In most cultures, cooking and meal preparation is viewed as an experience; a way of bringing friends and family together to create valuable memories often passed down from one generation to the other. For South Asians especially, cooking and meal preparation is where connection and unity are fostered, and where stories and ideas are exchanged.
[Read Related: Alison Roman, ‘The Stew’ and the Need for Mindful Global Cooking]
Mumtaz Mustafa and Laura Klynstra illustrate exactly this in their new cookbook, “Gather and Graze“. A collection of 175 homemade recipes featuring small bites and gorgeous table scrapes, whilst drawing inspiration from global cuisines, the book tells a story of friendship and connection that is unbreakable across intersectionality and lived experience. While Mustafa grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and Klynstra was raised in Michigan, the creation of their book demonstrates how two friends and colleagues can connect over different perceptions of the same cultural experience.
View this post on Instagram
“Gather and Graze“ is unique in that it provides readers captivating illustrations and graphics that elicit memories of what we all have in our pantries, but also the beautiful moments those have led to in our kitchens with friends and family. Mustafa and Klynstra offer readers with an interesting guidebook on how to build elegant yet easy charcuterie boards and eye-capturing tablescapes.
[Read Related: Fulfill your Desi Cravings With this ‘Indian-ish’ Recipe Book]
What is particularly refreshing is that the recipes within the cookbook take readers on a journey through the evolution of Middle Eastern and European cooking by including ingredients that have essentially been staples in South Asian cooking since the spice trade. At the same time, “Gather and Graze” also includes recipes and ingredients that the modern-day cook would have lying around in their pantry and can easily infuse into their creations like Gochuchang, for example.
What I appreciated about this book most, in addition to the many mouthwatering recipes that it includes, is the multitude of ranges the book presents: there is range in the simplest of recipes to more complex items; there is range in where the spices to meals can be found historically in the world all the way to how the items can be presented on your table at home once completely prepared. Mustafa and Klynstra — as artists, creators, and friends — have managed to create a literary experience that translates to a meaningful and cherished time that one can have with friends and family through cooking. “Gather and Graze” makes you feel like the authors are right there in your kitchen every step of the way.
