Recipes and Stories of Displacement, Resilience, and Community

Summary

All Of It: Recipes and Stories of Displacement, Resilience, and Community

Episode Summary – Released May 19, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart of WNYC, listeners are introduced to James Beard Award-winning author and chef, Hawa Hassan. Hassan discusses her latest cookbook, Setting a Place for Recipes and Stories of Displacement, Resilience, and Community, which delves into the intricate relationship between food, culture, and the experiences of displaced communities from eight countries affected by war.

Hawa Hassan’s Journey and New Cookbook

Alison Stewart opens the conversation by highlighting Hassan’s previous appearance on the show in 2020 and her first cookbook, Bebe's Kitchen. Hassan elaborates on the evolution from her first work to her new publication:

“MB's kitchen was to focus on celebrating grandmothers of East Africa and their power and their love for food. But setting a place, I really wanted to go a bit deeper.” [01:58]

Hassan emphasizes that her second book is a more personal exploration, intertwining recipes with stories of displacement and cultural preservation. She aims to showcase how food serves as a vital link to heritage, especially in the face of adversity and migration.

The Role of Food in Preserving Culture

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the pivotal role food plays in maintaining cultural identity. Hassan shares insights gained during her research:

“All of our connectiveness when it comes to food and how we prepare it and the questions that were constantly asking ourselves daily... just using food to tell those stories.” [02:52]

She highlights that through daily culinary practices, people preserve their traditions and communicate their identities, reinforcing the notion that food is more than sustenance—it is a narrative tool.

Research Travels and Encounters

Hassan recounts her research trips, particularly her experiences in El Salvador. She discusses the misconceptions surrounding the safety and culture of the region, which her visits helped to dispel:

“I wanted to go examine El Salvador for myself... I was met with warmth and laughter and food and joy.” [04:29]

These travels not only enriched her understanding but also deepened her appreciation for the resilience and creativity of displaced communities in rebuilding their lives and cultures.

Stories and Recipes from the Cookbook

The episode delves into specific recipes featured in Hassan’s book, each accompanied by personal stories that highlight cultural significance and resilience.

1. Rayna Abdelhamid’s Chicken Over Rice (Egypt)
   Hassan shares her interaction with Rayna Abdelhamid from Little Egypt in Queens:

“It's a little bit of home, it's reimagined with what's available. It's a comforting food that speaks to her belonging even when she feels far away.” [07:56]

2. Braised Dandelion Greens with Caramelized Onions (Lebanon)
   Exploring Lebanese traditions, Hassan explains the symbolic meanings behind the dish:

“It symbolizes the toughness of growth and home... it's resilient.” [08:29]

3. Salvadorian Quesadilla
   Hassan describes the unique aspects of Salvadorian quesadillas, differentiating them from their more widely known counterparts:

“It's a hybrid. It's a cake bread. It's both sweet and savory.” [10:00]

Each recipe serves as a testament to the adaptability and enduring spirit of communities facing displacement.

Stories of Community and Perseverance

One poignant story discussed involves Francisco Martinez, a coffee farm manager. Hassan highlights Francisco’s dedication and how coffee farming represents more than just a livelihood:

“Coffee's woven into the fabric of their community. It’s a source of pride and a symbol of perseverance.” [11:03]

This narrative underscores the deeper connections between individuals, their work, and their cultural heritage.

Future Projects: Exploring Food Rituals

Looking ahead, Hassan reveals her plans for her next book, which will focus on global food rituals:

“What do you eat when you speak to God? What do you eat when the king dies?” [12:35]

She expresses a desire to explore how different cultures use food to mark significant life events and rituals, further expanding her exploration of food's role in societal practices.

Dedication and Personal Reflections

Hassan dedicates Setting a Place for Us to her husband, Kwame, acknowledging his support during the book’s creation:

“He provided me the care and the need that I needed so that I can extend that to the people I was interviewing.” [13:37]

This personal touch highlights the collaborative effort behind her work and the importance of support systems in creative endeavors.

Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up the interview by congratulating Hawa Hassan on her new release, emphasizing the book's significance in understanding the intersection of food, culture, and displacement.

“Thank you, Allison. This is a delight.” [14:27]

Final Thoughts

In this episode of All Of It, Hawa Hassan eloquently illustrates how food serves as a powerful medium for preserving culture, fostering community, and expressing resilience amidst displacement. Her cookbook not only offers delicious recipes but also honors the stories and traditions of those who continue to create and sustain their cultural identities wherever they may find themselves.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. When Hawa Hasan was seven, her mother made a very difficult decision because of the Somali war, Hawa was sent to live in Seattle with family friends. You may remember hearing her story back when she was on this show in 2020 five years later, the James Beard Award winning author has a new cookbook honoring the food culture and people from conflict zones. It's titled Setting a Place for Recipes and stories of Displacement, resilience and a community from eight countries impacted by war. There are recipes for spicy Liberian chicken and tomato stew, Lebanese cabbage rolls, lentil soup from Iraq, and a cantaloupe juice from El Salvador. Alongside stories about people like New York City coffee shop owner and Queen's native Ali Zaman, who tells the importance of passing along Afghan culture and fast company. Writes Hwa's new book is a more intimate exploration of her life story, one that relates to millions of displaced people around the world. Setting a Place for Us is on shelves now. Author and chef Hawa Hasan joins us to discuss. Hi Hawa.

