Lemon, Love & Olive Oil - by Mina Stone (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Growing up in a close-knit Greek-American household, Mina Stone learned to cook from her Yiayia, who taught her that food doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious--and that almost any dish can be improved with judicious amounts of lemon, olive oil, and salt. In this deeply personal cookbook, Stone celebrates her grandmother and the other influences that have shaped her life, her career, and her culinary tastes and expertise. Lemon, Love & Olive Oil weaves together more than 80 Mediterranean-style dishes with the stories that inspired them. "--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST COOKBOOK OF THE YEAR

Author of the cult-favorite Cooking for Artists, Mina Stone, returns with a collection of 80 new recipes inspired by her traditional Greek heritage and her years cooking for some of New York's most innovative artists.

Growing up in a close-knit Greek-American household, Mina Stone learned to cook from her Yiayia, who taught her that food doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious--and that almost any dish can be improved with judicious amounts of lemon, olive oil, and salt. In this deeply personal cookbook, Stone celebrates her grandmother and the other influences that have shaped her life, her career, and her culinary tastes and expertise. Lemon, Love & Olive Oil weaves together more than 80 Mediterranean-style dishes with the stories that inspired them.

Stone offers home cooks a taste of her heritage with healthy, flavorful, and uncomplicated dishes such as Syrian Bulgur and Yogurt with Brown Butter Pine Nuts; Persian Figs with Cardamom and Rosewater; Baby Lettuces with Toasted Sesame Seeds, Mint, and Meyer Lemon Yogurt; and Braised Chickpeas with Orange Zest and Garlic Bread Crumbs. These recipes use fresh, flavorful ingredients to create elegantly simple dishes, complemented by beautiful, minimalist photography and original art throughout.

A fresh and unconventional fusion of art and food, Lemon, Love & Olive Oil is an engaging (and delicious!) cultural and culinary tour, all complimented by the design of world-renowned artist Urs Fischer.

Review Quotes

"Fans of Mediterranean cuisine will find a lot to like." - Publishers Weekly

"Mina Stone evokes the tradition of recipes passed down by matriarchal lineages through her memories of flavor. She intuitively and gently shares her Greek staples, a knowing like the back of her hand. After reading, you are left with a desire to gather, toast, and re-create these recipes with and for your loved ones." - Angela Dimayuga, chef and author of Filipinx: Heritage Recipes from the Diaspora

"From the moment I read just the title of Mina's book, I knew I would love the contents. Lemons and olive oil are, after all, possibly my two favorite ingredients, and love, I would venture to say, is the shared atmosphere in which both Mina and I learned to cook. Mina writes delicious, unfussy, ingredient-driven recipes for dishes that bring forth big flavor (lots of acid, oil, and heat--all the good things). This book makes me want to cook!" - Fanny Singer, author of Always Home: A Daughter's Recipes & Stories and cofounder of Permanent Collection

"Mina Stone is the most unpretentious chef I know. She makes magic with the humblest ingredients and makes you wonder why you ever thought cooking was supposed to be anything but the most pure, honest act of love." - Julia Sherman, cook, artist, and author of Salad for President: A Cookbook Inspired by Artists and Arty Parties: An Entertaining Cookbook

"I've been a fanboy of Mina Stone for years, and I am always thinking of what she is cooking because, well, she makes the food that so many of us crave most: simple, vibrant, and incredibly delicious. As soon as you open Lemon, Love & Olive Oil, you'll want to cook everything--the true test of any cookbook." - Andy Baraghani, senior editor, Bon Appétit

"Lemon, Love & Olive Oil is a wonderful combination of cool art-world style and warm yiayia love--just like Mina! This is delicious 'grandma' cooking at its best--fresh, flavorful, simple, and seasonal, but with a modern twist that makes it exactly what I want to cook right now. I can't wait to make everything!" - Lisa Gross, Founder/CEO of the League of Kitchens

"As cliché as it sounds, this is literally the book I look to for inspiration. I love cooking from it and my whole family loves eating this food. My kids ask for it by name!" - Andrew Tarlow, owner of Diner and coauthor of Dinner at the Long Table

"[Mina's] emphasis on the best and simplest of ingredients defines her cooking philosophy. . . . her dedication to homey tastes will help endear this Greek-Mediterranean collection to generations of cooks." - Booklist