The Tahini Table

Starred review from October 1, 2020
As one of the founders of Soom foods, which specializes in tahini, Zitelman is certainly an expert on the sesame seed paste from which this cookbook takes its name. Following an introduction with detailed information about the preparation and uses of tahini and its frequent pairings like chickpeas, miso, and citrus, six chapters split recipes into categories like Savory and Sweet Sauces, Sandwiches, Salads, and Sides, and Sweets . Most recipes offer variations on a Middle Eastern theme. Some, like baked falafel sandwiches, are traditional, while others, like a chocolate halvah latte, more experimental. But many of the recipes place tahini in unexpected dishes including vegan queso, cold spicy sesame noodles, and tahini chicken schnitzel. This unfussy cookbook is fun to read, full of bright photographs, and easy to use. Instructions are short, simple, and straightforward. Nearly all recipe ingredients are easy to find. (Date syrup, used in quite a few recipes, is the one exception.) Helpful dietary labels accompany every recipe, marking them as vegan, vegetarian, dairy- or gluten-free, or paleo. Though the title sounds niche, this is a great cookbook for beginner and experienced cooks, especially those who are fans of Smitten Kitchen.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

November 16, 2020
Zitelman, CEO of tahini company Soom Foods, debuts with a jolly cookbook focused on all things tahini. Zitelman explores how this one “superfood” ingredient can reduce saturated fat and add nutritional value to a host of everyday recipes, from salad dressings and chocolate sauce to granola and sheet-pan dinners. She dives deep into the ingredient, expounding on its history, flexibility, and nutritional and flavor profile. She then offers six chapters of recipes, beginning with sauces (tahini pesto, tahini mole sauce), before moving on to highlight hummus recipes (she riffs on the classic chickpea/garlic/lemon basic by including, say, beets or pumpkin). Breakfast options include tahini benedict and tahini doughnuts; sandwiches and sides feature tahini fig toast and cold spicy sesame noodles; among the mains are flatbread with pomegranate and green tahini sauce; and desserts offer tahini flan and creamy dairy-free tahini sorbet. Throughout, the tone is best-friend-shares-her-kitchen-secrets (“Tahini can easily replace sometimes troublesome ingredients such as butter, eggs, and cream in many recipes. What’s not to love?”). With helpful cooking tips (“always zest your lemons”) and a wide range of recipes, this is a cheerful, user-friendly, and never pretentious ode to tahini.

Starred review from February 1, 2021

In this standout collection, Zitelman (CEO and cofounder, Soom Foods) and cookbook writer Schloss go above and beyond tahini-based recipes, while not skipping hummus entirely. The book begins with a short introduction explaining quality tahini, and moves on to an in-depth discussion of a well-stocked Mediterranean pantry. After offering new tips on chopping garlic and saving lemon zest, Zitelman presents the recipes, which are categorized by meal. Helpfully, she uses a code to identify those appropriate for various dietary restrictions. There are many recipes for sauces, dressings, and dips (e.g., the melodiously named cannellini tahini). Breakfast includes new takes on staples such as tahini banana bread, while lunch sandwiches, salads, and sides branch out to a tahini version of cold spicy sesame noodles. The main dishes use tahini in creative ways, with skillet chicken with date syrup, sumac, and tahini stealing the show. Zitelman shows us that even desserts can be based on tahini. VERDICT The photos in the book beautifully showcase the recipes, through which Zitelman has accomplished her goal to make cooking with tahini more accessible for all home cooks. A must-have resource.--Sharon Mensing, Phoenix, AZ

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.