The August Book of the Month: Scents and Flavors: A Syrian Cookbook (Patreon)

Our Book of the Month for August will be Scents and Flavors: A Syrian Cookbook, translated by Charles Perry. Get ready for some medieval dining with this thirteenth-century cookbook.

Organized like a meal, Scents and Flavors opens with appetizers and juices and proceeds through main courses, side dishes, and desserts. Apricot beverages, stuffed eggplant, pistachio chicken, coriander stew, melon crepes, and almond pudding are seasoned with nutmeg, rose, cloves, saffron, and the occasional rare ingredient such as ambergris to delight and surprise the banqueter. Bookended by chapters on preparatory perfumes, incenses, medicinal oils, antiperspirant powders, and after-meal hand soaps, this comprehensive culinary journey is a feast for all the senses.

It's part of the Library of Arabic Literature series from New York University Press. We had a lot of interest in the first two books from this series, so we will stay with them for August and September.

If you are already signed up for our Book of the Month, then just stayed signed and this will be the next book you get. If you are not, just change your patreon level to either the $45 or $65 tiers.