A KNOWLE couple have created a cookbook inspired by refugees’ recipes after visiting camps.
‘Tastes and Tales from a Distant Homeland’ is a collection of 80 authentic homestyle recipes, with heartfelt stories in a 192-page hardback book.
Alan and Katherine Strang helped Syrians fleeing the deadly civil war at the Katsikas Camp in Northern Greece. During their time staffing the support shop in the camp, the Strangs found it was food that evoked memories of home for refugees.
Mr Strang said: “We got to hear many stories about the unimaginable terror and hardship these people have experienced that has forced them to flee the war and conflicts that made it impossible for them to remain in their homelands.
“We were amazed at the difference in food selected by the many nationalities and cultures and so we began to ask what they planned to cook for themselves and what food they most missed from home.”
In a forward to their book, Alan wrote: “It has been an incredible privilege to have met so many wonderful people during our time working as volunteers for Refugee Support, the charity set up by John Sloan and Paul Hutchings whose vision was to provide refugees not just with help, but ‘aid with dignity’.
“Refugee Support touches everyone who is prepared to open their hearts to the plight of fellow humans.
“The inspiration for this book came when we were helping in the shop in Katsikas. It was fascinating to see how the ingredients that people chose from the limited selection on offer was so different from one culture to the next.
“We started to ask them what they were going to cook, and about what foods they missed from back in their homelands.
“Inspired by the discussion and the feeling that nothing is better than sharing stories over a big pot of food made with love,. the idea for this book was born.”
The cookbook will be launched at a special event today (October 29), 6.30pm – 8.30pm at The Forest Hotel, Dorridge.
The book is available at the event, from refumade.org, priced at £20.
Proceeds go to Refugee Support Europe.
