Anissa Helou’s new book of recipes from Lebanon spotlights villages scarred by war
The 300-recipe volume documents regional dishes from villages scarred by war and reflects Helou’s effort to preserve Lebanon’s food traditions.
- In late June, food writer Anissa Helou released her latest book, "Lebanon: Cooking the Foods of My Homeland," at a ceremony hosted by Lebanon's Tourism Ministry attended by food critics and restaurant owners.
- The book pays homage to southern Lebanon's cuisine as the country has been battered by two wars between Israel and Hezbollah over the past three years, destroying villages and their food traditions.
- During repeated visits to southern villages like Dibbine, Helou documented regional variations and met residents like Moussa Ibrahim, who lost his business producing traditional "mouneh" preserves during fighting in 2024.
- Helou, who received the Guild of Food Writers Lifetime Achievement Award last month, describes Lebanese cuisine as "a lot fresher, more vibrant" and more sophisticated than other Middle Eastern food traditions.
- Her career began in 1992 with a collection of about 300 recipes from Muslim countries, designed to present Islam and Muslim people positively through food and cultural celebration.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Anissa Helou's new book of recipes from Lebanon spotlights villages scarred by war
Anissa Helou, 74, one of the Middle East’s most acclaimed cooks and food writers, holds her new book during a ceremony at the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)Anissa Helou, 74, one of the Middle East’s most acclaimed cooks and food writers, prepares awarma, a traditional Lebanese lamb confit, at her late mother’s apartment in the Mount Lebanon town of Ballouneh, Thursday, July 2, 2…
Anissa Helou's new book of Lebanese recipes spotlights villages scarred by war
Anissa Helou's latest book traces southern Lebanon's regional dishes shaped by years of conflict, weaving food with memory and loss as the acclaimed writer reflects on Middle Eastern cuisine. 'Lebanese cuisine is kind of a little bit more sophisticated, a lot fresher, more vibrant,' she says
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