Middle Eastern Cookery - Hardcover

Arto der Haroutunian's classic was regarded as a seminal work on a rich culinary tradition. It was out of print for 20 years, but second-hand copies changed hands for over £400. At last, here's a redesigned new edition of the cookbook everyone wants. --Delicious magazine

much admired ... covers an impressively disparate range of cultures --Cathy Pryor, The Independent on Sunday

...the seminal work from the Middle East. It was his belief that the rich culinary tradition of the Middle East is the main source for many of our Western cuisine. As it contains every possible recipe from the region, which are peppered with anecdotes on life, food, and Middle Eastern culture, this book will provide real foodies with a classic they can enjoy for years to come. --The Oxford Times

Every one of the 12 cookbooks Arto der Haroutunian wrote became a classic; his thoughtful, erudite writing helped to explain to westerners the subtlety, complexity and diversity of Middle Eastern and North African cooking. Arto der Haroutunian was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1940 and grew up in the Levant, but came to England with his parents as a child and remained here for most of his life. He studied architecture at Manchester University and established a career designing restaurants, clubs and hotels. In 1970, in partnership with his brother, he opened the first Armenian restaurant in Manchester which eventually became a successful chain of six restaurants and two hotels.Given his passion for cooking it was a natural progression that he should then begin to write cookery books as they combined his love of food with his great interest in the history and culture of the region. It was his belief that the rich culinary tradition of the Middle East is the main source of many of our Western cuisines and his books were intended as an introduction to that tradition. All the many cookbooks written by Der Haroutunian have now been out of print for many years and second hand copies fetch hundreds of pounds. He died in 1987 at the untimely age of 47. He is survived by his wife and son who still live in Manchester.As well as his passion for cooking, Arto der Haroutunian was a painter of international reputation who exhibited all over the world. His other interests included composing music and translating Turkish, Arab, Persian and Armenian authors. He was a true polymath. This is a wonderful cookbook, and has become one of the two or three I reach for first and use most. The recipes are easy to follow and make, the explanations are clear. Many of the recipes are introduced with stories from the region.