Like the Irish, over the last century and a half,  the Lebanese have migrated around the world.  And as they have travelled, so they have taken their spicy Middle Eastern cuisine with them.  As in South Africa, Australia has a strong Lebanese community.  Nouha Taouk is such a Lebanese-Australian from a vibrant family cooking-tradition.

In her book,  Whispers From A Lebanese Kitchen, she shares the stories of her grandmother and the unique bond between the women in her family, created through cooking together.

For her, the kitchen has always been a place to share the family history, where not only the history of the family has been shared, but also the traditions of the cuisine.

This rich tradition has been beautifully captured in Whispers From A Lebanese Kitchen. Although not a vegetarian book, meatless cooking has an important place in Middle Eastern cuisine and the book is awash with hearty vegetarian recipes – pickles, salads, stuffed vegetables, pulses, they are all here.

Meat lovers however have not been left out.  All the classics are there,  from kibbeh and grilled chicken, to hearty stews and roasts.  And of course there are the desserts, leafy pastries, buttery biscuits, but strangely no baklava.

Whispers from a Lebanese Kitchen is more than straightforward recipes, it’s a family food journey and a very personal one. If you enjoy Lebanese or Middle Eastern food, this is a worthwhile book.  Wickedfood Cooking School will definitely use it as a reference for our Lebanese cooking classes, as well as our Middle Eastern cooking classes.

Interested in buying this book? Visit – Red Pepper Books – The South African online bookshop, is able to offer you great prices on any book you are looking for, and they deliver to your door. Pay only R283 for this book (Recommended Retail Price = R315)! Red Pepper Books is offering Wickedfood Cooking School subscribers an EXTRA 10% off this book. Simply type in the promotional code WICKEDFOOD on the shipping page of the checkout process and your purchase will be reduced by a further 10%, a total saving of R32.

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.