Abstract
This book would not have been possible without the existence of that brilliant, vivid, bright, superb, wonderful, luminous, radiant, and very beautiful person whom the authors simply refer to as ‘Mum.’ The Authors’ mother was always there for them as they went through the highs and lows of their lives, always encouraging and helping them throughout her life, and this help continued even when the authors became adults. She continued to be a source of great help until she answered God’s call and went into her eternal sleep on that Wednesday afternoon in March of 2016.
This book is written by her five children and is an attempt to keep Bathqyomo Marine Khoury-Issa’s memory alive.
The authors’ mother hailed from Mesopotamia, “the land between the two rivers.” Mesopotamia is the place that is referred to as the“Cradle of Western Civilization.” Therefore, it was worthwhile to mention in this book some of the literature that talks about this great civilization that the authors’ parents brought them nearer to by what they taught, told and asked them to read in history books. The recipes included in this book were taught to the authors by their mother, and thus have a Mesopotamian origin.
This book is dedicated to the authors’ mother, Bathqyomo Marine Khoury-Issa, with her unique characteristics as a spouse, mother and matriarch of the Issa Family. Her care put continues to exist in the food she used to cook (both main dishes and sweets), the care she gave to the garden, the way she faced life and the way she welcomed people into her home and family.