Welcome to our dinner table!

 

My name is Rand and I live in beautiful, sunny California. I bake way too much and watch endless hours of cooking shows. By day, I'm an accountant. But during the evenings and weekends, you'll find me in my kitchen cooking amazing dishes and whipping up delightful desserts.
 
The word "soufra" in Arabic translates to dining table. It reminds me of dinners with my family when everyone would gather around the table to enjoy a delicious meal. 
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I owe my love for cooking and baking to my mother. She taught me that the best food is the one you make yourself, with fresh ingredients. Growing up, there was always a home cooked meal for dinner that filled our home with warmth. Some recipes my mom makes are passed down from my grandmother. Of course, my grandmother doesn't measure with cups and teaspoons, she measures with a "little of this" and a "handful of that". It's a little difficult to get exact measurements, but I'm trying to write down all of my mother and grandmother's recipes. I believe that food is what connects us with our history and ancestors. It's an important part of who we are. 
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My family is originally from Yafa, Palestine. Yafa is a beautiful city on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. I always hear stories from my grandparents about how beautiful Palestine is. They always speak of the orange and olive trees that would line the roads for miles. They would try to put in words how beautiful the beaches of Palestine are, but then they would say no words can truly capture the beauty of the sparkling blue sea. I have never been to Palestine, but I plan on visiting one day. 
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My goal for this blog is to share with you my favorite recipes and my love for the Palestinian cuisine. Palestinians have a great passion for their land, trees, and food. Food in Palestine varies from urban cities to villages, and from winter to summer.  The Palestinian kitchen has basic elements that every cook needs to have on hand. Olive oil, yogurt, lentils, chickpeas, za'atar, and sumac are a few of the ingredients used in everyday cooking. 
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Welcome and lets get started!