Description

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Ralph Nader and his family share recipes inspired by his parents’ commitment to the healthy diet of their homeland of Lebanon.

“More than just a collection of recipes, though, this is a window on a culture and a family. Nader’s description of his mother convincing 8-year-old Ralph to eat radishes speaks volumes about this persuasive matriarch and the tireless activist she raised.” —Washington Post Book Club

Ralph Nader is best-known for his social critiques and his efforts to increase government and corporate accountability, but what some might not know about him is his lifelong commitment to healthy eating. Born in Connecticut to Lebanese parents, Nader’s appreciation of food began at an early age, when his parents, Rose and Nathra, owned an eatery, bakery, and delicatessen called the Highland Arms Restaurant. The family eschewed processed foods and ate only a moderate amount of lean red meat.

Nowadays, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest on the planet, but in the 1930s and ’40s of Nader’s youth it was considered by many Americans as simply strange. Luckily for Nader and his siblings, this didn’t prevent their mother, Rose, from serving the family homemade, healthy meals—dishes from her homeland of Lebanon. Rose didn’t simply encourage her children to eat well, she took time to discuss and explain her approach to food; she used the family meals to connect all of her children to the traditions of their ancestors.

The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook shares the cuisine of Nader’s upbringing, presenting Lebanese dishes inspired by Rose’s recipes that will be both known to many, including hummus and baba ghanoush, as well as others that may be lesser known, such as kibbe, the extremely versatile national dish of Lebanon, and sheikh al-mahshi—”the ‘king’ of stuffed foods.” The cookbook includes an introduction by Nader and anecdotes throughout. The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook will entice one’s taste buds, while sharing a side of Ralph Nader that may not be commonly known, though will not surprise anyone familiar with his decades of activism and involvement in consumer protection advocacy.

About the Author

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RALPH NADER first made headlines as a young lawyer in 1965 with his book Unsafe at Any Speed, a scathing indictment that lambasted the auto industry for producing unsafe vehicles. The book led to congressional hearings and the passage of a series of automobile safety laws in 1966. Nader also went on to found a wide variety of organizations, all aimed at advancing corporate and government accountability. An author, lecturer, attorney, and political activist, Nader was cited by the Atlantic in 2006 as one of the one hundred most influential figures in American history; Time magazine has called him the "US's toughest customer"; and in 1974, a survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report rated him as the fourth most influential person in the United States.

Praise For…

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Growing up in Winsted, Conn., Ralph Nader would often help his mother cook—kneading the bread dough, chopping fragrant spices to prepare dishes for the family table from his parents’ native Lebanon.
— NPR, Weekend Edition Sunday

Bound in a colorful cover and awash in white—similar in look and feel to Yottam Ottolenghi’s Plenty—the recipes, compiled over a lifetime, present a nuanced portrait of the culinary upbringing that helped shape Mr. Nader’s view of American life.

— Chicago Review of Books

The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook shares the offerings of an inspired culinary culture, inviting us to try delicious new dishes with a loving emphasis on family health and unity. A wonderful blend of consumer protection and consumer pleasure!

— Patti Smith, author of Just Kids

Rose Nader used family dinners as an opportunity to inform her children about culture, philosophy, as well as nutrition. Her tasty recipes came with a heaping helping of love and knowledge.
— Phil Donahue

Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography, The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond is an extraordinary and inspirational resource for planning palate-pleasing, appetite-satisfying, kitchen cook friendly dishes that will make for truly memorable meals.

— Midwest Book Review