This week on Good Food, Evan talked to Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi about the American version of their cookbook Ottolenghi:the Cookbook, that is based off their restaurants in the U.K. And while this latest book is causing a buzz, so is one of their earlier collaborations from 2012, Jerusalem: A Cookbook, in the form of an avid social media following.
“Tasting Jerusalem” is a Facebook page with over 900 likes, that is self-described as a “culinary tour through the Middle East via Jerusalem: A Cookbook.” They established the hashtag #tastingjrslm to connect users of various social media platforms and food enthusiasts of all levels to trade tips and pictures of their cooking endeavors related to topics covered in the book (pictured above, Evan Kleiman prepared a recipe from the book). Sarene Wallace spearheads the group, and says that it’s a fun way to learn about Middle Eastern cuisine.
The recipes in the book include traditional dishes in Jerusalem, as well as others from a diverse range of “influences from the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cooks who live there,” writes the New York Times. The book’s recipes also draw inspiration from places like Poland and Syria.