Maydān Recipes from Lebanon and beyond

Employed everywhere from North Central Africa to Central Asia, the word "maydān" translates as an open space in which people come together. Michelin-starred restaurateur Previte, one of whose Washington, DC, establishments is named Maydān, borrows dishes and cooking techniques from a similarly wide-ranging geographic swath of land for her debut cookbook. Written with Marah Stets, the cookbook celebrates Previte's own cultural heritage while simultaneously, brilliantly showcasing dishes from the Middle East, Northern Africa, and the region around the Caucasus Mountains. Artfully sprinkled among the recipes are some of Previte's own stories, like her introduction to khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread), which inspired her to open her first restaurant. Throughout the book, she challenges cooks not just to think in terms of single dishes but also to consider how to build a meal around an ever-evolving progression of plates. VERDICT Adventurous home cooks will enjoy the plethora of enticing, cross-cultural delights dished up in this engagingly and gracefully written culinary guide.--John Charles