Discovering Tunisian Cuisine

Judith Dwan Hallet, Raoudha Guellali Ben Taarit, Hasna Trabelsi

Discovering Tunisian Cuisine is awesome and authentic both visually and content wise—my favorite kind of cookbook.  Judith Dwan Hallet, a videographer, ethnographer and daughter from a great culinary tradition — her late mother was longtime restaurant critic of the LA Times — has nailed Tunisian cuisine,  little known by Americans.  I can’t wait to cook every single recipe!!!……..Joan Nathan  Julia Child Award for Best Cookbook of the Year. Most recent cookbook, King Solomon’s Table

“We sat down each night to a delectable feast that delighted all our senses. Hasna’s meals were delicious, and her presentations were as colorful as the country’s carpets, ceramic tiles, flowering plants, and the azure skies above the Mediterranean Sea. “

“In Tunisia, women are generally the cooks and reign in the kitchen. Raoudha and Hasna are no exception.  They love to cook, and they took great pride in sharing their family recipes with me. In many ways, this cookbook is a personal journal recording my time with two fabulous women in their kitchens.” ….Judy Hallet 

Publishers: Spirit of Place/Spirit of Design, Inc., Washington, DC, USA, http://www.spiritofplace-design.com

Printed in China under the supervision of Raoul Goff President of Insight Editions

Stitched Hard Cover 147 pages First Edition 1019
ISBN Number:   978-1-7923-1830-6

$34.00 per copy

In our first video of Judy making the transition from documentary filmmaker to cookbook author, she demonstrates three simple salads following recipes from her and her colleagues recent cookbook Discovering Tunisian Cuisine shot in her own kitchen using a small Leica D-LUX 7 Camera.

In our second video, Judy demonstrates how to prepare three Tunisian salads from her cookbook, Discovering Tunisian Cuisine. This second video shows you how to prepare the traditional Tunisian brik a l’oeuf.  Judy’s husband, cameraman, architect and teacher, also participates as he demonstrates how the process of making the brik relates to the ancient architectural geometric problems encountered when you place the circular celestial dome of the heavens over the square or cube that symbolically represents the earth.

In this third video Judy demonstrates how to prepare from her cookbook, Discovering Tunisian Cuisine a traditional Tunisian Potato Stew with Lamb. This is a warm winter stew that can be made with chicken instead of lamb.

In the fourth video of Judy in the Kitchen preparing recipes from Discovering Tunisian Cuisine, Judy is joined by Hella, a ‘real’ Tunisian who imports Tunisian olive oil from her grandfather’s farm. The two of them fill the kitchen with great stories and laughter as the traditional Tunisian spinach tagine is made and eaten by the tiny crew of four including the chefs by the end of the evening.

From Groucho to Gauchos

Adventures of a Documentary Filmmaker

Judith Dwan Hallet

Judith Dwan Hallet, an award winning documentary filmmaker, has been making films for over 50 years. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia (1964-66), where she met her husband, Stanley Hallet.  They moved to Salt Lake City where Judy joined the documentary unit at the NBC affiliate, KUTV and later its weekly magazine show, EXTRA.  In 1986 they moved to Washington DC where Judy soon became Senior Producer for National Geographic Television’s weekly magazine show, EXPLORER.  After five years at National Geographic, Judy formed her own documentary film company. Judy's documentaries have received widespread acclaim as well as many prestigious awards including the DC Mayor’s Arts Award for Excellence in an Artistic Discipline and The Woman of Vision Creative Excellence Award from Women in Film and Video of Washington DC.  Judy also received an Emmy from The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in recognition of her contributions to the industry. Judy earned a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in French from the University of Utah following graduate studies at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Judy and Stanley Hallet live in Washington DC. 

Enter the world of award-winning documentary filmmaker, Judith Dwan Hallet, as her dramatic behind-the-scenes encounters unfold during the making of eleven` extraordinary documentaries. Based on her daily journals, From Groucho to Gauchos: Adventures of a Documentary Filmmaker describes the life of a woman filmmaker and the unique peoples and cultures she documents during a five decade-long career. When Hallet began making films, it was a man’s world. Never deterred, always determined, Hallet’s passion for recording the stories of people and their cultures, documenting their lives, concerns, joys and disappointments, drove her to continue, despite the obstacles placed in her way. Through dramatic narrative and outstanding photography, Hallet shares her life as a filmmaker. 

Her  films are diverse: ranging from the return of the buffalo to the American Indians, to the Gauchos in Argentina, and Pope John Paul II.  In Tanzania we meet Jane Goodall and her wild chimpanzees.  On the island of New Guinea, Hallet treks through the rain forest to film the Korowai, who live in tree houses and within memory practiced a form of ritual cannibalism. Hallet’s fundamental philosophy shines through her writing. She believes by understanding people’s differences, cultures and beliefs, our planet becomes smaller, less frightening, less absurd, and hopefully, one day, more peaceful and tolerant. 

For a single high quality copy of this limited edition book, the cost is $70.00 plus shippiing.

For an equally high quality dvd of the book, this is available through Blurb.com and will cost $14.99

https://www.blurb.com/b/11308093-from-groucho-to-gauchos-adventures-of-a-documentary