Extensive research led Lara Ariss to decide on the Levantine cuisine as the topic of her first cookbook. The choice was rather obvious given Lara’s Lebanese roots and her appreciation for fresh fruits and harvest, and the balanced food that abound in the Levantine cuisine.

The topic of Levantine Cuisine being wide,
Lara chose to tackle it from a specific angle — that of seasons. Furthermore, Lara’s extensive study of
Levantine recipes led her to realize that recipes are written in complex steps and language that need an
update that speaks to the modern lifestyle.

Hence, in addition to the seasons, Lara decided on simplicity:

-'Hummus With Sun-Dried Tomato Confit: Hummus bi Tahini is probably the best-known Middle
Eastern mezze staple, a creation of Levantine and Egyptian Arabs. In this recipe, I have moved away from the traditional Lebanese topping — fried chopped or minced lamb meat with pine nuts and olive oil — to
an equally delicious, vegetarian friendly-version.'
(P. 72).

-'Pumpkin Kebbeh: This popular vegan version of kebbeh, which does away with fresh minced lamb,
was initially created for lent. In the past, preparing kebbeh was a laborious process that involved pounding the main ingredient, usually the meat, and the burghul (cracked wheat) in a mortar and pestle.' (P. 132).

208 pages. Published in 2016.

Also by this author:
- Sweet Levantine