"The Lebanese Kitchen"

Stephen Heyman, writer for New York Times' T Magazine, most recently published 'Gran Cuisine,' an article about two very interesting cookbooks put together by 'a pair of unknown grandmothers, legends only within their immigrant families for simple, soulful recipes that taste of home.'

One of the books, "The Lebanese Kitchen" by Salma Hage (pictured above), is a collection of recipes originating from her homeland of Northern Lebanon. The cookbook includes a several variations of hummus and tabbouleh, as well as many other Lebanese dishes.

I was EXTREMELY excited to find this article because I am a second-generation immigrant of Lebanon. For the first five years of my life, I spent almost every single day with my tayta (meaning 'grandmother' in Lebanese). She is one of the best people I have ever encountered in my entire life. She taught me my first words (in Lebanese actually! I still know how to make simple conversation, but I lost most of it when I started school), how to treat other people with respect and love, and, of course, to love all things food!

My tayta holding me a few weeks after I was born.

Every day, Tayta would make breakfast at home, lunch at home, and a full spread for dinner AT HOME. It was rare for us to go out, mainly because nothing compared to her delicious cooking. Why stoop to the level of a Big Mac when Tayta is at home making fresh grape leaf or cabbage rolls (stuffed with ground beef and rice), babaganoush (a dip of mashed eggplant mixed with oil and spices), hummus (a spread/dip made of mashed chickpeas, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and tahini, a sesame butter similar to peanut butter), lebneh (a spreadable yogurt sauce), or one of her many takes on American dishes, always with a Lebanese twist.

Tayta taught me so much about how to live and love life. When Tayta was expecting me for dinner, so she would always make the dishes she knew I loved, and that was one of the best feelings in the world.