A Taste of the Arabian Gulf - The First In-Depth Guide to the Secrets of Authentic Bahraini and Gulf Cooking

The first English language edition of the first comprehensive Gulf cookery book. Original colour illustrated stiff wraps 21x29cm. Designed and printed by the Government Press, Ministry of Information, Bahrain. xii, 144pp with many colour photos and in-text b/w drawings. Near fine with name inside front wrap, and presentation inscription in Arabic to the front blank. The inscription is addressed to HH Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and dated 2/11/88. It has not been confirmed whether this copy made it to the Emir, as there are no other ownership marks present. It is however evident that Al-Zayani had top level official backing in her endeavour, offering special thanks and appreciation to the Information Minister (p.vii). Al-Zayani (b. Bahrain 1955) began studying for her BSc agriculture and food technology at the American University of Beirut, but was forced to complete at Texas Technical University due to the civil war. Graduating in 1977, she joined the Bahrain Flour Mills Company to work on quality control and research. She left in 1982 to join her family firm, the Al Zayani Investment Company. In 1986 she made 26 TV programmes on Gulf cookery broadcast across most GCC networks. Although this English language edition dates after Suzi Wells' "Arabian Gulf Cookbook" (first published in Kuwait in 1985), Al Zayani's original Arabic edition titled "Al Soofrah Al Khaleejiah" first appeared in 1983, and by the time of this first English edition, was already in its 4th printing. For this edition she added "considerable cultural information and etiquette of the Arab world - so often shrouded in mystery for the Westerner" (back cover). She thus opens with the cultural and historical angle, noting the marriage between Bedouin and pearl diving cultures "both dominated by the simplicity of life in days when resources were scarce". Thus food was basic, limited to what the Arabian Gulf waters offered, with rice and grains brought by pearl diving ships, and a few locally sourced vegetables and fruits. The authentic Arabian Gulf flavour developed with the adoption of spices combined from India, Iran and Zanzibar. The range of available food chnaged dramatically with the oil boom, as did people's tastes and preferences based on education and greater health awareness (Introduction). Chapters cover general instructions (for rice flour, black dried lemons, Gulf spices, and dessert spices); breads; soups; sauces; rice; main dishes; snacks; desserts; drinks; and pickles. The recipe photos were taken by Dennis O'Mello and the author, with other photos by David MacDowall. This appears to be rare, with Worldcat locating only 5 institutional copies (OCLC 47962838: Harvard, Michigan State University, UCLA, University of Haifa, National Library of China); not recorded on Library Hub. A 2nd edition appeared in 2001, which is unrecorded.…