DUBAI: Luxury US publisher Assouline on Tuesday added two new books to its Saudi series — “Saudi Dates: A Portrait of the Sacred Fruit” and “Saudi Coffee: The Culture of Hospitality,” created in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Culture.
“Saudi Dates: A Portrait of the Sacred Fruit,” by Mohammed Bin Ismail Al-Ismail, explores the many facets of this fruit. Original photography by photographer and author Oliver Pilcher and illustrations by painter Rafael Alterio are supplemented by images by Saudi photographer Ayoub Alsuhaibani.
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“Saudi Dates: A Portrait of the Sacred Fruit.” (Supplied)
Saudi Arabia is home to the world’s largest date palm oasis which is also a UNESCO Heritage site. A great pride of the country, dates are also the perfect coffee accompaniment.
In the Kingdom, coffee is a symbol of hospitality, national pride and time-honored traditions. Grown mainly in the southwest of the country, coffee beans are carefully tended, harvested and roasted according to methods particular to each region, which provides a variety of flavors and aromas.
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“Saudi Coffee: The Culture of Hospitality.” (Supplied)
“Saudi Coffee: The Culture of Hospitality,” by Maher Al-Nammary, examines the region’s coffee, from seedling to refreshment. Pilcher’s pictures and Alterio’s illustrations are supplemented by images by Saudi artists Ibrahim Sarhan, Mohammed Albaijan and Dhafer Alshehri.
Al-Nammary is a Saudi chef, hospitality professional and culinary educator with the goal of bridging cultures and fostering understanding through food and art.