One of the most intriguing food writers I follow is Sawsan and I really enjoy her food blog. I love the dishes she creates as well as the old favorites that she tweaks but it’s the peek into what life is like living in Jordan that really gets me excited.
Many of us have never traveled to Jordan and haven’t got a clue what life is like for an everyday person living there. For me, her blog is like a reality show. Sawsan shows us a view of Middle Eastern life vastly different to the one we see on the nightly news.
She’s a strong, well educated, confident woman who’s been a joy to get acquainted with. You can get acquainted with her too by following her blog at Chef in Disguise, on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
She makes terrific cakes like this little train complete with animal car. What a lot of work went into this cake. I’m not sure I’d have the patience but it’s very cute.
In her post she takes her readers through every step from making the cake to shaping all the circus animals out of fondant. It’s an amazing post.
Another post that caught my eye was her recipe for Nabulsi Cheese, one of the most popular white brined cheeses made in the Middle East. She says it’s a great cheese for grilling or frying and I do hope to make this one day soon. Okay, what I REALLY want to do is make this cheese and invite some friends over and casually mention, “This is a recipe from my friend Sawsan who lives in Jordan.”
Sawsan was born in Jenine in Palestine but moved to Jordan when she was only 3 and has lived in Amman, the capital of Jordan ever since. When she was growing up her favorite food was watermelon. Her mother tells the story that when Sawsan was little, her mother had prepared a big platter of watermelon for guests and that little Sawsan climbed up on the table and ate it! Just a glance at the most recent post on her blog is Minty Watermelon Popsicles. She hasn’t changed much.
One of my favorite posts are the travelogue ones like the one she did earlier this month about Petra, The Rose Red City Half as Old as Time where we see photos she took of this historical city. I’d love to see those buildings cut into the rock. They’re just beautiful.
Where does your inspiration normally come from when you create new recipes?
A dish I had and loved at a restaurant, or saw on TV or on a blog can sometimes inspire me to make something new. You see the more you cook and bake the more you know what flavor and texture combinations work for you and what doesn’t and it becomes fun to try and explore trying those combinations in a new recipe with different ingredients or maybe a different method of cooking.
When asked what recipe she’d created that she was most proud, she certainly chose one that I love, her Cinnamon Sweet Bread. She admits that before this bread she’d had trouble with yeast and had dumped heaps of dough in the trash but when she made peace with yeast, this gorgeous bread was the result.
Like many of us who care for a family, work AND produce a blog, it’s always juggling commitments for Sawsan but she does it really well. I enjoy her photographs. She’s self-taught but really enjoys the styling and photography part of her blog.
I asked her what tips she could share withnew food writers to help them produce food photos that honor the dishes they’ve created.
My tips to anyone interested in food photography are:
- Read up on the topic.
- Know the places in your house that have the best light and the best time of day to take your pictures to make the best of that light (and the way to do that is to take pictures in different places and different times of day)
- Eliminate the background, one of the biggest problems I had with my earliest pictures was the busy background. Use things as simple as a white wall or a sheet to neutralize the background. That makes the thing you photograph receive the attention it deserves without the distraction of the background
- Step back! getting too close to the dish can do more harm than good
- Think of the colors in your dish and use that to style your photo. I have a whole board on pinterest for color swatches to see what colors work with each other and which don’t
- Last but not least, practice, take as many pictures as you can, practice makes perfect
As a food blogger who posts what she eats and rarely plans ahead (I know, it’s bad), I’m impressed by Sawsan’s approach to her blog. She cooks and photographs five or six dishes and then posts the photos on Facebook and surveys her followers as to which they’d like to see first. I bet it helps to whet their appetite.
I was interested in which holiday was her favorite food-wise. The American in me instantly thinks Thanksgiving but what does someone in Jordan think? It’s Eid which comes a month after Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Eid marks the end of Ramadan and Sawsan has fond memories of making maamool with her mother. Maamool is a type of stuffed cookie that is imprinted with hand carved wooden molds before baking.
Surely I’m not the only one who is curious about what dish must be included in every family gathering.
In my house the dish that is in every family gathering is lasagna http://chefindisguise.com/2011/10/04/four-cheese-lasagna/ and I am the one who makes it. In my parents house it is Kabseh http://chefindisguise.com/2011/08/21/you-say-kabsa-i-say-kabseh/or mixed vegetable rice topped with nuts and meat http://chefindisguise.com/2011/03/26/my-vegetable-rice/
Something that may sound crazy but I never cooked anything in my parents house. I was busy with school and then university and mum doesn’t really like anyone making a mess in her kitchen so I never made these recipes before getting married. I do make them now on a regular basis because they are family favorites
That lasagna is her signature dish that’s most requested by family and friends. She says it’s delicious but not so waist friendly. I’d eat the lasanga and go for a long walk.
