Sitto's Kitchen II: Please see the newest Sitto's Kitchen, published June 2, 2020, available on Amazon, which is a compilation of cookbooks I and II. It is all in full color with photos throughout. Sitto's Kitchen II is only available used and only sold by other distributors, not the publisher.
A Treasury of Syrian Family Recipes includes the original recipes brought by a 14-year-old Syrian immigrant to Ellis Island in 1912. This second cookbook gains new life in this additional collection of treasured recipes and memories. Janice Jweid Reed lovingly presents dishes her grandmother learned in Aleppo, Syria, representing more than 100 years of traditional Arab cooking. Reed describes techniques used long ago, along with contemporary cooking tips and memories associated with each dish. Recipes range from traditional Aleppo breakfasts to after-dinner Arab sweets showcasing the variety this distinctive cuisine offers the palate.Sitto's Kitchen II, the author's second book, includes over a dozen more recipes and many more photos. The cookbook starts with a Basics chapter that will guide the reader with tips on pantry staples, cook's tools and the typical ingredients needed to begin creating this exciting cuisine. A glossary of spices and herbs, a recipe list in both English and Arabic, a Where to Buy It section and full color photos of the dishes are presented with today's cooks in mind.
Although these treasured Syrian family recipes are traditional and the author carefully describes the techniques used long ago, she has simplified and updated them. Young cooks or anyone new to Middle Eastern cuisine will find the author's notes at the end of each recipe a helpful and contemporary touch.More charming stories and anecdotes will give readers a window into the past,inviting them to learn about this culture while exploring its cuisine and the history surrounding it.The next generations of young Arab cooks who long for these traditional foods will be drawn into Sitto's Kitchen II. The author showcases a tradition of hospitality learned at her grandmother's side. Those exploring new cuisines will find that these Middle Eastern spices and fragrant herbs will carry them to new lands. For thousands of years, the distinctive cuisine of Aleppo, Syria has relied on the freshest of vegetables, fruits and nuts of the region. The accent on vegetables and grain-based dishes will appeal to vegetarians as well as those wanting a homespun adventure in Middle Eastern cookery. Sitto's Kitchen II is Middle Eastern cooking with no mystery, simply prepared and traditionally preserved by generations of cooks who served these humble dishes to their families with love.Janice Jweid Reed grew up in the vibrant Syrian-Lebanese community of Paterson, New Jersey. Her grandparents, having emigrated from Aleppo, Syria, brought the Middle Eastern traditions, foods and Arabic language that were an integral part of her upbringing.
Janice's interest in food preparation and regional cuisine led her to travel across the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico and abroad. Her family heritage has instilled an appreciation and knowledge of Middle Eastern culture, language and particularly, the renowned cuisine of Aleppo, Syria.
In the last twenty years, the author has lived and worked in Southern California.
Recently retired, and now a grandmother herself, she enjoys cooking and teaching the preparation of traditional Arab foods for family, friends and community. Janice Jweid Reed relishes the role of keeping her family's ancestry alive in their cuisine and traditions. Through her cookbook, Sitto's Kitchen II, A Treasury of Syrian Family Recipes, the legacy of these 100-year-old recipes becomes timeless. The author welcomes all who wish that they too had a grandmother or "Sitto" in their kitchen!
