Anise to Za'atar

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  • Breakfast/ Brunch/ Lunch/ Recipes

    Shakshuka with Ethiopian Berbere Spice

    February 7, 2019
  • Baking/ Dessert/ Recipes

    Speculaas Bourbon Crumble with Pear and Cranberries

    January 29, 2019
  • Dessert/ Recipes

    Sheep’s Milk Panna Cotta with Sumac, Brandied Cherries and Hazelnuts

    January 22, 2019
  • Cookbook Reviews

    From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free: A review of Joudie Kalla’s “Baladi” and “Palestine on a Plate”

    January 8, 2019
  • Collaborations/ Dinner/ Food Writing/ Recipes/ Reflections

    Haitian Soupe Joumou for New Year’s Day

    January 1, 2019
  • Drinks/ Recipes

    Sorrel and Rose Gin and Tonic

    December 12, 2018
  • Appetizer/ Baking/ Lunch/ Recipes

    Za’atar and Dark Rye Crackers

    December 5, 2018
  • Baking/ Dinner/ Lunch/ Recipes

    Ras El Hanout and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

    November 5, 2018
  • Baking/ Dinner/ Lunch/ Recipes

    Lahmajoun Pizza with Arugula

    October 26, 2018
  • Interviews/ Reflections

    Anthony Bourdain, An Interview Request

    October 14, 2018
  • Breakfast/ Brunch/ Recipes

    Turkish Style Grits, a la Sofra Bakery

    September 27, 2018
  • Brunch/ Dinner/ Recipes

    Za’atar Fried Chicken and Waffles with Grainy Dijon Sauce

    September 21, 2018
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  • Merguez meatballs with a gooey mozzarella center, on a citrus, walnut & roasted red pepper sauce, served with maftoul. Topped with pomegranate, parsley and Aleppo pepper. ⠀⠀⠀ Merguez is a spicy lamb (or sometimes beef) sausage from North Africa, and these lamb meatballs are packed with the spices used in merguez: turmeric, cumin, coriander, sumac, and fennel. I started with a recipe from @moribyankitchen and then tweaked along the way, including omitting the typical addition of harissa (which is what adds the spiciness) because my kids aren’t big spicy food fans; no worries though, these still pack a serious flavor punch. They’re rich, so rich, and that’s where the citrus freshness (as well as the tanginess) from the sauce comes in to balance it out. ⠀⠀⠀ The sauce is a creative take of mine that is in the vein of muhammara dip: earthy, bitter walnuts are complemented by the roasted sweetness of the peppers and the tanginess of pomegranate molasses and lemon - with added brightness of orange zest and juice - as well as a few other tweaks that take it more towards a sauce than a dip. ⠀⠀⠀ Paired with maftoul and it’s a super tasty, hearty dinner packed with different flavors that all compliment one another. There’s no shortage of flavor here! ⠀⠀⠀ Best part: meatballs were made ahead of time and pulled out of the freezer, the sauce comes together quickly, and the maftoul takes 15 minutes to cook. Midweek meal sorted in a jiffy and hooooo boy was it good - a delicious, home cooked mess 😋😋😋 ⠀⠀⠀ #midweekmeals #maftoul #merguez #eattheworld #homecooking #comfortfood #f52grams #fbcigers #canadianfoodblogger #recipedevelopment #muhammara #rookwoodjoy #rookwoodpottery
  • It begins with a small voice that drifts into my consciousness, telling me something profound... ⠀⠀ It gets clearer... ⠀⠀ "Dada! Dada! I'm awake!" ⠀⠀ The older ones are already up, likely pouring cereal into their bowls, and all over the table and the floor as well. I grab my youngest, we get changed, and head downstairs into the fray. We've got about an hour to get the oldest two ready for school: breakfast eaten, lunches made, everyone dressed, hunt for lost agendas, sign forms that should have been done the day before, remind them that personal hygiene matters, kiss them goodbye, etc... ⠀⠀ But, first, coffee. I don't cope so well without it. Grind, pour, press, sip. Ahhh 🙌 Oh, yeah. Ok, let's do this (now I only have 45 min... 😬) ⠀⠀ The eldest leaves earliest, she's turned 11 and completely independent on the same day. I bundle the smallest two; in Canada, getting outside in the winter with small children requires an extra ten minutes to layer everyone until they resemble the Michelin Man. ⠀⠀ It's a short walk to school, a short walk back. Undress everyone. How is the house already a disaster by 9:30am?! ⠀⠀ I breathe and make breakfast. Oatmeal, it sticks to your ribs my mama told me. Make it savory; no way I would have bought into that as a kid. But, it's not so odd. Kinda like congee, or even savory grits. And now I love it this way. Top it with a fried egg, these damn delicious smoked portobello mushrooms that one of the chefs at the Kroger Innovation Center gifted me last week in Cincinnati (shout out @brandonfortener), a splash of my favorite local spicy chili miso sauce. Breathe. Ok, now we're ready for the day and to clean up all the cereal off the floor... ⠀⠀ #dadlife #savoryoatmeal #oatmealinspiration #eattheworld #breakfastideas #f52grams #fbcigers #dadcooks #comfortfood #teamsavorybreakfast #torontofood #eeeats
