Arabia & Bismilla Arabia

First two books in my career were published both only in Dutch, Arabia & Bismilla Arabia, by Kosmos Publishers, 2008, 2010.

However from those books together with Under the shade of Olive trees, Under the mediterranean sun was created as a 10 year compilation book of all those books. At least part of it was translated.

In Arabia and Bismilla Arabia my co author Nadia Zerouali and myself researched the kitchens from the Arab world, in our own way. In the kitchen! Cooking with all those fierce passionate ladies who tell you what to do and more important what not! Those experiences really shaped me as a cook today. We went to Syria (yes….pre-war) Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, Algeria, Libya (same!), Palestine and Israel. To learn the basics but yet to explore in our own way. Until now i’m inspired by tradition always.

Photography Sven Benjamins

illustrations by Rosa Vitalie