Happy Memories To Keep Me Warm

I miss going to the local farmers' markets in summer. To me, they are the epitome of community living, where even jaded city folk can feel like they are part of a small-town foodie family. It's good for you and good for the vendors, which in turn makes it great for the entire community.

I don't miss pushing Baby B around in his stroller in the farmers markets though, because he always hated it, and was not shy about articulating his displeasure. My solution was to keep popping blueberries into this mouth to keep him distracted. Ah yes, the mommy art of distraction, a noble skill.

Today I am reminiscing only about the good times. Of me and Baby B soaking up the summer sunshine as we meandered through stalls of gorgeous produce. Speaking of blueberries, let me share some these memories with you ...

When I'm wandering around a farmers' market, I feel like a geek. I feel giggly. I feel accepted and an outcast all at the same time. Accepted because, look! I'm one with my neighbors, my community! And yet, an outcast, because I don't go as often as the rest of these people walking around and chatting it up with the vendors. Instead of simply buying those insanely gorgeous gourds, I'm taking discreet pictures of them from every angle. Like I said, geek.

But I do get adventurous sometimes with my market purchases. Like these peculiar zucchini that were too pretty to pass up ...

... And these red-green zebra-striped tomatoes, which were also an endless source of fascination for Baby B.

The zucchini and tomatoes met their oh-so-delicious demise in my Zucchini & Tomato Tart. But then, because one tart is never enough in my house (and isn't it more satisfying to use the entire package of puff pastry than just half??), I broke my healthy-ish streak and dove into the bacon.

Ok, so it was turkey bacon, which I think makes it healthier, but I wouldn't bet on it. Could anything healthy taste so rich and cheesy and buttery and flaky. Go on, send me hate-mail, but I think not. All I ask, is that you give this tart a chance. In the dead of winter, it's food like this that warms you to your toes.

French Onion Tart

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

1 puff pastry sheet

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

6 oz turkey bacon, cut into strips

2 oz gruyere cheese, grated

Salt n pepper to taste

Method:

1. Crisp up the turkey bacon, drain then set aside. In the same pan, saute the onions till soft and just starting to turn golden. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and milk, then add in the salt n pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a tart pan and fit the puff pastry into it.

4. Add the onions and bacon to the tart, then sprinkle the gruyere all over. Pour in the egg-milk concoction.

5. Bake for 25-30 mins till puffed and golden. Let it sit for 10 mins before you take it out of the tart pan and serve.

Verdict: Oh mama, it tastes so gooooooood, you sassy tart you! Sweet from the onions, but savory from everything else, this is simple food that delivers a punch of satisfying flavor. I can have it any time of day, but then I have problems and I need to get on an elliptical. Tomorrow. Tonight, it's tart time. Come hither.

The little man is serious about tomatoes. I guess he's a geek like his mom. Awww!

Resurrection

The next time I hear someone ask me about why I'm not blogging anymore, I'm just going to point. First at the bags under my eyes. Then at my precocious toddler, who most likely will be hanging from some part of me at any given time of day. But in all honesty, I don't begrudge the question, because it's one that I've asked myself a zillion times. I mean, it's not like I'm NOT cooking or NOT taking photographs at all. Granted, I no longer have the luxury of setting up the perfect shot - I literally have a few rushed seconds before my little saboteur makes his appearance!

But it's the writing, I think, where I've stumbled. It's that element of my blogging that I can't do in pieces. I've had many instances where I wished I had a dictaphone on me, because lines pop into my head at all times of day that are funny, or insightful, or provocative, or all of the above (or so I like to think). But it's like trying to catch a cloud - poof! Come and gone. Just like that. And as much as I love cooking and food, it's impossible for me to turn my blog into one that simply spits out recipes - I've got to add some masala, after all!

So there are several reasons for my hiatus - I can't blame my little one entirely - but they are what they are, and I'm one for moving on. Onwards and upwards!

Now, I've been wanting to attend cooking classes for a long time, but my cheap, er, thrifty South Asian side was always loathe to spend that kind of money for a proper course. Along comes Williams-Sonoma to grant me my wish! With no need to schedule weeks and months in advance, these people offer really fun, themed cooking demonstrations in their store, a few times a month. And guess what? You can afford it! Yes, you, you, and even you! I've enjoyed every single one I've attended, because I get to relax around a beautiful table of like-minded foodies (my fabulous, fierce ladies!) for a couple of hours on a weeknight - chatting and eating, no, feasting! I hope you are able to check out what your neighborhood Williams-Sonoma has to offer - it's a real treat for amateur food geeks like me.

Moroccan Night at Williams-Sonoma was my favorite - it gave me this bejeweled Apricot and Almond Couscous, which was so easy to throw together ... makes me wonder why I haven't really explored the wonderful world of couscous more. It's carbolicious, and therefore, my solemn duty is to incorporate it into my diet.

White tablecloths make me feel like such a lady!

Couscous with Almonds and Apricots (courtesy Williams-Sonoma, The World Kitchen)

Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups couscous

1/3 cup dried apricots, finely slivered

2 2/3 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt and pepper

2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup dried currants (I used dried blueberries, because that's what I picked up at the grocery store by mistake - but they worked out great)

1 tsp finely grated orange zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup minced fresh mint

Plump and chewy little nuggets of sunshine.

THIS is magical fairy dust. It's commonly known as orange zest, but it makes everything better.

Method:

1. In a large bowl, drizzle the oil over the couscous and toss to coat. Scatter the apricots over this.

2. Bring the stock to a boil, stir in the turmeric and salt, then pour the stock over the couscous. Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil and let stand until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid - about 5 mins.

3. Remove the foil and fluff the grains with a fork. Stir in the almonds, currants, orange zest, lemon juice and mint. Check seasonings. Serve at once!

Verdict: Allison (our instructor at Williams-Sonoma, and all-around superwoman) surprised me with how much flavor she infused into this dish. Hers turned out better than mine, but despite that, mine was good enough to impress DH. No mean feat that. Still, this is a lovely, summery side-dish that satisfies and refreshes the tastebuds. Try it with grilled or roasted meats. If I were anyone but me, I'd tell you that this was a wonderful and healthy substitute to mashed potatoes with your steak or chicken. But this is still my blog, last time I checked, and I say have it ALL! Muneeba's Rule # 67: There are no substitutes for mashed potatoes.

I *Heart* Farmers' Markets

Just 15 mins away from where I live, and what a find! Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids is perfect. So good that I think I got carried away the first time I went there this weekend. Now I have mounds of the most beautiful fresh veggies and fruits at home, and I'm feeling overwhelmed. What to do what to doooooooooo?! There are a million recipes out there, but the pressure of finding the right ones is pretty intense.

I also went a little crazy when I saw the variety of fresh herbs they were selling. I've dreamed of growing my own herbs, so I finally took the plunge, and bought not one potted herb - but four! I'm now the proud and nervous parent of a lovely rosemary plant, a stunning golden sage plant, a fragrant basil plant, and a rather bedraggled lemon-thyme plant. Wish me luck, dear readers. I'm no gardener, after all. And the basil is already wilting. DH took on the project of re-planting them in our ceramic pots. All I did was provide the Miracle-Gro and the fervent prayers! My expectations are very low on them surviving, let alone flourishing. But I'll keep giving them love, and update you on their condition.

*sigh* Didn't everything look just beeeeeeeeeautiful?! I want to go there again. I will go there again. And again. I live here now! (I just realized that)

I already put some of the veggies to good use. The earthy beets were the main ingredient in my eye-popping Beetroot Raita, which pairs splendidly with my simple Vegetable Pulao (recipe in next post).

Beetroot Raita

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 medium beetroot
1.5 cups plain yogurt
2 tbsp (or more) coriander chutney (recipe below)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cut the green tops off the beetroot and put it in a small saucepan. Cover it with water and boil till tender (your knife should be able to slip in and out of it like butter). Let it cool, then peel away the skin and dice it up.
2. Now mix the diced beetroot well with the yogurt, coriander chutney, and salt and pepper. Cover and let it chill in the refrigerator. The color deepens the longer it sits. Serve with your favorite rice dish.

Fresh Coriander Chutney

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
2 tbsp grated coconut
4 whole green chillies
1 large garlic clove
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Juice of 1 lime

Method: Whiz everything together in your food processor. Freezes well. Or refrigerate for a few days in an airtight container.

Verdict: I think this is a good way to get your kids to eat beets. The earthy flavor is not as pronounced as it would be if the yogurt and chutney weren't mixed in. And it's fun to eat something so glaringly PINK! I've had it with all kinds of biryanis and pulaos, and have found that the beetroot raita is a perfect complement to all of them.

Blame The Fresh Fig Ice-Cream

I bought sexy shoes yesterday. Sky high heels. And then I wore them to go grocery shopping. It. Felt. GREAT!

Oh, no need to fret about my little tootsies. The shoes were actually deceptively comfortable. The important thing was that these were the first shoes I bought since getting pregnant last year that were not flats. I do love my collection of chic flats and summer sandals. But these zebra-printed, pointy-heeled creations were just what the doctor ordered for this harried mom-of-a-six-month-old. If I could, I'd sleep in them. But I don't trust my sense of balance during those 3am scampers over to B's crib.

My parents might cringe every time I use the word "sexy", so listen up Dad - just skip to the end, for your own good, ok? Yes. Now, please. Thank you.

There's nothing wrong with feeling sexy, at any age. It's really about being happy about the way you look and feel. So that when you look in the mirror, you don't say "man, I wish I could look like Ms. Celebrity So-and-So", but rather you look yourself up and down, and say "not bad at all, if I do say so myself". And if your husband/boyfriend happens to be walking by and does a double-take with that "hot damn!" expression on his face, even better.

And no, I don't believe that spending time on your looks is frivolous. Everything in moderation, of course. But I can assure you, feeling sexy is very important for your confidence and self-esteem. Especially for new moms, who spend most of their days in pajamas or sweats, usually stained with baby's spit-up and who-knows-what-else! (I know what else, and it ain't pretty). So go on ladies, break out those sexy shoes the next time you're doing a mundane task, like grocery-shopping, or going to the bank, or to the gas station. It'll keep you smiling for the rest of the day.

