Iowa Writers’ Workshop alum Rawaan Alkhatib will read from her debut cookbook, Hot Date!: Sweet & Savory Recipes Celebrating the Date, from Party Food to Everyday Feasts. Described from Alkhatib’s publisher, Chronicle Books, as “The first comprehensive cookbook on an ancient superfood and the cultures that revere it,” Hot Date! features “99 mouthwatering, date-centered recipes that are the perfect mix of traditional favorites and inspired new creations.” The Paris Review says of Hot Date!: “The most sumptuous cookbook I’ve ever encountered…Savor this book with your sweetheart, take yourself out on your own date: Hot Date! is a joy.” Meanwhile, Publisher’s Weekly, which gave Hot Date! a starred review, says, “Alkhatib’s sumptuous paintings, narrative anecdotes, and illustrated poetry make this more than just a cookbook. It’s a powerful ode to a multifaceted fruit.”

Rawaan Alkhatib is a cook, writer, and artist of Palestinian and Indian descent. She was born and raised in Dubai, UAE, where she experienced firsthand the warmth and generosity of a date-centric culture. She holds an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. When she’s not working full-time at a museum exhibit design studio, she creates work across a variety of mediums, including writing, painting, textile design and, of course, food. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her spouse and child (rawaan-alkhatib.com).