  • Good writers are good readers; you can’t forget that. ⠀ Since I was a child I wanted to be a writer: I remember landing a first (unpaid) gig as a ‘stringer’ for a Canadian kids magazine, I have the first magazine I was published in as a teenager, and I have each of the books I’ve been published in. ⠀ But you still need to read more than you write, something I’ve struggled with at times as a PhD student, as a dad of little ones, as your average busy person. ⠀ Reading good writers is both a balm and a burn. You get lost in their cadence, immersed in the places and ideas they create for you. But they also are that spark, inspirational immediacy to do what they do, to craft words that turn into worlds that others can inhabit with you. ⠀ I’ve been reading and loving @lianaagh's writing recently, a diasporic Armenian writer who crafts essays laden with family and place, all carried by a warm, sparse prose that allows you to feel each word. ⠀ I won’t pretend that I know everything about Armenia but the Armenian genocide, a loss that reverberates through her work, has been back in the news of late as the US uses their recognition of it as a chess piece in its political negotiations with Turkey, further muddling the complex politics of the area. But Armenia is more than the genocide and Liana writes through and into being the rich cultural legacy of Armenians, particularly in relation to those in the diaspora as they grapple with loss, place, and belonging. And, she does it through food. ⠀ So, I decided to cook her #ghapama, a stuffed pumpkin dish that is abundantly autumnal and would make a great Thanksgiving side or, as I did, a meal alongside some khorovat marinated BBQ’d meat. It’s a spiced, honey sweetened rice studded with walnuts and dried fruit (I did apricots & cherries) and then cooked inside a whole pumpkin. It’s visually stunning, a dish that is both a hug and also a celebration as the rice cascades out with each cut. Liana writes that “The ghapama is a perfect addition to transport you from wherever you are, to a snow-covered village where strangers, especially cold ones, are family” and you can get the recipe for this Armenian dish on her website.
  • I'm back from the 2019 @saveurmag Blog Awards and it was an amazing time of meeting new people and experiencing the best of Cincinnati! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There's too many new people to shout out (and I'd likely still miss a few) but a special shout out to @pakistaneats who was the one who originally nominated me for the award. I didn't win but it was so affirming to hear from so many people there how they were reading and appreciating my work. I also learned some new things that I'm hoping to implement, to make the content here even better - so don't go anywhere! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There are more pics and a short write up on the website today, if you want to hear more about my #cincyexperience - the link is in the profile! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #cincinnati #savblogawards #foodblog #fbcigers
  • New recipe and blog post up on the website - click the link in the profile to read it! ⠀⠀ I've never believed in this so-called 'ice cream season', ice cream is delicious in any season as this **Sweet Potato Pie and Cranberry Ice Cream** will demonstrate 😂 ⠀⠀ Sweet potato is not a common dessert ingredient here in Canada, but it is in the southern United States. While desserts such as sweet potato pie likely came via Europe to white plantation owners’ kitchen tables, the sweet potato pie is now deeply rooted in Black communities in the South. ⠀⠀ Adrian Miller writes that the sweet potato pie is “a taste of home. It’s a taste of church. It’s the taste of family reunions. You know those settings where you can kind of escape from everything else that’s happening in the world. You’ve got this bond, you’re feeling the love.” It’s a taste of belonging, of family, but also one of resiliency, adaptability, and survival. ⠀⠀ And it is important to not obscure this dessert’s connection to Blackness, especially in relation to the broader food phenomenon that has colloquially come to be known as ‘Southern Food’ or ‘comfort food’. ⠀⠀ Check out the rest of the essay on sweet potato pie, and find the recipe on the website! ⠀⠀ P.S. If you really just want to make a sweet potato pie now (and who can blame you), I endorse and link to @thekitchenista's pie recipe which is my go-to. ⠀⠀ #sweetpotatopie #icecreamseason #icecream #eattheworld #recipes #fbcigers #fallflavors #canadianfoodblogger #eeeats #southernfood #comfortfood #blackfood #thanksgivingrecipes
