Okra is one of those vegetables that people tend to have strong feelings about, and I am among the okra lovers of the world. Bamieh is simply the Arabic word for okra – and this stew can be made bil lahme – or with meat (as I’ve done here), or without – which makes it…
I am a chili head – I am known to put hot sauce on everything. Our dinner table is never without hot sauce, or some homemade chili sauce of some sort – regardless of the cuisine we’re eating. I see spiciness warnings on restaurant menus as a dare, and order my Thai food ‘Thai hot’…
I returned home from Japan inspired and ready to cook again – and then, well, I got really sick. My husband’s grandfather passed away and no sooner had we returned to Denver than he was on a flight for Honolulu to his memorial, and then the first big snowstorm of the year hit. I had…
Today (September 23rd) is actually Za’atar Day! Za’atar is a spice used throughout the Levant – made from a type of wild thyme, or hyssop. Its official name is ‘origanum syriacum’ and it’s classified as part of the oregano / marjoram family of plants. It grows wild in many places and in late summer and…
Sugary iced drinks and pine nuts are two of my daughter’s favourite things in this world and jallab, a fruity punch made with syrups and water over ice and topped with pine nuts is as perfect a summer beverage as she could wish for. While commercial jallab syrups are available they’re not easily found in…
This month I found myself finally getting a long-delayed dental procedure – which meant for two weeks my diet could consist only of soft foods. After glancing at the list and realising that many of the listed ‘recommended’ foods were things I didn’t like eating (seriously, I don’t like mashed potato), my first thought was…
