almond

Honey Almond Fig Cake

Honey Almond Fig Cake

It’s fig season, and what better way to celebrate than with Honey Almond Fig Cake. Fig season generally runs from August through October – so look out for tons more fig recipes from all your favorite bloggers.

Let’s talk about Figs for a minute. I love figs. It all started in Kindergarten when they used to pass out Fig Newtons during snack time. Remember those? I’m not going to lie, they were my favorite snacks. At the time, though, I did not make the connection between the sweet fruit-filled bar and the actual fruit. That mental connection didn’t happen until many years later. (more…)

Karawya [Sweet Caraway Pudding]

Karawya

My coworker’s wife just had a baby. Everyone in the office had been counting down, waiting for their precious bundle of joy to arrive. A few months ago, we combined his birthday desk decorations with a guessing game of whether they’d be having a boy or a girl – complete with a chalkboard tally. When we found out they were having a girl, everyone had some advice to give. As a father, I can only imagine the excitement and some of the fear of having a daughter. As a mother, I’m positive his wife was ecstatic to have a mini-me. I have to say, she is the most adorable little nugget. Their lives changed overnight and in the most incredible way.

As a matter of Arab tradition, when a baby is born, the family holds a Mubraka where friends and family come over to visit the mother and new baby. I’ve seen very small gatherings, and very large gatherings. It’s a way to meet the new baby and wish well for the family. A special dessert is served called Karawya كراوية. The reason they serve karawya is pretty good, actually. Despite it being a dessert, it has nutrients and energy that are supposed to be good for a nursing mother. (more…)