About Maureen Abood

Maureen Abood signing a cookbook at the kitchen counter

My mission is to help us all cook, bake, gather, and enjoy. I develop all kinds of recipes, Lebanese-Mediterranean-and more!, by mastering, simplifying, and sharing. I am also dedicated sharing stories that evoke memories, inspire us to keep traditions and pass them along to our next generations.

Hi Habibi! Welcome here!

I am honored that you have landed on this page to learn more about me and the recipes, ingredients, and stories that call MaureenAbood.com home.

My lifelong passion for cooking, baking, and storytelling has taken me down many paths, from freelance writing to share the depth and beauty (and flavor!) of Lebanese food to culinary school. Funny, I always knew I would write a book (at least one!) that shares the recipes and love I was raised on in my Lebanese-American family. That came to fruition in Rose Water & Orange Blossoms: Fresh and Classic Recipes from my Lebanese Kitchen, a book that continues to find its way into many hands.

My new cookbook, Lebanese Baking, is out now! This book is a very special labor of love, meant to help us preserve Lebanese baking traditions with trustworthy recipes, gorgeous photographs for every recipe, lots of how-to photos and detailed instructions, plus the meaning behind why we bake.

We are all looking for recipes that work, tips that help us get there, and joy along the way. My mission is this: developing recipes for you with relentless attention to detail and rigorous testing, so that when you spend your time cooking or baking, it works so well you want to come back again to that same recipe or to try something new.

My background

I grew up in Michigan (Go State!), part of a giiiiiaaant Lebanese clan.

I studied English Literature for both my undergraduate degree and master’s degree. I taught English for a little while at the college level. Then worked in the non-profit world on communications, marketing, and fund development. For many years I did this living in Chicago, and had a lot of fun with my sister Peg, and all of my siblings, there.

Meanwhile, I wrote freelance about Lebanese food and the heart of the table, family. My first piece was published in The Washington Post, memorializing my father’s death and the love–and food-as-love!– that surrounded us.

Maureen Abood sitting in a stone-walled room in Lebanon

Then: I up and went to culinary school in San Francisco! This was one of the greatest times of my life, with the culinary training I craved in a beautiful city. It was a time of awakening that I cherish. It was during this exciting time that I made my first trip to Lebanon, which I wrote about in my first book and that continues to give back to me (photo above is in a bookstore in Baalbek).

Back in Michigan (home again!), I lived for a time Up North, perched on Little Traverse Bay, where I launched this blog and wrote and took photos and generally had a wonderful creative time. My book evolved out of this, and so did my online shop that I launched in 2015 with my sister and biz partner Peg. We love bringing you excellent ingredients, many from Lebanon including Lebanese extra virgin olive oil, pomegranate molasses, za’atar spice, and much more. Gift-giving is a favorite of our community, so you will always find a fresh and exciting gifts to send your people with pride.

My latest in the shop is the Lebanese Baking Collection with the best-of tools to dive in, have fun, and be successful (think Ma’amoul Molds cast in resin, Saj Bread Baking tools, flower waters, baking aprons, and more). My kitchen is loaded with tools that I swear by, and you can peruse and get all of those on my Shop my Kitchen page.

Enter along the way my very incredibly special husband Dan Shaheen, and together we share a Lebanese kitchen where he cheers me on with all of the delicious Lebanese foods and traditions we are intent on keeping alive for ourselves and our next generations (don’t miss him on my Instagram feed!).

Thank you, Shukran!, for joining me. I hear from many of you about your family histories, your nostalgia and happy memories–it all means the world.

May your table always be filled with love!