BOOK REVIEW
FALASTIN Reviewed By Despina Mina
I wanted to cook from Falastin, written by Sami Tamimi (friend and business partner of Yotam Ottolenghi) and Tara Wigley (recipe 4
developer, writer and member of the Ottolenghi family) even before Cibare suggested a breakfast themed issue and it just so happened that the first chapter is dedicated to breakfasts. Amongst the herb filled omelettes and spiced hummus there are two shakshukas that caught my eye and all I had to do was decide which one to cook first. Falastin is a celebration of Palestine (pronounced with an F as there is no P in the Arabic alphabet). The sights, the sounds, the smells and the politics but at the heart of this is the food. Despite the ongoing troubles, Palestine is blessed with a bounty of stunning ingredients and inspiring people who want to pass on their culinary history and traditions. Sami and Tara introduce us to Baseema, Cibare Magazine
www.cibare.co.uk
PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina
‘I’m not a breakfast person’ are words you will never hear from me. I’m one of those chirpy morning people, who can start a conversation five minutes after opening my eyes and it’s often about food. I think I’m a delight, others might dispute this. A creature of habit, I like to wake up a little earlier than necessary so that I can prepare and eat breakfast at my leisure - it’s one of life’s simple pleasures. But it’s at the weekends when I most indulge with a cooked breakfast, one that needs time and effort to make, one that ends up taking so long to cook it ends up becoming brunch.