[Hawa Hassan]

Hi Alison. Good to be back with you.

[Alison Stewart]

It's nice to speak to you as well. This is your second cookbook. You were on your show with your first, Bebe's Kitchen. What did you want to do with your second book that you weren't really able to do with your first?

[Hawa Hassan]

Well, as you know, MB's kitchen was to focus on celebrating grandmothers of East Africa and their power and their love for food. But setting a place, I really wanted to go a bit deeper. This was much more of a personal exploration of my own story. This isn't just a book about recipes. It's about understanding how food preserves culture in the face of displacement, something I've had to confront in my own story. It's a, you know, it's exploration of migration and identity and what becomes of a table and when you have to reclaim what's been lost. So the goal was to really speak to more voices that I thought had experienced similar life of bringings like myself.

[Alison Stewart]

What is something you learned about the importance of food as it relates to preserving culture while you were writing this book?

[Hawa Hassan]

Oh, so much. I mean, I think one of the Things that I had always known and could fill it viscerally, but was so clear to me in this book is all of our connectiveness when it comes to food and how we prepare it and the questions that were constantly asking ourselves daily. What's. What's for dinner? How will the kids get to school? And how things are passed down just from asking those questions. And so not only have I learned a lot about myself, but I think I learned how similar I am to so many people around the world because of the ways that we tell stories and how we use food to tell those stories.

[Alison Stewart]

Setting a place for us is focused on displacements, in a way. What are some of the preconceptions that you wanted?

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People.

[Alison Stewart]

What are some of the preconceptions that you wanted to correct, I should say, about conflict zones that people have. About conflict zones.

[Hawa Hassan]

Well, so displacement in the context of this book isn't just about geography. It's about the loss of familiarity and the longing for home. It's the feeling of carrying pieces of yourself into parts unknown and into a future unknown. So through food, people find ways to create what they've lost and even if it's just for a moment. And I really wanted to demystify that word for people because we're so much more than that.

[Alison Stewart]

Which nation was the first one that you traveled to for the book?

[Hawa Hassan]

El Salvador.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

Tell us why.

[Hawa Hassan]

Well, so when it's funny, before we talked in 2020, I'd already gone to El Salvador. So February 2020, I went to El Salvador with two friends to do research for this book. I, you know, I didn't know much about South America growing up, sadly. And I think when I moved to New York, one of the constant rhetoric that I would always hear was that it was unsafe and it was dangerous. And when I got older and I started traveling to places around the world, I started to think, oh, this is also the same story that is being told about my beloved Somalia. And so I wanted to go examine El Salvador for myself. I wanted to see if the stories were true. And I was met with warmth and laughter and food and joy. And that really pushed me. And I'm so grateful. I had that month in 2020, in February, where I had the foresight to go do the research because I knew MB's kitchen was coming. I knew I'd be tied up for a year or so. And so I'm very thankful. And then I went again in 2022. It was my first trip in March. My photographer, Riley, and I went. And same again it was a group of people once again rebuilding and creating new stories and new ways of being together. And I just feel so fortunate for that.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

What were some of the guiding questions that you had about all of these places that you visited and the communities that you visited as you researched? What questions did you have?

[Hawa Hassan]

So my guiding questions were actually ones I often ask myself. You know, they're always rooted in memory and belonging. So I would ask people, what is this dish? Does this dis remind you of home? Who taught it to you? How's it changed since you've left? How's it changed since war has started? And those questions would open up conversations about survival, lost joy. You know, all of the ideas often came back to how food is a thread that ties us back to where we come from or where we are.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

My guest is James Beard award winning author and chef, Hawa Hassan. She's sharing recipes and stories from her latest cookbook, setting a place for recipes and stories of displacement, resilience and community from eight countries impacted by war. Let's talk about the stories for a minute. You spoke to, I believe it was Rayna Abdelhamid. She's from Little Egypt in Queens. She's one of the people that you feature in your book. And she said the dish that best represents her country, Egypt is chicken over rice. First of all, how did you meet Rana Rena?

[Hawa Hassan]

I met her through the photographer for our Egypt chapter, Doya. They're friends and know each other from their community and talk about a powerhouse. You know, she, she runs a program for women and girls and her organization is dedicated to empowering through self defense and economical empowerment and community building. I mean, talk about planting your feet on the ground and recreating and starting over in a way that feels incredibly powerful. But I also was so shocked for Rana's desire for chicken over rice, because isn't that so New York?

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

I was gonna ask chicken over rice? Really?

