Book Synopsis:
Tekebash & Saba is a celebration of the food of Ethiopia’s northernmost state Tigray, interweaved with the compelling story of author Saba Alemayoh and her mother Tekebash Gebre.
In this stunning cookbook, the chapters are divided by the different stages of Tekebash’s life journey, from growing up in Tigray to making a new life for herself in Australia. The food in these chapters are defined by the stages of that journey, from the first dish that Tekebash learned to make (Chickpea stew), fleeing Tigray (Shredded flatbread with tomato sauce), and marriage (Red lamb stew), to becoming a new mother (Tigray-style gnocchi), famine (Sauteed mushrooms) and opening a restaurant with Saba (Fried cauliflower).
Intertwined with Tigray culture and stories, Tekebash and Saba is a cookbook whereby food is not only the familial cord that binds Tekebash and her daughter together, but one that ties them to their home. This cookbook is a window into their story and that of Tegaru. It’s their story, and it’s Saba’s tribute to her mother. But it is also a story that will resonate with anyone who knows the unceasing pull of a distant homeland and the comfort of its food.
Perfect for fans of Ethiopia by Yohanis Gebreyesus, Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen by Zoe Adjonyoh and Hibiscus by Lopè Ariyo and Big Zuu’s Big Eats.’
My Review:
My husband and I love trying out new recipes so I was very excited to receive a copy of this book. He enjoys the cooking and I enjoy the sampling so together we make a great team!
The cookbook was well set out and contains some very interesting, unusual recipes which are different from those found in a normal cookbook of its kind. We loved flicking through them and deciding what to cook. All the recipes are accompanied by lovely, eye catching pictures showing the finished food or spices used. I loved looking at these and seeing how they had arranged it or, in one recipe, how it was meant to look.
Interspersed in-between the recipes where some fascinating stories of Saba and her mother’s life in Ethiopia which included some of the history of the country. I knew a little about the history of Ethiopia but found it very interesting to learn a little bit more about it especially through people who had lived through it. These are also accompanied by some brilliant pictures, some of them full page spreads, that helped to bring the stories to life.
Overall I really enjoyed trying out some of the recipes in this book and look forward to trying more in the future. The recipes are easy to follow and very varied with something for everyone to enjoy. My only slight niggle was that some of the ingredients were a little difficult to find but we did manage to get some from a specialist shop we found and didn’t actually know about before.
If you have a friend or loved one who loves cooking and trying new food I highly recommend this book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Born in Sudan, to Ethiopian parents, Saba arrived in Australia in 1999 with her mother when she was nine. After finishing school, Saba joined the Australian Army and was a part of the first era of women in the Australian Army to go into combat. After the army, Saba opened an eponymous restaurant in Melbourne’s Fitzroy. She worked front of her house while her mother, Tekebash Gebre cooked the food of her homeland by memory, taste, and instinct in the kitchen. Tekebash was born in Tigray, under the rule of the last Ethiopian emperor, who was overthrown in 1974 by a communist military government backed by the Soviet Union. She became a refugee in Sudan at the time of the rebellion during the transition in the 1990s from communism to a democratic government. After the closure of the restaurant, Saba relocated to Lagos, where she works in music and arts events and curates art shows.
Over The Rainbow Blog 