  • What comes to your mind when you imagine Palestine? Or is there an absence there? Maybe a picture that doesn't correspond to the reality of the place? Is it a place in your mental map? ⠀⠀ Palestinian artist George Abraham writes about growing up Palestinian in the American diaspora, "Palestine was a word conveniently missing from my lexicon, but labneh wasn't. Or falafel or sfiha or khazanah." ⠀⠀ And, that is one of the powerful values of food: it's ability to stand in the absences, to connect to places that maybe you've never been, to create meaning and belonging even when those things are taken or ignored by others. It creates pictures and places in our minds. ⠀⠀ He writes about being confused as a child because he couldn't find Palestine on the map, thinking maybe his mother meant Pakistan. But he knew falafel and labneh and khobzeh and jibneh. They held meaning and belonging even when he could not find his place on the map. ⠀⠀ Food connects people, even across oceans and displacement, to a place, to others, and to histories. It's a powerful creator of self, and self in relation to others. ⠀⠀ And, as I make labneh today, I am reminded of this. It doesn't have the same significance to me, but it reminds me of where it is from, of its place; and, it challenges me to understand what my relationship to that place is. It's good food (like, seriously, labneh is the best) and it's a good reminder of the power of food. ⠀⠀ P.S: Want to make your own labneh? Check @cardamom.and.tea's site for a good tutorial. ⠀⠀ #labneh #Palestinianfood #palestine #eattheworld #middleeasternfood #middleeasterncuisine #homecooking #comfortfood #eeeats #onthetable
  • “We think of recipes as belonging to a people and place; outsiders are interlopers. Milk Street offers the opposite… This is a culinary—not cultural—exchange.” ⠀⠀ It’s alluring (to certain people), to no longer have to worry about authorship/ownership, to merely sit together at a common table and share the food. ⠀⠀ But, food DOES belong to a place and a people. It’s less about belonging as ownership than belonging as being OF a place, rooted and shaped by particular geographies and the people who inhabit them. There are reasons that food tastes a particular way in a particular place; food has a place and a history connected to the people who have made it. This is why food is ALWAYS cultural. Food separated from its cultural mooring is a form of colonial extraction. ⠀⠀ But food has always been influenced by and open to outside influences. ⠀⠀ This openness, at times, has been abused: ‘outsiders’ have treated the histories, places, foods - the cultural treasures - without the necessary care and appreciation. If you feel like an interloper, it’s not because of the food - because food is an invitation, an opening - but because you have not taken the necessary steps to be in a good relationship with that food and the people who have made it. ⠀⠀ Dictionary.com defines an interloper as “a person who interferes or meddles in the affairs of others,” or “a person who intrudes… without a proper license.” If you came to meddle or if you came without going through the proper channels, then you are an interloper rather than a welcome guest. ⠀⠀ This is the pasta with browned butter, yogurt and herbs from Christopher Kimball’s #MilkStreetTuesdayNights, which he says is inspired by Turkish manti, a small dumpling typically filled with lamb or another minced meat (and the yogurt sauce served over them). To take the dish a few steps closer to manti, I’ve added minced lamb to the recipe and sprinkled it with urfa biber chili flakes. And, while it’s a delicious recipe, I can’t help but feel a little implicated, like an interloper alongside Kimball... ⠀⠀ #milkstreet #milkstreetrecipes #eattheworld #foodwriting #foodpolitics #manti #foodblogger #fbcigers
