Lovely cookbook with beautiful pictures and stories. I probably won’t make many of the recipes, as they are authentic and thus have a lot of ingredients and techniques I’m not familiar with. But the book is nice as a book!

Very interesting and insightful with recipes, images and stories. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC digital copy of this book for review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The photographs in this book, on the scenery, food and people, are beautiful. It shows a great blending of the two cultures and is split up in a great way with breakfast, light meals, main courses and desserts all having their own chapter. The recipes themselves are easy enough to follow as well.

I have a shelf full of Israeli and Palestinian cookbooks in my dining room, and there has never been a better time to cook from them and read the stories and histories they contain. The Arab-Israeli Cookbook has straightforward recipes with easily-accessible ingredients. My favorite parts of the book are the narrative discussions that proceed the recipes. I'm glad to see this book not only still in print but receiving new attention.

Robin Soans’ The Arab-Israeli Cookbook: The Recipes is so much more than a cookbook—it’s a bridge between cultures, told through the universal language of food. Born from interviews with people across Israel and Palestine, this collection brings together heartfelt stories and authentic recipes ranging from falafels and tabbouleh to gefilte fish and carrot cake.

What makes this book special isn’t just the recipes (although they’re fantastic)—it’s the people behind them. Each dish feels like an invitation to sit at someone’s table and hear their story. The stunning color photos add another layer of richness, capturing the vibrancy of the region and its cuisine.

Award-winning and deeply meaningful, this book isn’t just about food; it’s about cultural equity and finding common ground through something as simple—and powerful—as a shared meal. Whether you’re here for the recipes or the stories, this is one cookbook that will nourish your kitchen and your heart.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a huge fan of cooking. I can't seem to parse out why I love baking but hate cooking so much. However, I do love trying different kinds of food. That being said, eating out is only getting more and more expensive as time goes on so I've resorted to trying to find cookbooks so that I can still have a variety of ethnics foods at home.

That being said, I like the organization of this book. The recipes seem easy to follow and I like that they include little anecdotes about where exactly the dishes came from or how they fit into people's daily lives. Being a cookbook from the early 2000's, it is a bit dated but the recipes hold up nonetheless.

Beautifully written cookbook with a huge variety of recipes mixed with human stories. A cookbook with an important place in society today, and a total must-read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Arab-Israeli Cookbook by Robin Soans and Claudia Roden is a unique and evocative work that transcends the boundaries of a traditional cookbook. This book is a rich tapestry of recipes, personal stories, and cultural insights, offering readers a profound glimpse into the lives of those living amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The book is structured around a series of interviews conducted by Soans, a playwright known for his verbatim theatre, and Roden, a celebrated food writer. They traveled to Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, collecting recipes and stories from a diverse array of individuals.

The recipes in The Arab-Israeli Cookbook are as varied and vibrant as the region itself. From traditional Palestinian dishes like Maqluba (a savory rice and vegetable dish) to Israeli favorites such as Shakshuka (eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce), the cookbook offers a wide array of flavors and techniques.

What sets this book apart is its ability to weave together food and personal narratives. The interviews reveal the everyday realities of life in a conflict zone, from the challenges of sourcing ingredients to the role of food in maintaining cultural identity and fostering community.

The writing is both engaging and informative, striking a balance between the technical aspects of cooking and the emotional weight of the stories shared.

Themes: The Arab-Israeli Cookbook explores themes of resilience, identity, and the power of food to bridge divides. It underscores the idea that, despite political and social tensions, the act of sharing a meal can foster understanding and connection.

The Arab-Israeli Cookbook is more than just a collection of recipes; it is a poignant exploration of culture, conflict, and the unifying power of food. Robin Soans and Claudia Roden have created a work that is both thought-provoking and deeply moving, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of food and culture.

Highly recommended for readers who appreciate culinary narratives that offer a window into the human experience.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free ARC!

The photography in the cookbook is gorgeous, and I love that it shows how beautiful life is. I enjoyed the faded Polaroid feel of them.

The recipes were simple and healthy, but incredibly flavorful. I have quite a few added to my list of things to make soon. They are very authentic as well.

Most of the ingredients are fairly easy to get, and so many recipes use fresh produce. Many of the recipes would be wonderful for vegans and vegetarians, and gluten free folks too.

