As we continue on with our May Foodie Reads Challenge , I wrapped up Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut by Salma Abdelnour .* I suppose if I had to pick my "usual genre" it would certainly be a foodie memoir. And this one definitely qualifies. On the Page... For one year, Salma leaves New York where she has a career as a successful food journalist, a steady boyfriend, and an established life. She sublets her apartment, packs her bags, travels to Lebanon, and moves into her family's apartment in Beirut. While she's there, she explore the sites, sounds, and tastes of her childhood. She gets reacquainted with family members and childhood friends; she also vividly details her love affair with Lebanese food. And, as a food writer, h er descriptions of food are lush and positively drool-worthy - baked goods from all over the city, festive foods from holidays and countless parties. We are immersed in her retelling of the texture, flavors, colors, and aro...