The Bookshelf: Jasmine and Fire

by Elena North-Kelly on January 29, 2013

After fleeing a war-torn Lebanon during her childhood and starting a new life in the United States, food and travel writer Salma Abdelnour always dreamed of returning to her homeland. Her poignant book, Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut, chronicles her complicated return to Lebanon and its vibrant food culture. We got in touch with her to learn about her go-to Lebanese restaurants here in New York City, her favorite cuisines around the globe, and what makes Beirut’s food culture so extraordinary.

(Join Salma tomorrow at noon for a special installment of our Beard on Books series at the Beard House.)

JBF: You wrote that when you returned to Beirut and had to come to grips with so many changes in your life, you found solace in Lebanon’s food culture. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Salma Abdelnour:... Read more >

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The Bookshelf: Chefs Can Save the World

by JBF Editors on October 15, 2012

Jeremy Barlow helms the kitchen at Tayst, Nashville’s first green-certified restaurant, but it’s his new book, Chefs Can Save the World, that’s been making waves. “Greening our nation’s restaurants will create the kind of demand for sustainably grown food required to truly change the food system,” he says. Curious how home cooks can pitch in? Here, Jeremy shares five simple ways to green your own kitchen.

COOK RESPONSIBLY

By cooking food that is local, in season, and grown in an environ-mentally and socially responsible manner, you take a giant step away from the many perils of factory farming.

WATCH THE WATER

Rather than rinsing dishes with running water before loading the dishwasher, keep a tub of soapy water in... Read more >

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The Bookshelf: Foraged Flavor

by JBF Editors on July 25, 2012

Would-be foragers out there should know about this exciting new book, Foraged Flavor: Finding Fabulous Ingredients in Your Backyard or Farmer’s Market, by Tama Matsuoka Wong, the forager for Daniel Boulud’s Daniel, and Eddy Leroux, the restaurant’s chef de cuisine. We asked Tama about some of the top foraged ingredients available at this time of year and how best to prepare them. Look for her five picks (below) in your backyard, especially in vegetable or garden beds, or ask for them at your local farmers’ market.

Shiso


When plucked from the wild, the texture and flavor of this plant’s leaves are nothing like that of the packaged shiso you’ve seen at the grocery store. Try it in Shiso Tenderloin Beef Skewers.... Read more >

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JBF's Best of the Best: José Andrés Bonus Chapter!

by JBF Editors on June 21, 2012

Our recently released book, The James Beard Foundation's Best of the Best: A 25th Anniversary Celebration of America's Outstanding Chefs, profiles the winners of the Foundation's Outstanding Chef award from 1991 to 2010, and also offers several delicious recipes from each one. When we went to press in 2011, the always charming José Andrés had just nabbed that year's Outstanding Chef award, so author Kit Wohl got to work on a bonus chapter. We decided to make it available to everyone, so download the PDF now. It includes four delicious recipes, including Andrés's oddball spin on the Philly cheesesteak and a shrimp and grapefruit salad that comes together in minutes. If you like what you see, order a copy of the full book.

Stay tuned for... Read more >

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