Addie's Way
Michael J. Shaheen
Hardcover
(Shaheen Enterprises, LLC, Dec. 1, 2009)
LONG BEFORE fresh and local were buzzwords in food magazines, there was Addie Bedway Shaheen, who knew the value of a joyful kitchen laden with tender grape leaves, fragrant garlic cloves, tangy lemon, and a generous handful of rice. Addie s death in 1994 did not stop the family from passing on the joy. In Addie s Way, son Michael carries the torch, sharing his mother s memories of her life as a first generation Lebanese-American in rural Ohio. Addie s fond memories of her life in a large Lebanese family leap off the pages, which feature gorgeous photographs and recipes like: Chick Pea Sesame Dip {Hommos b Thahini } Broiled Eggplant Dip {Baba Ghanouj } Pickled Turnips { Lift Makbus } Cracked Wheat Salad { Tabooli } Bread Salad { Fatoosh } Rice with Noodles Baked Stuffed Kibbee { Kibbee Sineah } Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Pocket Bread { Khubz } Spinach Pie { Fatayer b Sbanikh } Stuffed Grape Leaves { Mishshee Waraq Inab } Uncle Asad s Children s Cream Pie Ellie s Apple Cake Although the food takes center stage, it is clear that Addie s love of her family is the star. When she first began writing her memoirs, Addie said this about her mother: That kind of joy is what her children and grandchildren always felt in her kitchen, eating the food she prepared with such pride and pleasure. Sahteen, the Lebanese say when they ask you to enjoy their food; literally it means twice your health. May these recipes of Elizabeth Zarouf Bedway nourish and sustain your family as they have mine.... Ranging from the very simple to the sublime, each dish and the accompanying stories will stir the imagination, whet the appetite, and help nourish what is most important. From Addie s table to yours ... sahteen!