Seattle Bon Vivant

Arabesque: Claudia Roden at Benaroya Hall

Her delicious and easy peasy apple cake is a staple in my house and her classic The New Book of Middle Eastern Food an integral part of my cookery library.

And tomorrow night, Claudia Roden, award winning food writer and author of The Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey from Samarkand to New York who right now happens to be on book tour in the U.S. (born and raised in Cairo, she currently lives in London) for her brand new book Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon will be appearing at Benaroya Hall as part of Nextbook's Writers Series.

According to Michelle Yanow of Nextbook, Ms. Roden will talk about her career, including such topics as: how she started collecting recipes from relatives and friends when the Jews left Egypt after Suez, and continued to collect from other communities; why she became interested in the history and background of foods; her views on food as an important part of culture and identity; how for her writing about food is - apart from eating and cooking good food - about meeting people and hearing stories.

The book is organized by countries (Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon), contains over 150 recipes and I love that not only does she cover the classics but improves on Middle Eastern favorites--she offers tagines any cook can prepared at home and utilizes simple equipment most of us have around in our kitchens.

But most of all, Ms. Roden incorporates in this book one of my favorite things in the world, my beloved quince. Just look at that cover! That alone sold me on the book.

Following her talk, Ms. Roden will be joined onstage by chef, food writer and culinary arts instructor Emily Moore for conversation and Q&A. Ms. Roden's books will be available from Elliott Bay Book Co., and there will also be a booksigning after the program.

So, come on, start thinking of a good question to ask Ms. Roden, listen in on some delectable conversation, a chance to pick up your very own copy of Arabesque and definitely some inspiration for this week's menus.

To order your tickets click here

 

Nextbook Writers Series: Claudia Roden
Monday, November 20
7:30 pm
$8 Regular Admission $6 Student/Under 25
Benaroya Hall
200 University Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206 215 4800
Will Call/Box Office opens at 6:45pm.
Seating is general admission

Heads up fellow downtowners: Whole Foods opens tomorrow!

For the past two years, here at Seattle Bon Vivant, we've been following the construction--with the accompanying gradual disappearance of most of our Lake Union view--of the new Whole Foods, the first major downtown grocery store "in generations".

And finally, as of tomorrow at 8am, no more schlepping to Ravenna, no more driving in traffic to Queen Anne, Capitol Hill or Fremont. As of tomorrow, Seattle gets its fourth Whole Foods store and our neighborhood finally gets what we have been patiently waiting for and in desperate need of: our very own supermarket, our very own Whole Foods no less, 45,000 square feet of deliciousness.

A quick walk away, morning, noon or evening, to supply us with organic produce--in particular, but also cheese, wine and other goodies-- once our neighborhood farmers markets close shop for the season.

Personally, I can't wait! Welcome to the neighborhood!

Whole Foods Market
2200 Westlake
(corner of Westlake Ave. & Denny Way)
Seattle, Washington 98101

A Whole-hearted welcome to the 'hood

Downtown gets its own big grocery