[Hawa Hassan]

Yeah. She said it was the perfect representation of her diaspora cooking. She said it's a little bit of home, it's reimagined with what's available. It's a comforting food that speaks to her belonging even when she feels far away from. So I thought that was really interesting.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

In the Lebanese section, there's a recipe for braised dandelion greens with caramelized onions. That's exciting. First of all, we think dandelion greens. What are we thinking of? Actually.

[Hawa Hassan]

You know, this is, I say this in the headnotes for the book in that it's a recipe that, that is. That it grows earlier in the spring and it's grown too late. It gets really bitter. And so it's greens. But it's as people, when we were doing research, they say that this is a recipe that is passed down through generations, and it symbolizes, like, the toughness of growth and home. It's made with caramelized onions, and it could be served as a first course or a side dish. And so, yeah, it's very popular. And. And I think what people, just as people are starting to talk about things like bonyo in West Africa, they say it's a thing that could be grown and is resilient.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

I'm interested sort of in the culinary part of this. This idea of pairing these greens with these caramelized onions. What does that do to the texture of the dish?

[Hawa Hassan]

I think more than texture, it adds. There's a sweetness that the onions add. You know, it's sauteed in onion and garlic. And yeah, it's quick. It comes together really quickly and is eaten often in the season that it grows.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

Very important to remember. Let's talk about a quesadilla from El Salvador. It's a little different than other quesadillas. The way we think about quesadilla. What's unique about a quesadilla from El Salvador?

[Hawa Hassan]

You know, the El Salvadorians feel so strong about this recipe because it's uniquely theirs. It's a hybrid. It's a cake bread. It's both sweet and savory. It's eaten at breakfast, it's a snack, or can be served as a light dessert. It's traditionally made with queso douro, a crumble, semi hard cow's milk cheese, which can be found in the States, in many neighborhoods with El Salvadorian communities. And so, not to be mistaken with the one that most people know, this is a sweet cheese bread.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

So when is it eaten during the day? Anytime.

[Hawa Hassan]

Well, anytime. I mean, as far as I'm concerned, you know, you can have it with a cup of coffee or, you know, it's comforting. It's easy. You can. It's quick to bake.

[Progressive Insurance Ad]

In the section, you also include a story about a man named Francisco Martinez who administers a coffee farm. Tell us a little bit about his coffee farm.

[Hawa Hassan]

So Francisco had been a coffee manager since he was 19 years old, working for many different owners. So farmers and owners are two very different people. Most people who own farms, in my research and the folks that I met on the ground hire people like Francisco to become managers. So he and his wife Maria, were living on this farm that he'd been at since he was 19 years old. For him, he says, coffee isn't just work. It's a legacy. His family's been doing it for a generation. He says that each harvest is a testimony to what can be made. He had so much pride, and he made me think, As a coffee lover from Seattle, Washington, he made me really think about a cup of coffee differently. He said that coffee's woven into the fabric of their community. He says that it's a source of pride and a symbol of perseverance. And I was just. I was so blown away by him and his insight. It reminded me that, you know, okay, so just a cup of coffee isn't a cup of coffee. It's about the hands that planted. And he talked about harvesting season and, you know, how it's repaired with care. And so I really enjoyed myself and really learned so much from Francisco recently.

[Alison Stewart]

You've mentioned that your next book will focus around rituals around food. What kind of rituals came up during the research for this book that made you realize, oh, there's another book to be written?

[Hawa Hassan]

You know, I think I've been. Since COVID I've been thinking about the way we gather and what a table looks like and what do real connections in real life look like? And when I started to think about that, I started to think about, what are some of the rituals that we examine ourselves every day, and then how are other people doing it globally? And so when I've been talking to my team, we're thinking about researching things like what do you eat when you speak to God? That could be fasting over a period of time, Right. In some religions, that happens. What do you eat when the king dies? In Ghana, where my husband is from, in certain tribes, when the king dies in the Ashanti kingdom, There's a particular food that they eat, and there's some foods that they don't eat. What do you eat when you climb Mount Everest? You know, there's so much there to be examined.

[Alison Stewart]

And I noticed in your book. Hold on. That you dedicated it to your husband.

[Hawa Hassan]

I did.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell me why.

[Hawa Hassan]

Why did I dedicate the book to him?

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah.

[Hawa Hassan]

I think book writing can be lonely, and I think it could especially be lonely when you're traveling to countries that are far from home and constantly giving and pouring and pouring and pouring, Making sure that you're getting the stories. And, you know, I think one of the things I learned from MB's Kitchen, and I was very alone back then, Is that good stories can't be rushed, and things like this take a lot of time and care. And Kwame was at home in New York, basically acting as the producer of this book. And he provided me the care and the need that I needed so that I can extend that to the people I was interviewing.

[Alison Stewart]

The name of the book is Setting a Place for Us. It is by Hawa Hassan. Thank you so much for being with us and congratulations on the book.

[Hawa Hassan]

Thank you, Allison. This is a delight.

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