This is a cookbook that I would love to keep in my collection, and I think I would use it often. It would be a great gift for someone at any level of cooking skill.

I was extended a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Part political essay, part cookbook, party travel journal. This work is beautiful and meaningful. The author touches on both sides of the conflict in a way that shows the humanity in both sides. The food is presented as a bridge. I was marked by the stories of having to be constantly vigilant in moving about in everyday life. Also, learning about how different people lived in the areas explored expanded my worldview that much more. The recipes sound wonderful, but due to some not containing measurements (even attempting) or timings, as well as some not including temps for the American user (one could overcome this with google, admittedly), I may not make any of the recipes. The book was a tremendous and valuable work for our time.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So, I’m a little confused. I found this on Netgalley, presumably as a book that was being published either very soon or very recently, only to find out it was published in 2004 after trying to log it into my Storygraph. I’m not sure why this was added into the log of current books, but I guess I’m not complaining, because a lot of the recipes are pretty good and I’m looking forward to trying some of them.

I’m an Ashkenazi Jew but I really enjoy Israeli and Arab food, so this was right up my alley. Recipes I’ll actually cook, for food that I actually eat on a regular basis? Sign me up! But that’s about as far as it goes. The book itself felt oddly incomplete in that the recipes were relatively undetailed, some including the ingredients and no further instructions; none of the pictures had subheadings telling you what the dishes featured were, and overall there was a lot of empty and underutilized page space. For a few of the recipes there were tidbits and stories to go along with them, but they were rare and it felt rather lacking in the end. It’s not a bad cookbook by any means, but it feels a little rushed—and considering it’s an accompanying cookbook to the actual book (play?), that makes sense. It’s nothing awful. It just felt a bit lacking.

Really interesting and tasty recipes and also so easy to make. I loved all the ideas and the little notes about each recipe. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this cuisine and this side of the world.

This cookbook is much more than a cookbook. It tells the story of the local people who cook the recipes and shows how food brings people together.

This type of cooking is of great interest to me as I know the Mediterranean way of eating is the most healthiest in all the world. I don't say "diet" because it is a lifestyle. I unfortunately am not able to read because my devices do not support the book review format and I don't read from my computer. But I'm sure it contains healthy recipes with foods that are mostly plant-based, and healthy fats that I would enjoy. I received this e-book for free from NetGalley and the opinions I express are honest and my own.

A very badly timed and unfortunately titled cookbook (They're PALESTINIANS - not Arabs) that exploits a culture which neither of the authors fully understand or respect.

The photos were nice.

I was biased before I even opened this book as I have been a fan of Middle Eastern food for much longer than I would care to admit.

Having opened said book and drooled my way through the recipes, I am so pleased that I gave into temptation. The recipes are great and enhanced by the stories of the people who supplied them. The only thing missing was a sample or two of the foods themselves!!

Very interesting cookbook - each recipe has some sort of history to it - where the authors were and the folk who made it for them.
I had to laugh at one salad recipe that was in quantities for a dining hall at an university, the note added by author was to the effect of: if you make this recipe as is and you are four people you'll be eating this salad for 5 years! It definitely made me giggle.
There are a few recipes that will for sure be added to my list, they are like nothing I have had before.
I also enjoyed the diary entries, made for a unique book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

Robin Soans wanted to write a play about the Arab Israeli situation and came up with the idea of the The Arab Israeli Cookbook as a play. He said that everyone in the Middle East is passionate about food so if they were talking about food it would stop them getting propagandist. This led to the play but afterwards Robin wanted to record the details of the dishes involved hence this cookbook with a forward written by Egyptian food writer Claudia Roden. In the book we follow Robins journey into Israel and the West Bank meeting with people and gathering information including their stories, pictures and recipes. Its a beautifully laid out book with pictures and extracts from Robin's diary and quotes from the people he spoke with.

Wonderful to look through a variety of cultural recipes.

Loved the short interviews with the recipes as well as the pictures.

Thank you for providing me with a copy of this book. I really enjoyed this and loved the stories that go with different recipes and the pictures included. The recipes themselves are also really easy to follow and describe the instructions really well. Lots of options to cook with a range of meat and vegetarian options. There weren’t as many recipes that I would personally use due to the meat in the ingredients not being meat I would usually eat however I would still recommend to those who eat more variety of meat.