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ONE of the region’s top celebrity chefs will be calling into Bahrain for a book signing ceremony and to dish up a few tips about Arabic dishes – recipes for traditional foods like falafel, shawarma and stuffed vine leaves with a modern twist.
Suzanne Husseini will be signing her best-selling book When Suzanne Cooks and staging a cooking demonstration at Words BookstoreCafé near Saar on June 6.
“The book is full of authentic Arabic dishes that I love to cook for my family and friends,” said the mother-of-three.
“I wanted to write a book that showcased and celebrated the elegant and sophisticated cuisine of the Middle East/Arabic world. I also wanted to shed light on an amazing food culture that spans hundreds of years and has left its mark on so many different types of cuisine including French, Spanish and Italian.
“I am true to the ingredients. I give my food a modern touch but always maintain the integrity of the dish.”
Her parents are both of Arabic origin, Palestinian specifically, who immigrated to Canada with four young children. Growing up, Suzanne watched her mother put her soul into cooking and creating the traditional Arabic dishes she knew best. She made everything from scratch, including pitta bread, falafel, hummus, baklawa, biscuits and puddings.
This daily feast of flavours warmed Suzanne’s heart and inspired her deep-rooted love of cooking, as well as her belief in the kitchen as the heart of the home.
“I grew up in Canada and I consider it my home,” explained Suzanne, a teacher who has also been a restaurant manager, Pilate’s instructor and a TV presenter.“I now live in Dubai which is my second home. I’ve been here for 13 years and we previously lived in Saudi Arabia for five years.”
Susanne, married to chemical engineer Ahmed Hussein, is no stranger to Bahrain either. She said: “When we lived in Saudi Arabia, we would visit Bahrain often on holidays and weekends. I loved Bahrain and its generous and beautiful people. There was always that sense of warmth and welcome when we visited. We were lucky to have dear friends there.”
She has written two books, one in Arabic entitled Loqme Taibe and the other When Suzanne Cooks which has been published in the UK, Australia and New Zealand with Hardie Grant under the name Modern Flavours of Arabia. This October leading publisher Random House will be launching it in Canada and the US.
The book is divided into five chapters – Breakfast, Lunch, Mezze, Dinner and Dessert. “I wanted to show readers what would typically be eaten for each meal,” Suzanne explained. “I’ve simplified the recipes and hopefully de-mystified them.
“I also sought one of the best food photographers in the world to capture the most beautiful images. Each recipe is accompanied by a sumptuous photo and a story.
“Hopefully everyone will love the book. Based on what I’ve seen, my book appeals to all ages and cultures – people who are not familiar with Arabic cuisine but are fascinated to know more, health-conscious people who understand how wonderful the food of the Mediterranean is, and, of course, Arabic people who want to keep cooking their food and are looking for a modern take on traditional recipes.”
One of the quirks resulting from the recent unrest in Bahrain has been the number of people who have started entertaining at home. As reported in GulfWeekly, some are trying their hands at producing their own dishes for the first time.
“I guess that’s the silver lining in troubled times,” said Suzanne. “It’s wonderful that people have been inspired to cook again. I can’t think of a better way to forge new friendships. Breaking bread with friends and family is something that people have been missing for too long. There is a sense of peace and joy when we cook and eat together.
“My advice would be to not complicate the menu. Seek out the best and freshest ingredients and cook something tasty and simple to prepare. Your friends are already happy that you are making the effort for them. Don’t forget the main ingredients are the love and soul you put in the dish.”
An entire chapter of her book is dedicated to mezze, delectable appetisers – like meatballs with sour cherry sauce, flaky cheese and spinach-filled pastries, and grilled aubergines with pomegranate dressing – which readers can prepare for entertaining their guests.
Suzanne is a regular contributor to BBC Good Food magazine and has been a featured presenter at major food events such as Taste of Dubai, Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, Gourmand’s Paris Cook Book Fair and Frankfurt Book Fair.
Susanne will be appearing at the wordsbookstore.cafe in Palm Sqaure, Budaiya Highway on June 6 at 7pm.
To find out more about the author, visit www.suzannehusseini.com
