Pardon my dust + a list of favorites

Happy post-Thanksgiving! I trust you are all fully recovered from turkey coma and hope those of you who celebrated stuffed yourselves to the brim. We celebrated up on the farm and as it was a gloriously hot day here in Melbourne, we overdosed outside. A first for me, this al fresco Thanksgiving thing, but a new tradition I’m thrilled to embrace.

Quite a bit has been brewing behind the scenes here, in life and on this blog (all good things, not to worry). In a nutshell: I’m working on making Wandering Spice a better blog, and I’m excited to reveal some fun new things in the next few weeks!

In lieu of posting here, I’ll be on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. If you haven’t already, make sure to follow me to get all the latest updates about the launch, plus quick recipes and how-to’s you haven’t seen here before.

Lately, a few readers have also asked me to share a few of my favorite recipes from the site. Without further ado, here are a few of them. Just click on the photos to get the recipe.

See you soon!

“I can resist little zaatar croissants, fresh from the oven on Sunday morning,” said no one, ever.

Maamoul: date-stuffed semolina cookies.

Cherry and Brown Sugar Tea Cake. Made famous by my mom, and now the perfect (and foolproof) recipe base for all kinds of seasonal experimentation.

Orange Upside-Down Spice Cakes. An experiment that went VERY right.

My first time olive picking on the family farm. Not a recipe, but an amazing experience.

Zaatar pastries: an old family recipe of mine that I love serving at brunch.

Chocolate Pav. One of my all-time favorite, most sinful-tasting and yet lazy-to-prepare desserts (thanks Nigella). This pav reminds me of my sister-in-law, who introduced me to the stuff a few years before I moved to Australia. Coincidence? Let’s decide over another slice.

Yogurt Dip with Walnuts and Fresh Herbs. This reminds me so much of my late auntie Nabila who was just a wonderful, wonderful human.

Lamb and White Bean Stew (or, fasoulia nashfeh). Super hearty and perfect for the winter months heading towards my friends in the Northern Hemisphere. This dish was a staple in our house growing up and I still adore it to this day.

Tarte au Citron. Citrus is huge in the Middle East, as is the French influence (especially in Northern Africa and Lebanon).  Mom got me hooked on this drug of choice as a munchkin, so it was only fitting to make it in her honor. One of my all-time favorites, this one here.

Semolina and Orange Blossom Slice (or, namoura). I’ve eaten many a namoura in my day, so it was a particularly wonderful feeling to try my hand at making it at home. It’s easy and impressive, and when all else fails, doused in sweet orange-blossom syrup.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini-Lemon Sauce. I was reluctant to post this indescribably easy, homely dish, so you can imagine my surprise when it became such a hit on Pinterest. But, I was so happy it did – it proved that the most loved food is often times the simplest, freshest and least stressful to make.

Our kale! Our buckets upon buckets of kale. I’ve loved sharing our forays into sustainable kitchen-gardening with you. Plenty more to come as the seasons roll on (specifically: sweet peas, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers!)

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Banana Pancakes. Tastes like the first time, every time.  So satisfying, zero guilt.

Apricot Nectar with Orange Blossom. A very traditional Ramadan drink, but also a floral, refreshing anytime drink. Perfect for this summer weather we’re getting in the Southern hemisphere, or an instant transport to sunnier times wherever you are.