This cookbook is for home cooks who want bold, generous food without complicated preparation. It explores the connected foodways of North Africa, the Middle East, and the Caucasus, offering a warm, personal path through the flavors of Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, and the Republic of Georgia.
The recipes are approachable, shareable, and designed for the way people really eat: mixing and matching dishes, scaling meals to fit the moment, and bringing everyone to the table. Make Tunisian Chicken Skewers with Loobieh bi Zeit for a weeknight meal, prepare Lebanese small plates for guests, or spend a project day making cheesy Georgian Khachapuri. Easy-to-source Georgian and Lebanese wines complement the recipes.
Inspired by family traditions and lessons from home cooks along historic spice routes, this book shows how neighboring culinary traditions influence one another across borders. Harissa and adjika share a similar spirit, while bread baked in clay ovens reflects techniques found across the region.
At its heart, “maydān” means a gathering place or city square. Here, it represents the way food connects people, welcomes personal touches, and makes room for everyone at the table.
