‘Tahini Table’ author Amy Zitelman to chat Dec. 9

The Lewes Public Library Cooks & Books program will present Amy Zitelman, author of “The Tahini Table” at 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9, via Zoom.

According to U.S. food industry statistics, 15 million Americans consume hummus each year, and the “special” ingredient in hummus is tahini. Zitelman of Soom Foods has published a beautifully illustrated cookbook, “The Tahini Table: Go Beyond Hummus with 100 Recipes for Every Meal,” exploring all the other things one can make with tahini.

Zitelman will speak about the cookbook and her Philadelphia-based, woman-owned business Soom Foods, which sells an assortment of types of tahini. During the discussion, Zitelman will demonstrate how to prepare maple tahini granola.

“The secret of great tahini is in the seed,” said Zitelman, a University of Delaware graduate, and she said the best sesame seeds come from Ethiopia. In her book, Zitelman shows how tahini enhances salads, burgers, vegetable dishes, vegan meals and desserts. For those with food allergies, Soom tahini is gluten-free, dairy-free and plant-based.

Seaside Jewish Community member Irene Holtz will interview Zitelman. Holtz, who earlier this year organized a Sephardic cooking demonstration as part of Seaside’s Alfred Gross Memorial Celebration, said, “Tahini became of interest because it's such a healthy substitute for other items such as oil, butter, mayo and the like.”

The program is sponsored by Seaside along with Lewes Public Library, Browseabout Books and Edible Delmarva, and is part of the popular ongoing Cooks & Books series.

Participants also are encouraged to support the author by purchasing a copy of the book from local independent bookstore Browseabout Books. Each copy purchased comes with an archival bookplate signed by the author. Orders may be placed online at browseaboutbooks.com, by calling the store at 302-226-2665, or in person at 133 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach.