For anyone who wants to know more, here's a bit of background about my late Mum - the author of the original recipes that have done so much to help Syrians and others in dire need. 

Hayfa Massouh was born in 1938 in Damascus. Her father Toufik, a Lebanese lawyer, died when she was six. Her mother Alice was a diplomat, originally from Homs, who enjoyed a long career in the British Embassy in Damascus for which she was awarded an MBE.

In 1958 after the Suez war, Britain severed relations with Syria and the Embassy was closed. When Alice was offered a new job in Morocco she left with Hayfa straight away, not even stopping to pack for fear of being caught by the government. They boarded an Italian ship and set sail from Beirut, arriving in Casablanca and settling in Rabat. Mum met my Dad Geoff while working at the British Embassy there. After a happy 35 years touring the world wherever his job took him, Mum died in 2006.

Of all the ways her family and friends remember her, one in particular will live on forever. Her mouth-watering cooking. Mum's family recipes were legendary, and she was never happier than when she was fixing up plates of tabbouleh, kibbee and hummus for her friends. That’s why my sister and I persuaded her to write a recipe book of her favourite dishes from home, and when she died a few years later we gave copies of her recipes away to guests at the wake. It seemed to be the most positive and appropriate way to remember her.

Mum died unaware of the tragic violence that would sweep over Syria just a few years later. She would have been heartbroken if not surprised by the lack of respect shown to its people, having experienced for herself the terror of leaving the country she loved in the dead of night, to start a new life elsewhere.

I visited Syria with my sister and cousin during happier times in 2010, and for me it’s one of the most special places in the world. Touring the huge souks of Damascus and Aleppo gave us a better measure of the country than any amount of museums could, and we were bowled over by the unrelenting charm, warmth and humour of Syrian life. We spent days on end wandering the crowded back lanes inhaling the incredible spices, tasting various fruit juices and pastries from street sellers and dining on the most delicious and exciting food we had ever tasted.

These are all family recipes and the book is interspersed with photos of our trip to Syria.

Thank you for looking and if you decide to buy, I hope you enjoy the food as much as generations of my family have.

Sahtain! (twice your health!)