A Taste Of Syria

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ANNE E. MCBRIDE
212-685-4371

A Taste of Syria
Virginia Jerro Gerbino & Philip M. Kayal

A Taste of Syria is a collection of treasured family recipes that were brought to this country by the authors grandparents, immigrants from Aleppo, Syria. Two generations later, a desire to honor the culinary skills of their own parents, Helen Kassar Jerro and Alice Kassar Kayal, led to this cookbook. The Kassars are known for their culinary skills and commitment to preserving the integrity of Syrian cuisine. All these family recipes are reproductions of meals prepared similarly in Syria today. While some items (like hummus) are universal throughout the Middle East, the tastes of Aleppo are unique in their particular mixture of spices and textures. It is also a particularly healthful cuisine, with many vegetarian recipes reflecting the sophistication of that city. Syrian entrees are lamb-based (very lean cuts), and include rolled grape leaves with meat, and stuffed squash or eggplant cooked in a garlic, tomato, lemon, and mint sauce.

Complete with indices in English and Arabic, A Taste of Syria opens with an introduction to Syria and Aleppian cuisine, a glossary of terms, and a guide to Syrian food preparation. Helpful serving hints and a list of ingredient and utensil suppliers complement this cookbook, which will be an exciting addition to the collection of all Middle Eastern food lovers.

Born and raised in the large Syrian/Lebanese community in Brooklyn, Virginia Jerro Gerbino, a grandmother herself, is the family cook and the keeper of its culinary traditions. She has inherited her love of cooking from her mother Helen, who excelled in the preparation of Syrian pastries. She is a legal secretary and now resides in New Jersey. Her first cousin and co-author, Philip Kayal, is a sociologist at Seton Hall University in New Jersey and the author of several books on the Arab-American experience. Realizing that food is part of ethnic identity and heritage, the authors see this cookbook as a necessary contribution to the culinary melting pot of America.

Hippocrene Books, a New York-based publishing house specializing in reference and trade titles of international interest, features more than 70 cuisines in its cookbook program.

A Taste of Syria
Virginia Jerro Gerbino & Philip M. Kayal
$24.95 hardcover; ISBN 0-7818-0946-0; 235 pages; 5= x 8=
Publication date: March 2003

For review copies and interviews, contact Anne E. McBride:
T: 212-685-4371; F: 212-779-9338; E-mail: hippocrene.books@verizon.net