Recipes for Love and Revolution

Yasmeen Khoury is a rising star in Chicago's culinary scene, but her success feels incomplete. The aromas of her grandmother, Sitti Mariam’s, kitchen—za'atar, cardamom, and cloves—whisper of a homeland Yasmeen has never known. When Sitti Mariam passes, leaving behind a legacy of recipes and a yearning for their ancestral village in Palestine, Yasmeen abandons her thriving bakery and embarks on a journey to reclaim her heritage.
In the sun-drenched hills of the West Bank, Yasmeen sets out to build the Beit Sitti Mariam Cooking School, a tribute to her grandmother and a haven for sharing the flavors of Palestine. But Ayn Sarah, nestled amongst ancient olive groves, is a land scarred by conflict.  Navigating bureaucratic hurdles and the ever-present tension of the occupation proves far more challenging than anything Yasmeen faced in Chicago.
Amidst the complexities of her new life, Yasmeen encounters Layth Haddad, a local journalist and activist whose quiet intensity captivates her.  Over shared meals of maqluba and musakhan, their connection deepens. Layth becomes Yasmeen’s guide, not only to the labyrinthine bureaucracy but also to the heart and soul of Ayn Sarah.  Their burgeoning romance, however, is a fragile bloom in a harsh landscape, tested by their differing views on resistance and the escalating political tensions surrounding them.
As Yasmeen’s cooking school finally opens its doors, becoming a hub for the women of Ayn Sarah, the political situation intensifies. Layth’s unwavering activism places him in increasing danger, forcing Yasmeen to confront her own privilege and the sacrifices demanded by the fight for freedom.  When Layth is arrested, Yasmeen must choose: will she remain a passive observer, or will she find a way to combine her passion for food with a more active form of resistance?
In a daring act of defiance, Yasmeen transforms her cooking school into a platform for truth, putting herself at risk to expose the injustices faced by her community.  Will her courage be enough to protect the man she loves and the heritage she’s fighting to preserve? *Recipes for Love and Revolution* is a captivating story of love, loss, and the enduring power of food and family in a land yearning for peace.