"An extraordinary new cookbook by Marlene Matar, The Aleppo Cookbook: Celebrating the Legendary Cuisine of Syria, has finally brought the delights of the Aleppo kitchen to a wider audience. We could not have a better guide� Her recipes draw on the knowledge of Aleppo's great chefs as well as experienced home cooks. Her gorgeous and comprehensive cookbook covers every aspect of Aleppo cooking, from its fish and lamb dishes to its famous jams. The book is not only a love letter to the city's cuisine, but a crucial means of safeguarding its food heritage for generations to come� To cook from The Aleppo Cookbook is both bittersweet and deeply emotional. Though it may seem like a strange time to celebrate Aleppo's food when so many in the city are suffering, many from hunger, I would argue that there is no better time. For so many Syrians I know, their food is a potent reminder of who they really are." � The Wall Street Journal
"Syria's venerable cuisine draws together diverse strains of Middle Eastern traditions to form a rich amalgam. As the nation's largest city, positioned close to Turkey and Lebanon, Aleppo is home to Arabs, Kurds, Turks, Jews, and other ethnic communities, each of which has contributed to its culinary traditions. Moreover, Aleppo was the western terminus of the ancient Silk Road, so even Chinese influences are detectable in its cooking. Professional chef and cooking instructor Matar offers detailed instructions for preparing multiple versions of kibbeh, the Middle East's renowned ground-meat dish. Other recipes offer tasty ways to cook vegetables for serving both hot and cold. Rich, sweet desserts conclude the book. Recipes are easy to follow and rarely demand hard-to-find ingredients. It's hard to imagine a cookbook that can make a reader weep, but poring over the book's richly colored photographs of Syrians crowding souks amid a sumptuous array of foods and utensils, one can only mourn their probable ruin in Syria's current civil war." � Booklist, starred review
"The rich culinary heritage of Aleppo comes to life in this tribute to the Syrian city at the ancient Mediterranean crossroads. While acknowledging that war, migration, and climate change challenge modern-day Aleppo, Marlene Matar, Lebanese chef of television and cooking school fame, offers delicious ways to celebrate the diverse historical roots of Middle Eastern cooking in over 200 recipes for foundation dishes and fancier meals. Chapters include appetizers, grains, and stuffed dishes; stews, soups, and sauce-based recipes; flatbread, pickles, and preserves; and drinks and desserts. Nearly 30 variations of kibbeh are featured, including quince in a pomegranate meat stock. Numerous vegetable main dishes are included, such as a stew of lentils, bulgar, and caramelized onions, and a traditional Aleppian dish with the delightful name of 'Hidden Love' that consists of stuffed zucchini cooked with green beans in a tomato sauce. Desserts include lemony milk pudding infused with rosewater and orange blossoms. Ingredients are regional but accessible to home cooks, and there's a glossary. This introduction to Middle Eastern cooking techniques will equally satisfy beginners or experienced fans of the regional fare. Cityscape photos and colorful prepared dishes captivate as Matar brings Aleppo's aromas, marketplace, and table to life." � Publishers Weekly, BEST BOOKS OF 2016
"Long before the beleaguered Syrian city figured so prominently in the war headlines, it earned renown as the intersection of the trade route between Asia and Europe, called the Silk Road, that deposited a rich mixture of cuisines and cultures there. Chef Marlene Matar reminds us of the city's culinary glory in her new The Aleppo Cookbook: Celebrating the Legendary Cuisine of Syria." � The Washington Post, BEST COOKBOOKS OF 2016