  • There used to be this Mexican restaurant on the Danforth (one of our main streets here in Toronto) that my wife enjoyed going to. ⠀⠀ It wasn't open long, and has been closed for some time now, but one of the things that most stood out in her mind, and that she still talks about, was the selection of varied, creative guacamoles you could order. You could choose a sampler of three flavors and they would arrive with a basket of freshly made tortilla chips. ⠀⠀ So this past week I put the research in and recreated three of the flavors from the now defunct restaurant for her. ⠀⠀ Left, to right: cactus pear guacamole, smoked trout guacamole (made with local @milfordbay_trout), and goat cheese guacamole. Served with homemade corn tortilla chips. ⠀⠀ I varied the base ingredients a little as well, some got chili, some got garlic, cumin went in one, some got more lime than others, etc. They were each a very different flavor profile, and a fun way to start a meal. When it's impossible for her to pick a favorite, that's when you know you did it up right 💪 ⠀⠀ #guacamole #mexicanfood #foodislove #homecooking #eattheworld #smokedtrout #eatfresh #onthetable #eeeats #fbcigers #torontofood #f52grams
  • When the Spanish arrived in what is now Mexico, they banned the growing and harvesting of amaranth, imposing harsh punishments for those found still growing it. Why? Amaranth, an ancient grain that is a protein powerhouse and also loaded with many nutrients important in a #plantbaseddiet (and it’s #glutenfree!), was a cultural pillar for the Aztec (and the Mayan further south) alongside foods like corn; it was used not only as food but also had religious and economic importance. ⠀ Amaranth was at the heart of the physical, spiritual & cultural strength of the Aztecs. The outlawing of it was intended to weaken the people, both physically and culturally, in order to make conquest easier. The invaders’ goal was to destroy the Aztecs. ⠀⠀ Much has been written about the ways that colonization engages in cultural genocide, the ending of a people’s culture in order to assimilate them into the invading one. Here in Canada, it was considered a big deal when the government admitted to cultural genocide. ⠀⠀ But, there is also a way in which the admitting of cultural genocide is a way of avoiding culpability for what cultural genocide really is: genocide. ⠀⠀ As the example of amaranth shows us, culture is not divisible from one’s existence. It is part of the fabric of our physical, spiritual and mental health - to attempt to kill the culture is to attempt to kill the people. People are the holders and creators of culture: if you want to kill the culture, you look to kill the people. Cultural genocide is genocide. ⠀⠀ "They tried to bury us but they didn't know we were seeds…," the saying goes. And, amaranth also kept growing, despite its outlaw status and the destruction of the Aztec kingdom. And I get to use it here: ⠀⠀ This is the chocolate cake with amaranth from @decolonizeyourdiet's book, served with a scoop of my homemade Mexican mocha ice cream (spiced with cinnamon, ancho chili, all spice, and achiote). The cake is rich and almost fudgey in texture, and the ice cream was ridiculously creamy with a wonderfully balanced spiciness and chocolate espresso kick. Will definitely be making this again 😋
  • Saidaiya Hartman says that “so much of writing is about a way of trying to make home” and I think the same might be true of cooking. We cook to remind ourselves of home, to make a new home, to forget where we are, to remind us of where we are, to remind ourselves where we came from, to forget where we came from, to create a place for ourselves and our families. We find ourselves and our home in the food, in the ingredients, in the process, in the kitchen, at the table, while washing dishes. It might be that home was not something you ever really felt and it is something that you have to create from scratch. Too often there is no recipe for home. ⠀⠀ This is a Peruvian ceviche, made with huacatay from my backyard. I had an amazing Peruvian ceviche at Plaza Latina, a ramshackle building on the outskirts of the city that has gathered some of the best food from around Latin America in a tiny, busy food court. I wanted to recreate that. But it’s different, I use different ingredients and I’m not eating in that crowded food court where Spanish is the official language. ⠀⠀ It’s made with sustainably sourced BC rockfish from @hookedinc, trapped in the Salish Sea. I’m around our coffee table. My parents are visiting and I make this for us all, scooped high on chips. The huacatay is fresh and pungent, blasting its way through the buttery fish and the acidic lime, through