Sawsan’s blog gives her a window to express herself through stories, food and photographs and almost as importantly her blog gives her the opportunity to meet people like you and me from around the globe. The daring bakers and cooks challenges require uncommon ingredients so she is buying things she’s never tried before, all because of her blog.
What’s comfort food for her? Anything with chocolate, especially her current addiction, chocolate mint almond butter. The food she could eat every day without ever becoming bored is an apple. It doesn’t matter if it’s raw, cooked, in cake, cookies, pancakes or pies, if it’s got apples in it, she likes it. She even puts applesauce in her granola.
When I asked Sawsan if she cooks from cookbooks, I had a little chuckle at her reply because I’m the same way. I buy, buy, buy cookbooks and then get my recipes from blogs and so does she.
If she and I cooked together in her kitchen, I’d need a stepstool. She’s really tall and had her kitchen cabinets raised so she doesn’t whack her head. I’m really short and I could cheerfully do without upper cabinets because I always need the darned stool (or a tall person). In that kitchen yesterday she prepared a pea and carrot stew with a side of rice — in case you were wondering.
Finally, my Food Writer Friday series is about food memories and how they impact on our lives as adults. Sawsan’s earliest and fondest food memory is from her grandmother’s kitchen and it’s Fteer falahi (Cheese and anise flat bread) and every time she makes it, she thinks of her grandmother.
- 1 kg all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- water
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- I usually half the recipe to get 4 squares, you can double or half the recipe according to your needs
- 3 cups of nabulsi cheese (or any firm salty cheese that holds its shape during baking) cut into small 1 cm cubes
- 2 tablespoons anise
- Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl , set aside
- In a ¼ cup of warm water dissolve the yeast and sugar and wait for the yeast to bubble (this is called proofing the yeast, if the yeast does not bubble and foam, it has gone bad and you need to buy a new one)
- Add the salt to the flour, whisk to combine, add the yeast/water mixture and start kneading adding water gradually till you get a soft sticky dough consistency (I needed 2 cups of water but the amount varies with the type of flour)
- Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, allow to rest , covered in a warm place for half an hour
- In a bowl add the vegetable oil and olive oil and keep it next to your working area.
- Wet your hands with a little oil and cut the dough into 8 balls , brush each ball in the oil mixture and allow to rest for another 10-15 minutes
- Brush a pan or your working surface with a little oil, start with the first dough ball you cut and spread it into a circle roughly 25 cm or 10 inches in diameter
- Brush the top with a little oil then fold one-third of the circle onto the middle third of it (as you can see in the picture)
- Spread your filling onto the folded part of the dough then fold the other third over the filling (the dough should now look like a rectangle)
- Fold one-third of the rectangle over the middle third, cover it with your filling of choice.
- Fold the other third over your filling (now you should have a square dough)
- Allow this one to rest while you start working on the next one.
- Once you have stuffed and folded all the dough balls, go back to the first square and brush it with oil and spread it into a larger square using a rolling-pin or your hands. Then do the same with the rest of your squares.
- Note: The larger and thinner you spread the filled dough, the more crispy the final bread will be. If you would rather have a soft and chewy bread, don’t spread the filled dough squares too much
- Transfer the dough to a baking sheet that you have brushed with oil and sprinkle them with anise.
- Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven (270 C or the highest temperature your oven will go)
- Once the bottom is golden brown, turn on the broiler till the tops are golden brown too.
- Don’t leave this bread unattended, it browns quickly because it is thin
- Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for 7-10 minutes and then cover with a clean dry cloth to keep it from becoming dry.
Coming up on Chef in Disguise soon will be a cold Middle Eastern no bake dessert called Madlouah, made from ilk and semolina, decorated with fruit and pistachios and drizzled with syrup. Sounds pretty good to me.
p.s. Sorry there weren’t other posts this week, I’ve been a bit under the weather.
So interesting Maureen, you are such a good interviewer, loved learning about The Chef in Disguise – I’ll be sure tocheck out her blog!
You are so kind!
Thank you very much for having me and for all the nice things you wrote about me and my blog, I deeply appreciate that. It was really fun answering your questions. I agree with The cafe sucre farine, you are a wonderful interviewer.
I will never think about you again without seeing you crawling on the dining table to eat the watermelon set out for the guests 🙂
hehehe my aunts say the same thing to me!
Maureen, thank you for another fascinating read, and for introducing us to another fascinating blogger. Over to Sawsan’s blog. I can’t wait. I love love love Middle Eastern Food and this is going to be joy!
You WILL love Sawsan, Minnie!
I’ve been loving your food writer series — thanks for introducing so many talented foodie’s out there 🙂
Thanks so much, Kiran!
Thanks for another great profile. Very interesting learning about another culture and seeing such great recipes and pictures of Jordan. I really want the Cincinnamon Sweet Bread. 🙂
Roberta, I knew you’d feel the same way I do.
I love Sawsan! She’s a really nice blogger and I also enjoy her blog. And I still remember her Cinnamon sweet bread, and that’s one of my most favorite dish from her blog. I really loved how she taught us step by step in that recipe and it’s like “origami” in bread. 😀 I was so fascinated by that post… Maureen, another great series. I’ll be following this series all the way until I get to know everyone! 😉 Great interview, ladies. Take care!
Thanks, Nami, you’re really kind. I love the Food Writer Friday series but I stress SO much just before hitting the publish button. I worry I’m not doing an amazing person justice or I’ve left something out or I’ve got a typo in there that I missed.
Thank you very much Nami 🙂 I really appreciate your sweet words
Great review! Excited to read more about her.
I’ve been a subscriber to Sawsan’s blog for a while now. What brought me to it was her amazing variations on the basic bread dough. There’s nothing more rewarding to produce in your kitchen than this staple and every shape, filling and presentation that Sawsan produces is a revelation and a joy. Even though I DO restrain myself, several of her recipes are on my ever growing list of ‘things to make’. 🙂
Thank you Maria, you are totally right, a few things are as satisfying as taking out a freshly baked loaf of bread that you made from scratch 🙂
Thank you for following and for your kind comment
Sawson is an amazing blogger who I love to follow – she is creative, cool and has such a beautiful way with her posts!
A fantastic interview my friend, it was wonderful to learn all about this sensational blogger!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Uru, I love writing about people with a different background from my own. I learn so much from them and Sawsan is an amazing woman.
Thank you so much CCU you are always too kind
Another great interview. The Cinnamon Sweet Bread looks like a dynamite recipe. The animal car on the train is amazing – I’d never take the time to do that! Love her tips too, particularly to get back a bit and to have a simple background. Sawsan’s blog is new to me, but now that I know about it, I won’t be a stranger. Thanks for the introduction.
Lovely to see you and yeah, that cinnamon bread grabbed my attention too!
I am glad you like the cinnamon sweet bread 🙂 the cake was for my son’s third birthday and I enjoyed making it with the kids which kind of justified working on it for 3 days. I did question my sanity multiple times during those 3 days though lol
Hope you’re feeling better, Maureen:) Thank you so much for introducing us to Sawsan. I took a peek at her Pinterest boards and boy oh boy was I thrilled!!! She even had a recipe for Ayran a personal favorite of mine:) As a true lover of Middle Eastern food, I’m sure I will be visiting her. Thank you so much for sharing…
I’ll be fine. It’s a bit of low blood pressure so when I stand up I fall down. Getting better though. I love Middle Eastern food too — our whole family does. Sawsan’s a keeper for sure.
Thank you kindly Louise. I love Ayran too ..it is so refreshing
Oh wow! What an awesome blogger for you to introduce us to. Her photos are spectacular. Every dish looks amazing. And those shots of Jordan (which you’re right…I’m clueless about) look awesome.
Great feature Friday!
Thanks, I love Sawsan’s blog.
Great post Maureen. I follow Sawson on FB and I’m super-impressed with her creations. I so loved the little train cake she made as a birthday cake for one of her children. The hours of work involved stunned me. I thought the cake looked too good to eat – how could you cut into those gorgeous animals! And yes, it lovely to see a glimpse into life in Jordan. xx
Charlie I can only wish I had the patience to make a cake like that. I’d stand over it with a knife and dare anyone to cut it. 🙂
Sawsan’s pictures are sensational. Thank you for the introduction.
I too follow Sawsan’s blog. Besides learning about foods of the region, I also learn about what life is really like living in Jordan and the Middle East, it is an education.
Everything looks so good, great photography and tips. Thanks you, Maureen for inviting Sawsan… 🙂
Gorgeous photos, another great interview! Sawsan’s blog is new to me so I’m headed over to check it out now. 🙂
I would love to go to Jordan one day. I’ve spent the last 10 mins or so looking through Sawsan’s blog and I think it’s fantastic. Thank you very much for sharing, Maureen 🙂
I always enjoy your interviews with people. You have such a knack for it! I’m fascinated with the Middle East too 🙂
Hope you feel better soon!
Thanks for sharing this blog, looks like one I should definitely be following!
Sawsan’s food all looks and sounds so delicious!
Wow Jordan has always been a fascinating place to visit for me and I probably won’t get to go for quite some time but now you’ve got me even more intrigued..Sawsan sounds like a fantastic person and cook, will definitely check out her blog!
I love Chef in Disguise! Thank you for the interview and recipe 🙂
Sawsan’s foods look so delicious. And the photo’s of her country make me want to hop on a plane and visit!
Eileen, when you go to Jordan, take me with you? I’d love to spend a few days with Sawsan! 🙂
I love Swanson’s posts! I’ve read the ones of the Rose Red City twice now and have even sent it to the husband to read. Of course as you point out here, her food and photography is fabulous! Great post and interview Maureen! Thank you for helping us to learn more about this wonderful person!
I love doing this series and it makes it ever so special when people enjoy reading about bloggers I enjoy. 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I just added yours and Saswan’s blogs to my reader. I love this series, it makes people so real and also introduces us to the different blogs out there.
Thank you so much for visiting and I hope we get to be great friends!
Maureen, I just love these posts of yours – I always find such interesting people to follow. Well done for sharing the love so generously.
Thanks, Amanda, you’re really sweet.
Hi Maureen – thanks for posting such a fun interview! I’ve been reading Sawsan’s blog for a while… it’s so nice to get to know the people behind them a bit more. I already feel like I know her so well now! 🙂
I have come across Sawsan’s blog before but can’t have stayed long enough to subscribe to it. She has beautiful photos and such a fascinating culture so I must go back and look more carefully.
I hope you do get to know Sawsan, Suzanne, she’s a treasure.
Fascinating article … Loved learning more about your featured blogger and can’t wait to check out her site.
it looks so irresistable!
just stumbled on her blog from pinterest its fab another great interview
You are right. The peeks into other lives is one of the reasons I visit blogs and also why I love this series. GREG
Oh that bread looks amazing!!
Alicia, I know what you mean, I could eat a hunk of that bread right about now!
This was a delightful post from both interviewer and interview-ee! Sawsan, I loved the versatility with which you cook, as well as your artistic eye. (Thanks for the food photography tips, too!) Maureen, I hope you’re feeling better. In spite of feeling under the weather, you delivered yet another fascinating Friday post.
Kimby, you’re a real gem of a friend. Thanks so much for the comment, it means a lot to both of us.
Oh, I am THRILLED that you interviews Sawsan! I am a huge fan of her blog, and had a blast learning a little more about her, including the fact she is very tall – I am tiny, probably a lot shorter than you, so I suppose her kitchen would be impossible for me to cook in!
great post, great write up!
Thank you!
LOL Sally, NOBODY is shorter than me. 🙂 I look up to everyone. I’m pretty used to it by now though.
4 ft + 11.5 inches
gotcha?
I love Sawsan and follow her blog, but you did a great interview and I really enjoyed learning more about her. One of these days maybe I will plan ahead and get my food styled accordingly, LOL!
What a lovely interview, Maureen, I too love Sawsan’s blog and have mention her name at several dinner parties when I’ve made her recipes. I have made the flatbread, and it is absolutely delicious, thanks for the reminder to make it again for an upcoming long weekend at the cottage.
Long weekend at the cottage sounds wonderful, with or without Sawsan’s flatbread 🙂
Maureen, thanks for finding another amazing blog for me to go check out. Mmm, that flatbread is calling me. Maybe you were a matchmaker in another life, huh.
-Gina-
Maybe I was.. I know I am in this lifetime 🙂
I recently discovered sawsan’s blog and am absolutely loving her recipes! This bread is no exception! 🙂
Maureen, by chance I came across your site and your interview with this amazing lady, Sawsan. I will now have to spend most of my sunday afternoon reading both your blogs – and I most certainly will follow both of you. What an inspiration!! Thank you
Carina! How lovely to meet you! I knew everyone would love Sawsan. Not only does she create fantastic recipes, she’s a lovely human being – top to bottom.