11/07/2023
If you’re a book-enthusiast like me, you might’ve seen ‘Haniyé’ on the shelves of your favourite bookshop. For over a year, Matay de Mayee has been working on this magical cookbook, together with his mother Smuni. The book holds recipes from the Suryoye, the Christians of the Middle East. These family recipes are passed down from generation to generation, but were never written down in a cookbook. Smuni cannot read nor write, that’s why Matay made it his life’s work the do it for -and with- her 🤍
It’s been a delight to have contributed to this book. Together with and we styled Matay’s & Smuni’s recipes in the purest, most beautiful way we thought possible. Once further along in the process, Matay also asked me to take on the graphic design of the book. I’m truly grateful for that, considering it has always been a bucketlist thing of mine to design a cookbook 🌿🙏🏻
It’s truly hard to pick only 10 of my favourite photographs, but I’ll give it a go anyway.
1. Acin, steak tartare the Suryoyo way. It should be eaten with just a leaf of romaine lettuce as cutlery. I love that.
2. Matay in his natural habitat
3. Gweto, a wonderful raw milk cheese.
4. Bread, always.
5. A wonderful tablescape of fresh fruits & other delights.
6. Kolonya. A diner or feast always starts with freshening up with a bottle of heavenly scented cologne. A true tradition.
7. Smuni putting her everything into kneading the most delicious bread.
8. Laymo halyo, a soft, sweet bread, which will be eaten at the end of a fasting period (it’s quite similar to the French brioche bread we all know, so you’re in for a treat when trying one of these!)
9. Yarqunto fattoush, one of the most popular salads of the Suryoye. A deliciously fresh salad, made out of leftover roasted bread, mint, pomegranate and other fresh goods.
10.Wine leaves. Need we say more?
Oh how I love the historic tales behind each dish. Make sure to purchase Haniyé at your closest bookshop if this little sneak peek has made you curious (or mouth-watering 😉).
I promise there will be more where this came from. Thanks for being a true inspiration 🍊🥖🥬