the chili and the onions and the tomatoes to make itself known. It’s fresh and bright, and it’s oh so delicious. This is my jam, it’s singing my song. ⠀⠀ It doesn’t remind me of home, we would never have eaten raw fish growing up, but I’ve lived next to the Salish Sea and it makes me think of those moments. Where I lived with my parents who are now sitting next to me, where I met my partner, and first began our family. It was our first home together. I’ve shared the story of how I started growing huacatay, because of a gift from my partner, and it has brought other people into our home and community to share it. ⠀⠀ There are many ways to make a home and maybe this is one of them. ⠀⠀ #peruvianfood #ceviche #eattheworld #foodwriting #fbcigers #homecooking #eatfresh #eeeats #canadianfood #torontofood
  • If there was one dish I could teach beginner cooks, it might be lentil soup. It's so comforting, especially on blustery fall days like today, it's dead simple, it's customizable, it's easily made #vegan or #vegetarian, it's #glutenfree, it's a healthy, filling meal on it's own. ⠀⠀ Here's the basic process for making lentil soup. ⠀⠀ You need your vegetables: potatoes, carrots, onions (one of each is a good start for a 2-3 portion size, multiply accordingly). Dice them up or even grate them. In your pot, heat some oil/butter/margarine (I like butter) and then toss the veg in. Cook until somewhat soft. Here's where if you want to add garlic, ginger, herbs, 'aromatics' - do it (and saute for another minute). I didn't (though as you'll see I did have an added garlic & onion hit). ⠀⠀ Add red lentils (let's say 1/2C per serving) with water/broth (I used a homemade chicken/garlic/onion broth) to cover (approx 3x lentil amount). Bring to boil & cook until lentils are soft (20 min?). ⠀⠀ You have soup! You can leave like this or now blend (as I did) for a creamy soup. ⠀⠀ Taste it. Add some salt. Add some water/broth if too thick. You can also now customize with flavors. My son loves Greek (fresh rosemary, feta & lemon on top), go 'Mexican' by adding some salsa, cheese and avocado; the options are only limited by your imagination. I topped mine with some urfa biber chili flakes and fresh mint. ⠀⠀ This particular batch might have been the best I've ever made (those who had it, raved about it), primarily because of the stock/broth I used. Water works, store bought broth too (veg/chicken/beef) but this is definitely the stage where quality of ingredients most shines through. ⠀⠀ Anyways, lentil soup. Warming, cheap, powerhouse meal. Perfect for fall, to bring to a sick neighbor or to bring for lunch. Low level of effort and skill, high level of homemade deliciousness. ⠀⠀ #homecooking #comfortfood #lentilsoup #recipes #fallrecipes #eattheworld #eatfresh #fbcigers #feedfeed #eeeats #cookingathome
  • Family is a choice. Whether its the family you've biologically drawn or family you've made yourself, it still involves you choosing to be family. Whatever family means to you, because it can be such a loaded, complex term... ⠀⠀ When we first moved to Toronto 10+ years ago, we didn't know anyone here. Our families were across the country. So, we had to make new family here. ⠀⠀ For the past 7+ years we've been intentionally carving out time for some folks we've grown into family with. Each week, every Wednesday, we gather for dinner together. Because families spend time together. ⠀⠀ There's small kids, teenagers, young parents, single adults, and even one grandma in there (hi Jocelyn, we missed you this week 👋). It's changed throughout the years. We've seen kids grow into teenagers, teenagers grow up and move out, lives change irrevocably in some pretty major ways. But, still, every Wednesday we gather to eat. Because families eat together. ⠀⠀ It's a pretty unique commitment to one another. It's not always easy, as lives get busy and full, but through that shared commitment to meeting and eating together, relationships are built. Building takes time and care and commitment. And food. ⠀⠀ It was my week to cook this week. Cooking and hosting for 20+ in a small space has its challenges so I typically go 'serve yourself' and something simple. ⠀⠀ I made jerk and citrus spiced pulled pork on homemade rolls, a mango coleslaw, and fried plantains. And for dessert we shared a birthday cake and celebrated together (see the last post for that!) ⠀⠀ #casualfood #homecooking #comfortfood #caribbeanfood #familymeal #eattheworld #eatfresh #onthetable #fbcigers

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