Ifrah F Ahmed’s debut cookbook celebrates Somali cuisine, history and people
Sundus AbdiSaturday April 25, 2026
Ifrah F Ahmed turned to Somali community members around the world to research her book, Soomaaliya: Food, Memory and Migration. Photograph: Khadija Farah
On a video call from Brooklyn, with a book tour stretching between cities, Ifrah F Ahmed sips ginger-root tea. The aroma pulls her back to a childhood kitchen where her mother would often bake fragrant cardamom cake.
“That’s a core childhood memory for me,” she said.
For Ahmed, food has never been only about eating. It carries memory,…