Hi,
My name is Zeina and I am an Australian/Lebanese poet and recipe creator.
So why a blog that combines both poetry and food? The answer is simple, I am so passionate about both.
At Poem and Dish I feature Australian poets on a regular basis, and I also share some of my thoughts,poetry and recipes from time to time.
I was blessed, growing up, with a mother who is an amazing cook. She is such an artist in so many different ways. I started this blog after she was diagnosed with lung cancer, I suddenly realised how important it is to save her recipes for my own children, and also that it is time to stop neglecting my passions of writing and cooking. This space has allowed me to focus more on poetry and the creation of dishes.
Similarly to poetry, every dish tells of a story, a history that carried it to us, or a notion that evoked its conception. Creating a new dish involves all senses, and it is a process that I thoroughly enjoy. I enjoy the images, aromas and flavours that I can almost taste, as the dish takes form in my mind before it is manifested in my kitchen. All the recipes are my own, and when they are adapted or not mine, I do mention the chef or recipe creator.
When I migrated to Australia I tried very hard to recreate the beautiful flavours I left behind. My cooking today is a reflection of my childhood dishes, and my life in Sydney, a city which boasts so many cuisines from all over the world. My dishes are about healthy eating and delicious food, which is full of Eastern Mediterranean gems as well as Asian, Persian, and Indian flavours. I try to preserve my cultural dishes but adapt them to suit a modern life style as well as explore flavours from around the globe. I am also gluten and lactose intolerant, so I started creating and adapting old dishes to my dietary requirements. Hope you get to enjoy Poem and Dish, and would love to hear back from you.
Poem and Dish 
Hello Zeina. Very nice to meet you. You have a delightful and engaging blog. Thank you so much for sharing, because yes, sharing is what builds our humanity because through sharing we learn that we are people, and not enemies or aliens.
Hello, and thank you for your lovely comment. YES through sharing we all realise that we belong to the same humanity and our differences is what makes the world so beautiful
Yes. And I cook and bake, as well as write poetry, and so we cannot help but become the best of friends! 🙂
That’s fantastic 🙂
So nice to meet you! A very lovely blog!
Oh thank you so much, likewise…
🙂
Thank you for following my blog!
Hello, you beautiful woman.
I just wanna say I’m really enjoying the hell out of your blog.
I feel like everything is with love.
It’s absolutely wonderful.
And your Instagram pictures are the shit.
Hi Dana, oh that is so wonderful to hear, you just made my day 🙂 To feel that everything is with love is just an amazing statement. Thank you so much, and love your sense of humour and your cooking too. Re my photos, well I’m trying to capture nice ones, still a baby at it xx
So glad I came across your blog! Loving your poetry and the eclectic feel of everything! Looking forward to reading more!! 🙂
Christina, thank you so much for these warm comments. Truly appreciated. 🙂
Thank you so much for the follow. I have enjoyed reading your blog. It is unique and very well writing. Best of luck to you.
Thank you and I’m looking forward to reading more of your poetry.
Love your blog, very original and yummy 🙂 xox
Thank you so much 🙂 yours is quite original as well, I’ll be checking more of your posts soon xx
This is my first time visiting your blog – you’ve got a really interesting background. And I can see where poetry and food blend as one – there’s timing and rhythm in artful words as there is timing and rhythm in artful food.
AnnMarie
Thank you AnnMarie for checking out my blog and your lovely comment. Timing and rhythm are definitely an essential combination in both writing and artful cooking, I totally agree 🙂
You’re welcome. Its always nice coming across lovely blogs such as your’s that incorporate both art and cooking forms – I’m always trying to improve both.
AnnMarie
Have a wonderful tuesday 🙂
A wonderful Tuesday to you too. Hope you will enjoy the poetry and make sure you have fun trying the new recipes.
Hey there Zeina. Ummmmm, I think I’m gonna like checking out your blog. Poetry and food, especially eastern Mediterranean food – I’m hooked.
🙂
Actually, I’ve already check out a bit and love the broad bean cumin rolls.
That’s wonderful, thanks Stacilys, hope u get to make them.
Hi Stacilys, thank you for checking out my blog and I appreciate your comment, so glad u r enjoying the poetry and the recipes 🙂
Zeina, very nice poem with ihsan! I visited because I love his poetry, and I am sure I will love yours. He is a blessing, and if you did a poem with him, I can only surmise you are too…a blessing. Have a beautiful day!
Thank you so much Wendell for stopping by and for your lovely comment. It was an interesting experience and Ihsan was so gracious in adapting my thought for the poem. I have not published any of my poetry on the website yet, but I do hope you will enjoy the poetry of some of the wonderful poets that I feature. One day I might start publishing my own not just my thoughts on this space. A beautiful day to you too.
Hi Zeina! I want to let you know that I have nominated you for the Sunshine Award 🙂
Congrats! You can accept it and check the details at: http://lapetitepaniere.com/2014/04/06/sunshine-award/
Linda x
Hi Linda, wow that sounds great. I’m so new to the blogging world, I’ll have to work out how to accept it and do the links etc.. Thank you so much for including me xx
You’re welcome, Zeina xx
Thank you for dropping by my blog.
Thank you too for stopping by.
Hey there! You started following my blog so I wanted to check out your blog and say, “Hi!” What a fun concept you’ve got for your blog. I don’t know a lot about poetry, but I certainly love food!! It’s a pleasure to e-meet you and I look forward to getting to know you better. Celeste 🙂
Thanks for checking me out Celeste, two food lovers, that’s great 🙂
Good poetry can grown on you so you never know 😉
It’s a pleasure to meet you too and looking forward to finding more about our shared interests. Zeina
Thank you for following my blog. I look forward to reading yours.
Jovina
And thank you Jovina for stopping by.