MY COOKBOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE!

After 10 years of working on this labor of love, my cookbook is finally ready and I am now taking orders! You get to see the cover here first: This hardback book is full of colorful illustrations, meticulous directions, family anecdotes, and historical information about the recipes.  The recipes in this book are a great……

How My Late Grandfather Communicated With Me…from the Afterlife!

Lately I have been quite contemplative thinking about all the people in my life that have been dear to me, and spent hours with my mother looking at old photos and talking about old memories.  Did you ever have someone dear to you from your past come into your life in the most unexpected way?……

No Bake Cake Celebrates Palestine & South Africa!

Today I uploaded the final video of my South African cuisine series, and I saved the best for last, especially if you have a sweet tooth! As summer approaches, this supremely easy yet creative dessert is great for barbecues, potlucks, and parties. Behold, the South African style “fridge” cake:  This dessert is no bake, so……

Food & Wine Pairing Lessons from Julia Child’s Friend, Tor of Tor Wineries in Napa!

Hello Feast in the Middle East Family,  I hope you are all doing well! In today’s blog I thought I would take a break from sharing a recipe to instead focus on a short and sweet wine pairing 101. While I am not a drinker, I do appreciate the complementary relationship between wine and food,……

Never Buy Boxed Cornbread Again!

Out of all the breads in the world, there is always one type I can never resist, and that is cornbread. I love that cornbread tastes delicious both sweet (with a little butter and honey or jam) or savory, dunked into soups, stews, or chile. In part 2 of my cooking series to celebrate and……

My Favorite Childhood Treat: Spinach Pies! (Fatayer Sabanekh)

With Arab American Heritage Month, Eid al Fitr, and Greek Orthodox lent upon us at the same time, there is one dish that fits the bill for all 3 occasions, Fatayer Sabanekh, or Arab style spinach pies! The word “fatayer” itself means pastry in Arabic.  These vegetarian hand pies, which are popular in Palestine, Lebanon,……

Apricot Lamb Kebabs: Honoring South Africa!

While this website is dedicated to middle eastern food, today I wanted to honor the country of South Africa by featuring their cuisine. I haven’t posted in a while, as I have been seeing horrific images coming out of Gaza. Continuous photos of skeletal children being deprived of food and aid are just too much……

Bread Baking Tips from a Sourdough Master!

There is something about a cold rainy day that makes me yearn to bake homemade bread. The art of baking bread makes me nostalgic for the days of my childhood, reminding me of my gentle great auntie Bahieh. She NEVER bought bread from the store, instead baking her own loaves every Saturday. I could smell……

BBQ Shrimp: A Taste of New Orleans in Your Kitchen!

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area my whole life, I never understood the celebratory nature of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The whole city comes alive with massive get togethers with friends and family, and of course, decadent food. It is not uncommon for people cooking outdoors to invite strangers passing by to join……

Sugar Free Ghraybeh! (Arab Shortbread Cookies)

Hello Dear Friends,  I realize that it has been a while since I have posted a recipe, please know that I have not forgotten you! I have been busy working on a lot of charity events, as well as my job at NBC, and I will be sure to share some of my favorite NBC……

Cookbook Sale

Hello Dear Friends, I hope you are all doing well this holiday season. If you haven’t been following me on Youtube or Instagram, you might not know that I am having a sale on my cookbook the entire month of December. Right now you can use the code BLACKFRIDAY and get 15% off here: https://secure.mybookorders.com/mbo_index.php?isbn=9781545675113 This……