I’m very excited to share with you the first recipe in my Illustrated Italian Recipes blog series, featuring a simple Pizza Margherita made with ready-made filo pastry. My husband and I started making this delicious summer favourite following our recent Italy Culinary Tour that took us to Milano (Milan) and Southern Italy. Before taking the high-speed train, Frecciarossa, from Milano to Napoli (Naples), my husband and I popped by COOP to stock up on snacks for our road trip. Their bakery had ... continue reading...
Italy Culinary Tour: Illustrated Map of Puglia
Working on this illustrated map of Puglia (Apulia) has filled me with more joy than I could have ever imagined! This just goes to show that the impression this beautiful region with its centuries-old farmland and long Mediterranean coastline, has left on my hubby and I was truly extraordinary and special! Puglia, down in the heel of Italy, was certainly the highlight of our recent Italy Culinary Tour. Our intense tour took us to seven of Apulia’s cities, five of which are the highlight of the ... continue reading...
Lahmacun: Turkish Pizza with an Italian-Lebanese Twist
Although many refer to it as Turkish Pizza, this delicious Middle Eastern pastry is also popular in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Armenia, and, of course, Turkey. There are so many versions of this Levantine flatbread, however in this new Illustrated Middle Eastern Recipes post, I will be sharing with you my husband’s signature recipe, which I think is the most delicious version I have ever tried so far! The internet likes to call it Turkish Pizza, but the Turks call the round-shaped meat pies as ... continue reading...
Italy Culinary Tour: Southern Italy Illustrated Map
This Southern Italy illustrated map highlights some of the rich culinary dishes and traditions my husband I had the pleasure of enjoying during our February 2017 visit to Milan (Milano) and Southern Italy. As mentioned earlier, our Italy Culinary Tour started out in the north, followed by an intense city-hopping routine across 14 cities and towns in the South. Our hyper-rapid tour around the beautiful south took us to places like Naples (Napoli) the capital of the region of Campania ... continue reading...
Hand-Lettering Travel Quote: Kiss the Earth
#EarthDay is upon us and it’s time for a new illustration and hand-lettering travel quote to highlight my personal feelings as an illustrator regarding this very special day! A couple of months ago, I found the perfect quote by love poet and Sufi grand mentor, Rumi, to highlight this year’s April 22 festivities! I feel this quote draws a beautiful picture that illustrates the direction and vision of my food and travel illustration blog! Rumi, who I feel is one of the world’s spiritual ... continue reading...
Mediterranean Food Illustrations: Italian, Moroccan and Turkish Culinary Tour
I’ve been wanting to create these Mediterranean food illustrations for a while now, and I’m so happy I finally got around to making this happen! I love how food culture in the Mediterranean region is so diverse, yet sometimes so comparable. You might think food in Italy is totally different from food in Lebanon or Syria, but the fact is, in some areas of Italy there are foods that are very similar to traditional dishes found in other parts of the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle ... continue reading...
Illustrated Italian Recipes: Scrumptious Food Illustrations from Italy
The recent Italy Culinary Tour my husband and I had to Italy’s food scene had me thinking about starting this new blog series, Illustrated Italian Recipes, featuring food illustrations from Italy. In addition to creating a personal space for me to develop my signature food illustrations style around the authentic Italian cuisine and rich food culture, I want this series to also help me further understand Italian ingredients and culinary lifestyle. Italian Cooking through an Illustrator’s ... continue reading...
Um Fouad’s Coffee Ritual: A Female Syrian Refugee’s Recipe for Hope amid Adversity
The first episode in my Illustrated Women Who Can blog series is about the female Syrian refugee who inspired this series, Um Fouad. Frankly speaking, there’s no one like Um Fouad. She is a bubbly, strong-willed, optimistic lady who doesn’t let anything drag her down, not even a civil war in her home country or the fact that she lives in a pre-fab caravan in Zaatari camp. I wanted to create an illustration celebrating Um Fouad’s resilience, because she can teach women everywhere to take ... continue reading...
