Rose Water and Orange Blossoms

“Maureen's love letter to Lebanese food and the story of her family is so rich and delicious it was hard to stop reading and start cooking.” —Faith Durand, executive editor of The Kitchn

Pomegranates and pistachios. Floral waters and cinnamon. Bulgur wheat, lentils, and succulent lamb. These lush flavors of Maureen Abood's childhood, growing up as a Lebanese-American in Michigan, inspired Maureen to launch her award-winning blog, Rose Water & Orange Blossoms. Here she revisits the recipes she was reared on, exploring her heritage through its most-beloved foods and chronicling her riffs on traditional cuisine. Her colorful culinary guides, from grandparents to parents, cousins, and aunts, come alive in her stories like the heady aromas of the dishes passed from their hands to hers.

Taking an ingredient-focused approach that makes the most of every season's bounty, Maureen presents more than one hundred irresistible recipes that will delight readers with their evocative flavors: Spiced Lamb Kofta Burgers, Avocado Tabbouleh in Little Gems, and Pomegranate Rose Sorbet. Weaved throughout are the stories of Maureen's Lebanese-American upbringing, the path that led her to culinary school and to launch her blog, and life in Harbor Springs, her lakeside Michigan town.

“A terrific and important book!” —Anthony Bourdain

“Lebanese cuisine isn't widely available in the United States, so Abood's book is a gorgeous primer for those who want to learn more. The ingredients alone are intoxicating.” —The San Diego Union-Tribune

“If you're a cook who enjoys a variety of ethnic dishes, you'll love Abood's traditional recipes for dishes like labneh (a thick yogurt) and toum (garlic sauce) as well as a myriad of lamb dishes, salads, pastries and breads.” —Detroit Free Press