New Middle Eastern Shopping Guide!

Hello Feaster Friends! In response to the many e-mails I have received on where I source my Middle Eastern ingredients and other merchandise, I  decided to put together a one stop shopping online store. From excellent quality spices to the best handmade baklava made in the USA, and felafel molds to Arabic styled aprons, I…… Continue reading New Middle Eastern Shopping Guide!

5 Phrases in Arabic that Will Deter Annoying People…

The first question I am often asked as someone that speaks Arabic is “Can you teach me some swear words?”  For whatever reason, people would rather spew clouds of vitriol in every language of the rainbow than whisper sweet nothings. I get it though, I have been known to swear like a sailor particularly behind…… Continue reading 5 Phrases in Arabic that Will Deter Annoying People…

11 Signs That you Grew Up in Middle Eastern Home….

Part of my mission with this Feast in the Middle East project is to increase cultural understanding. There were certainly some unique cultural experiences that I had in my upbringing as a first generation Arab American that some people might find a little kooky.  Conversely, if you grew up in a Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Jordanian,…… Continue reading 11 Signs That you Grew Up in Middle Eastern Home….

Kibbeh: The Shepards Pie of the Middle East!

“Kibbeh kibbeh kibbeh chameleon…..you come and goooo you come and goooo…” Ok so I know the Boy George song doesn’t really go like that, but I can’t help but get so giddy and excited that I  break into song at the thought of my favorite food,  Kibbeh. And Kibbeh really is a chameleon, in that…… Continue reading Kibbeh: The Shepards Pie of the Middle East!

New Video: 7 Tips for Entertaining Guests from the Middle East!

My latest video is in response to many of YOU, the viewers, who wanted a video on how to entertain guests from the Middle East. During the summer I released a video about what to expect if you are INVITED to a Middle Eastern home. However many people are finding themselves in the reverse situation,…… Continue reading New Video: 7 Tips for Entertaining Guests from the Middle East!

“Salata Batata” Arab Style Potato Salad

Sometimes…you just want a healthy simple side dish to put on the table without much effort. Sometimes..you have to let go the fear of carbs and embrace the potato–the beautiful high fiber potato without the addition of cheese, frying, or all of that other food sabotage. Seriously why are people afraid of potatoes?  They are…… Continue reading “Salata Batata” Arab Style Potato Salad

Viewers Choice: Mideast Grocery Haul!

Do you get more excited about shopping for food than for clothing? Then this next video is literally for you! I have listened to all of the many comments and e-mails asking me to do a grocery haul in a Middle Eastern Market. What I intended to do in this video is demystify exotic ingredients and…… Continue reading Viewers Choice: Mideast Grocery Haul!

My Latest Podcast Interview with Arabiyaat at KPFA Radio

As someone who has worked primarily in television and on camera, it was a refreshing change to let my hair down and talk about Feast in the Middle East on the radio! Linda Khoury is the host of  “Arabiyaat”, a podcast that is regularly featured on KPFA radio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Arabiyaat is…… Continue reading My Latest Podcast Interview with Arabiyaat at KPFA Radio

Best Qatayef (Kateyef) Recipe EVER!

One recipe request I have received most often lately, is that for Katayef, also known as Qateyef. These fluffy little pancakes are filled with either nuts or cheese then drizzled with a rose and lemon scented syrup.  If you go to any Arab country during Ramadan, you will see bakeries churning out these pancakes by the hundreds…… Continue reading Best Qatayef (Kateyef) Recipe EVER!

Vegan Cabbage Rolls: MALFOUF!

The word “malfouf” in Arabic means both “cabbage” and “rolled.” So in Lebanese and Palestinian culture, cooks must have felt that it was only natural to roll up the cabbage around rice, and the popular dish malfouf was born. Stuffed cabbage leaves are popular in so many countries, from Russia to Poland and Sweden. But…… Continue reading Vegan Cabbage Rolls: MALFOUF!