Claudia Roden’s ‘A Book of Middle Eastern Food’ is one of the most influential contemporary cookbooks written. This 1986 edition of Roden’s 1968 classic was updated to include a host of new recipes. Read it as history, read it as a collection of memories, read it to find out how our love affair with Middle Eastern cuisine came to be. Above all, read it for Roden’s beautiful prose – and, whatever you do, take the time to cook her gorgeous, timeless recipes.

In 1968, Claudia Roden wrote her Book of Middle Eastern Food for readers who had never eaten an aubergine, let alone cooked one. Today, Middle Eastern foods are enjoying amazing popularity, largely thanks to her books.

Since the publication of her classic bestseller, Claudia Roden has continued to collect recipes and culinary wisdom from the Middle East, as a result of talking and writing to many people, tasting their food and watching them cook. The New Book of Middle Eastern Food is Claudia Roden's ultimate collection of recipes from the subtle, spicy, varied cuisines of the Middle East, ranging from inexpensive but tasty peasant fare to elaborate banquet dishes.

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The Gastrogays

Influencers

We have lots of Ottolenghi books in our collection and we adore and admire him as the authority on modern, meat-light Middle Eastern cookery, however we’ve longer adored Claudia Roden as a deity of cookery writing. The way she writes and cooks food is so much more about feeding the soul and understanding culture than satisfying appetite. In particular her exploration and recipe reporting on the Middle East is the best we’ve found; her books are rich, resplendent and enticing every time our hand runs along the cookbook shelf seeking inspiration.

Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Each generation is defined by its cook books. I grew up with these wonderful kitchen ‘mothers’ through the English-speaking world: Madhur Jaffrey, Paula Wolfert, Jane Grigson, Elizabeth David, Marcella Hazan, Diane Kennedy, Yan Kit-So, Anna Del Conte and Claudia Roden. I loved this book, it inspired me to travel, to buy a couscoussiere, to go to the Tunisian deserts, to love rosewater and olive oil and dried apricots and dates – and of course (deep bow) to cook my body weight in flourless orange and almond cake.

Susan Campbell

Writer and lllustrator

This book is based on the first of Roden’s cookbooks introducing us to Middle Eastern food, which was a revelation when it was first published. To be honest, I could have chosen any of her other cookbooks, but taking into the account that this is the most battered one of hers in my bookshelf, I take it to be the favourite.

Caroline Hennessy

Food writer

I used this as a guide book on a trip to Morocco years ago, reading it while travelling through dusty desert towns, exploring the souks of Marrakesh and eating all the street food that I could get my hands on. An invaluable introduction to the techniques, ingredients and dishes of the Middle East.

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