2013 has already been quite the culinary adventure. I’ve been learning so much, from trying new techniques to using different ingredients. One of the biggest highlights, however, was meeting the author of Jerusalem, Yotam Ottolenghi.

After starting to write about food and what goes into thinking creatively about each recipe, it was wonderful to hear from someone so advanced in the art and has traveled the world of food. He was so well spoken and had some great stories to share. I especially enjoyed the one where he was forced to choose between a renowned, made to order chicken salad dish and being on time to a meeting. Of course, the chicken salad won.

Every recipe in this cookbook not only sounds delicious and interesting, but all the pictures are incredible beautiful. You almost wish you could eat the page because it seems impossible to recreate something that looks so perfect! But hopefully this one can do the book some justice.

I am just beginning my career and really have no idea where my path will take me, but if it is half as exotic and interesting as Yotam Ottolenghi’s, then I’m sure it will be an enjoyable one.

If you are looking to add some different flavors to your pallet and cooking repertoire, I would highly suggest picking up this book.  It really expresses the flavors of the region, but most of all it brings it all home for the author, which I think is why the book has been so successful. Cooking really comes from the heart and pleasure comes from feeding the ones we love, where memories are made around the table. You get those vibes from this book, and I can’t wait to dive in more!

• I cup Greek yogurt + ¾ cup milk

OR

• 1 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 large stale Turkish flatbread or naan
• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 3.5 oz radishes, thinly sliced
• 3 mini cucumbers, peeled and diced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• ½ oz. fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
• ¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sumac, plus more to garnish

If using yogurt and milk, start at least 3 hours and up to a day in advance by placing in a bowl. Whisk well and leave in a cool place or in the fridge until bubbles form on the surface. What you get is a kind of homemade buttermilk, but less sour.

Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Add your fermented yogurt mixture to commercial buttermilk, followed by the rest of the ingredients, mix well, and leave for 10 minutes for all the flavors to combine.

Spoon the fattoush into serving bowls, drizzle with some olive oil, and garnish generously with sumac.