An authentic and evocative book featuring the classic baking recipes from around Lebanon.

“There is bread and salt between us.” This phrase, symbolizing the act of breaking bread together, welcome, gratitude, friendship, and trust, epitomizes the spirit of the baking culture of the Middle East. And the oven is the beating heart of every community.

This beautifully photographed cookbook explores the vibrant baking culture of Lebanon. Perfectly poised between the Middle East and the Mediterranean, Lebanese food draws influences from myriad cultures and offers a delicious collection of baking recipes to tempt the home baker seeking new taste adventures.

Lebanon is a land of culinary richness and a vibrant spirit, and this book tells the story of its baking cuisine: exploring all its regional influences and traditions. Here you will find over 80 recipes for classic home-style breads, traditional family favorites that have been handed down through generations, alongside pastry-shop delicacies, classic cakes, and street-food treats.

About The Author

Hisham Assaad is a Lebanese chef, food stylist, graphic designer, and photographer who regularly shares recipes and stories on his blog, cookin5m2 (which focuses on the challenges of cooking good food in a tiny home kitchen in Beirut). Raised in a food-loving family that came to Lebanon from Palestine in the 1940s, he learned about Levantine food by watching his mother (a talented home cook) and father (a family butcher) in the kitchen from a young age. He lives in Dbayeh on the outskirts of Beirut. This is his second book; the first was Bayrut: The Cookbook.