The Way To A Man's Heart by Anne Bouji, 1999

Our Price:  $21.99  

Format:  Hardcover, 95 pp.                    Dimensions:  (in cms.)  1.25 x 25 x 17

Weight:   575 grams                               Availability:  Immediate

You must be wondering what a Lebanese cookbook is doing here.  I have chosen to include this cookbook because Lebanese food is in abundance in Oman. When you are in Oman you will certainly experience life in Oman, but you will also get a taste for Lebanon! Quite literally!  

INTRODUCTION:  It is a world full of gastronomic delights, healthy eating and waste-not-want-not- methods, with as much to tempt the vegetarian or vegan as there is for the carnivore.

Being married to a Lebanese national, who like all Lebanese, is passionate about 3 things, his country, its politics and its food  I had to learn very quickly how to prepare the food that he was so passionate about.

I have grown to love Lebanon, its people and its food, and I hope to be able to share some of its culinary delights with you, through the pages of this book.

This is basically AN INTRODUCTION to Lebanese cooking, it is in no way comprehensive and does not serve to belittle the many, many Lebanese cookery books that are already available.

However it is written and prepared by a foreigner, and is intended to be used by foreigners who are not familiar with the terminology and ingredients used, and have not been schooled by their Mothers into the traditional ways of preparing food.

So if you are a beginner or perhaps you have visited the region, sampled the food and now want to learn how to prepare it, read on.

I have purposely not included any recipes for fish dishes, as the fish caught and used in the region is not available in the northern regions of Europe.  In the Mediterranean waters the catch is prolific and the fish have such majestic names as King Fish, Sultan Ibrahim, etc., not quite the same as the everyday Cod found in European waters!  Fish is also a lot more expensive in Europe, and on this basis alone would not be used as much as in Lebanon.

In similar fashion there are no recipes for desserts and sweets, as these require infinite patience and skill, and time, which a lot of European housewives don't have because of busy working schedules.

Unless otherwise stated, all recipes are based on a FAMILY OF 4 PERSONS, again with a view to European needs rather than the larger families of the region.

I  hope that you will enjoy the recipes that I have presented, and will want to continue to develop your skills, and will one day visit Lebanon as there is no better place to sample the food than that prepared by experts and experience hospitality that is second to none.