Bethlehem - by Fadi Kattan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Bethlehem is a celebration of Palestinian food and culture from one of the area's most dynamic chefs and a portrait of one of the most storied cities in the world."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A BEST COOKBOOK OF THE YEAR: Los Angeles Times

Bethlehem is a celebration of Palestinian food and culture from one of the area's most dynamic chefs and a portrait of one of the most storied cities in the world.

Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan celebrates the hidden parts of Bethlehem, his home, conjuring the colors and smells of its market and spice shops and introducing readers to the local farmers and artisans with whom he works to find the perfect ingredients and shares his love of culinary experimentation. Fadi's inspiration comes from these food artisans, who grow the grapes, mill the wheat, make the olive oil, and most importantly, pass down the generational food knowledge.

His loving profiles of these people are accompanied by his own recipes, some passed down, some from his restaurants in Bethlehem and London. Learn to stuff grape leaves with Nabulsi cheese, slow roast lamb seasoned with fenugreek and cardamom, roll labaneh in nigella seeds, and make Mouhalabieh, a milky pudding scented with mastic and pistachios. Bright and bold flavors and the stories of their origins await readers in Bethlehem.

Amidst growing chaos and strife, these stories, recipes, and the legacy of this ancient city, Bethlehem, endure.

Review Quotes

"Between the recipes here, chef Fadi Kattan introduces readers to the Bethlehem vendors of fresh herbs and vegetables, the bakers offering scalding-hot kmaj, and the butchers in the old souk. Kattan weaves their stories into the fabric of family memories and iconic Palestinian dishes, organized by season."--Maggie Hoffman, Epicurious,

"The immense love and pride that restaurateur Kattan feels for his native city shines through on every page of this elegant collection. Appealing and approachable traditional recipes are studded with moving portraits of Bethlehem locals, including a vendor Kattan dubs the Queen of Herbs and members of his own extended family."--Publishers Weekly

"This stunning volume reminds us that culinary history needs to be recorded and shared. A deeply personal book that focuses on the beautiful food of Palestine organized by seasons: fig jam, aubergines roasted with tahinia, lentil soup with cumin and turmeric, and dibs and tahinia shortbread. Essays featuring great home cooks, olive oil production, and other local, seasonal foods of Palestine make this a very readable book."--Kathy Gunst, WBUR

"Augmented with beautiful photos, this ode to Palestinian culinary culture stuns."--Publishers Weekly

"Bethlehem: A Celebration of Palestinian Food (Hardie Grant) showcases the flavours, artisans and terroir of the West Bank city that Kattan calls home."--Ajesh Patalay, Financial Times

"Bethlehem: A Celebration of Palestinian Food - is dedicated to preserving part of a culture that's been torn apart by decades of displacement and war. It's a love letter through food to [Kattan's] childhood home in the West Bank." --Morning Edition, NPR

"Fadi Kattan's book is part recipe tome, part memoir, and part travel guide to his home city of Bethlehem. Between recipes from Kattan's favorite local restaurants and family heritage, you'll find lively profiles of the people who make his city the food capital it is."--Lizzy Briskin, The Quality Edit

"In a devastating time for Palestinians, as a violent assault pushes surviving Gazans to the brink of famine and impacts life for those in the West Bank every day, Kattan's book aims to bring Bethlehem into people's kitchens to preserve the traditions, culture, and flavors of Palestine well beyond the region."--Anastasia Miari, Condé Nast Traveler

"The book is an entirely collaborative object. Inside, where the contents are organized by season, Elias Halabi's expansive photographs show us lush natural landscapes throughout the occupied territories of the author's homeland, while Ashley Lima's saturated images of plated dishes are prompts to 'eat this now.' Kattan has included visual and written portraits of farmers, purveyors, and cooks who are each an integral part of his culinary network, along with those of his own family members, living and dead, who have also provided inspiration for numerous recipes shared within these pages." --Charlotte Druckman, Eater

About the Author

Fadi Kattan is a Franco-Palestinian chef living in Bethlehem. He has two restaurants: Fawda, in Bethlehem, and Akub, in London, as well as a Youtube series profiling Palestinian grandmothers and their food knowledge and traditions.