07/05/2021
In her latest collection of simple yet satisfying dishes, chef Stone (Cooking for Artists) shares more than 80 recipes “from different avenues of my life” that have influenced her cooking. Inspired by her yiayia (the Greek term for grandmother) and summer trips to Greece, the bulk of the dishes she shares are Greek staples—such as tzatziki and crispy octopus with oregano—but there are also unexpected selections such as latkes (a nod to her father’s Jewish heritage) and egg noodles with grated tomatoes and lemon zest (a creation of her partner, Alex). Throughout, Stone shares heartfelt anecdotes and cultural context: she recalls that koulourakia me tahini (tahini biscuits) is one of the “most revered recipes” her yiayia taught her, and then continues to explain that the biscuits are sometimes eaten during Lent when dairy and meat are prohibited. For home cooks who detest searching for hard-to-find ingredients, she encourages making substitutions based on availability and preference (“it’s OK not to have all the right ingredients”); her spigarello (an Italian heirloom broccoli rabe) with olive oil and lemon, for instance, is just as delicious made with Swiss chard, and while the olive oil–poached fish combines a sampling of her favorite ingredients, she suggests infusing the oil with different herbs and spices. Fans of Mediterranean cuisine will find a lot to like. Agent: Kari Stuart, ICM Partners. (Sept.)
Mina Stone evokes the tradition of recipes passed down by matriarchal lineages through her memories of flavor. She intuitively and gently shares her Greek staples, a knowing like the back of her hand. After reading, you are left with a desire to gather, toast, and re-create these recipes with and for your loved ones.” — Angela Dimayuga, chef and author of Filipinx: Heritage Recipes from the Diaspora
“From the moment I read just the title of Mina’s book, I knew I would love the contents. Lemons and olive oil are, after all, possibly my two favorite ingredients, and love, I would venture to say, is the shared atmosphere in which both Mina and I learned to cook. Mina writes delicious, unfussy, ingredient-driven recipes for dishes that bring forth big flavor (lots of acid, oil, and heat—all the good things). This book makes me want to cook!” — Fanny Singer, author of Always Home: A Daughter’s Recipes & Stories and cofounder of Permanent Collection
“Mina Stone is the most unpretentious chef I know. She makes magic with the humblest ingredients and makes you wonder why you ever thought cooking was supposed to be anything but the most pure, honest act of love.” — Julia Sherman, cook, artist, and author of Salad for President: A Cookbook Inspired by Artists and Arty Parties: An Entertaining Cookbook
“I’ve been a fanboy of Mina Stone for years, and I am always thinking of what she is cooking because, well, she makes the food that so many of us crave most: simple, vibrant, and incredibly delicious. As soon as you open Lemon, Love & Olive Oil, you’ll want to cook everything—the true test of any cookbook.” — Andy Baraghani, senior editor, Bon Appétit
“Lemon, Love & Olive Oil is a wonderful combination of cool art-world style and warm yiayia love—just like Mina! This is delicious ‘grandma’ cooking at its best—fresh, flavorful, simple, and seasonal, but with a modern twist that makes it exactly what I want to cook right now. I can’t wait to make everything!” — Lisa Gross, Founder/CEO of the League of Kitchens
“As cliché as it sounds, this is literally the book I look to for inspiration. I love cooking from it and my whole family loves eating this food. My kids ask for it by name!” — Andrew Tarlow, owner of Diner and coauthor of Dinner at the Long Table
“Fans of Mediterranean cuisine will find a lot to like.” — Publishers Weekly
"[Mina's] emphasis on the best and simplest of ingredients defines her cooking philosophy. . . . her dedication to homey tastes will help endear this Greek-Mediterranean collection to generations of cooks." — Booklist
Mina Stone evokes the tradition of recipes passed down by matriarchal lineages through her memories of flavor. She intuitively and gently shares her Greek staples, a knowing like the back of her hand. After reading, you are left with a desire to gather, toast, and re-create these recipes with and for your loved ones.”
"[Mina's] emphasis on the best and simplest of ingredients defines her cooking philosophy. . . . her dedication to homey tastes will help endear this Greek-Mediterranean collection to generations of cooks."
As cliché as it sounds, this is literally the book I look to for inspiration. I love cooking from it and my whole family loves eating this food. My kids ask for it by name!”
Mina Stone is the most unpretentious chef I know. She makes magic with the humblest ingredients and makes you wonder why you ever thought cooking was supposed to be anything but the most pure, honest act of love.”
Lemon, Love & Olive Oil is a wonderful combination of cool art-world style and warm yiayia love—just like Mina! This is delicious ‘grandma’ cooking at its best—fresh, flavorful, simple, and seasonal, but with a modern twist that makes it exactly what I want to cook right now. I can’t wait to make everything!”
From the moment I read just the title of Mina’s book, I knew I would love the contents. Lemons and olive oil are, after all, possibly my two favorite ingredients, and love, I would venture to say, is the shared atmosphere in which both Mina and I learned to cook. Mina writes delicious, unfussy, ingredient-driven recipes for dishes that bring forth big flavor (lots of acid, oil, and heat—all the good things). This book makes me want to cook!”
I’ve been a fanboy of Mina Stone for years, and I am always thinking of what she is cooking because, well, she makes the food that so many of us crave most: simple, vibrant, and incredibly delicious. As soon as you open Lemon, Love & Olive Oil, you’ll want to cook everything—the true test of any cookbook.”
"[Mina's] emphasis on the best and simplest of ingredients defines her cooking philosophy. . . . her dedication to homey tastes will help endear this Greek-Mediterranean collection to generations of cooks."
I've been a fanboy of Mina Stone for years and I am always thinking of what she is cooking because, well, she makes the food that so many of us crave most: simple, vibrant, and incredibly delicious. As soon as you open Lemon, Love & Olive Oil, you'll want to cook everything—the true test of any cookbook.”
12/01/2021
In her newest cookbook, Stone (Cooking for Artists) explores her Greek heritage. She starts by filling the pantry with standards like feta and extra virgin olive oil. Interspersed between the recipes are remembrances of her career in cooking, along with color photos. Stone's recipes aren't only Greek; they also include Persian dishes that take on a Greek touch (sabzi khardan, a side dish of herbs and feta; Persian figs with cardamom and rosewater). Other entries include a handy recipe for tzatziki; fasolada (a traditional Greek white bean stew); kounoupidi yiahni (braised cauliflower with tomatoes and olive oil); and papparadelle with chickpeas, lemon, and toasted walnuts. There are even Greek French fries. Portokalopita syrup-soaked orange phyllo cake pudding rounds things out for dessert. Stone's recipes are fairly simple and straightforward, and the beautiful photographs of her family and each recipe add a personal touch. VERDICT This is an interesting resource full of unique dishes. Home cooks who want to add some Greek flair to their cooking and libraries looking to complement other Greek cookbooks in their collection will find plenty of inspiration.—Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO
