — turning a recipe collection into something closer to reportage. Khan's writing is observant and unflinching about the region's political realities, without losing sight of the generosity she finds at every table. Photography throughout is vivid, capturing markets, kitchens and landscapes alongside finished dishes. Recipes are written clearly for cooks of any skill level, with substitutions offered where specialist ingredients might be hard to find. The result works equally well as a practical kitchen companion and as culinary storytelling, appealing to readers who want to cook brilliant food while understanding more about the people behind it.

• Over 80 authentic Palestinian recipes, from everyday mezze to celebration dishes.
• Combines practical, tested recipes with rich first-person travel writing.
• Stunning photography throughout captures people, places and food across Palestine.
• Includes vegetarian-friendly Palestinian classics alongside meat and fish dishes.
• A meaningful gift for cooks interested in Middle Eastern and Levantine cuisine.
• Written by a widely acclaimed, award-nominated food writer and broadcaster.

About the Author:
Yasmin Khan is a British author, broadcaster and human rights campaigner whose work sits at the intersection of food, travel and politics. Born in Croydon to a Pakistani father and an Iranian mother, and raised in Birmingham, she trained originally in human rights before turning to food writing. Her debut, The Saffron Tales, was widely acclaimed and shortlisted for major food writing awards, establishing her as a distinctive voice in culinary non-fiction. Zaitoun cemented her reputation, followed by Ripe Figs. Khan regularly appears on BBC radio and television, bringing the same storytelling approach that defines her books.

Why You'll Love This Cookbook:
Zaitoun offers far more than recipes — it's a heartfelt, beautifully photographed journey through Palestinian food, family and resilience. Ideal for adventurous cooks and anyone wanting to understand a culture through its kitchen tables.

Please Note: Cover design may vary slightly; this listing reflects the current UK hardback edition with ISBN 9781408883846.