Can I tell you what else is sexy?

These fresh figs. Go on, look again. Remind you of anything? Anatomically speaking. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?! Don't be coy, yes you do!

It's hot and humid outside, and I didn't feel like baking (although the idea of a fig tart sounds divine), so I turned my stash of ripe figs into luscious ice-cream. Easy. Delicious. Sexy. It's a win-win scenario.

Fresh Fig Ice-Cream (inspired by David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop and the Tastespotting blog)

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh figs
1/2 cup water
1/2 lemon
1/2-2/3 cup sugar (depends on your taste)
1.5 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:
1. Remove the hard stems from the figs and cut them into quarters.

2. Put the figs in a pan with the water, and zest the lemon directly into the pan. Cover and cook on medium heat for 8-10 mins till the figs are tender.

3. Remove the lid, add the sugar and continue to cook till the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency.
4. Turn off the heat and let this cool for 20 mins. Stir in the cream and lemon juice, then refrigerate this for a few hours.

5. Then put it into your ice-cream maker and follow the instructions. Instant lusciousness!

Verdict: Rich and figgy. The flavor of this ice-cream depends wholly on the quality of the figs. So make sure the ones you use are ripe and scrumptious. I think I could have done better in this area, but hey, you live and learn. I did think the texture of this ice-cream was surprisingly lovely. Creamy, smoooooooooooth, but dotted with those crunchy seeds - nummy! I think I'm going to go have some right now. And if DH behaves, I might feed him some myself. Oh yeaaaah.

*shaking head* - gawd, I can be so lame sometimes ...

Anyhoo, dear readers, let me end on a better note. As you know, I've only just moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, so am spending my days exploring my new neighborhood. A priceless find has been Meijer Sculpture Gardens. Holy wow. It's so beauuuuuuuuuutiful! A real gem. And these days they're featuring the glass work of Chihuly scattered throughout the grounds. Here's one of his pieces on display.

You likey? I'll share more in my next post.

Doing Good, Feeling Good

I'm feeling rather proud of myself today, dear readers. Not only did I successfully cook a fish dish, I also turned it into a perfectly healthy meal. I almost gave in to the temptation to fry up the fish, but instead I seared and baked it. Good grief, my arteries are un-clogging as we speak! My skin is clearing up! I feel smarter and thinner already! It's almost like I'm cheating on myself - the part of myself that craves cheesy, carby, decadent goodness. Will I be able to keep this up? I'll let my evil weighing scale decide. Let's see if all this healthy, good-for-me food actually lives up to its promise.

Speaking of things that are good for you, folks, let me take you down to the Sony Club in Manhattan. What's going on there, you ask? Something grand. A spectacular gourmet celebration. All in the name of charity and making this world a better place. The T. J. Martell Foundation is having their 3rd Annual Gourmet Dinner on June 10th at 6:30pm. The foundation raises funds for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research. I'm helping out a friend and spreading the good word about this event.
Belgian master chef, Daniel Joly, is the owner and executive chef of Mirabelle at Beaver Creek in Colorado, and will be the foundation's guest chef for their gourmet dinner. Guests will also enjoy a performance by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, as they enjoy the sunset from 35 stories above midtown NYC. Apart from the four-course seated dinner, there will also be live and silent auctions full of exotic travel experiences and autographed music memorabilia.

Now back to the menu. Dear readers, I'm salivating as I read it. I can't list all the items for you, but here's a teaser. Just the hors d'oeuvres are sublime enough to drive me insane. Oysters and caviar and lobster, oh my! Then begins the culinary onslaught of some amazing courses - first course features crusty langoustine; second course is a black truffle risotto ...

*swoons and falls off her chair*

... Wha?! What happened? I blacked out in a state of bliss. Seriously, the night would end on a high for me right there after the second course. But NO, the indulgence continues with a third course of grilled dover sole with citrus jam, and finally a roasted Colorado lamb with pomme bouchon and fava beans casserole. Of course, there is dessert too. A symphony (how appropriate) of apple - caramelized apple tartelette, milk mousse and lemongrass apple jelly, diced apples and apple sorbet. To buy the $350 per person tickets for this event, you can contact Kate Fitzpatrick, Communications Manager for the T. J. Martell Foundation, at 212-833-5444.

After that extravaganza, my little feat with this fish seems minuscule. But this simple dish packs a lot of flavor, and I'm just happy that I didn't burn it to a crisp or leave it raw in the center!

Citrus Glazed Trout (inspired by Kerstin's recipe, of Cake, Batter and Bowl)
Serves 2

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb steelhead trout, cut into 4 fillets (but you can probably use any firm-flesh fish)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used less, because I'm not a huge fan)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp canola oil, for searing

Method:
1. Whisk together all the above ingredients, except for the oil, and marinate the fish in it for about 30 mins in the fridge.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

3. Heat up the oil in a large skillet. Sear your trout fillets on both sides. Then place the fillets on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 10-12 mins.

4. Meanwhile, add the marinade to the skillet in which the fish was seared. Bring to a boil and reduce to desired consistency. Brush the fillets with this sauce when they come out of the oven. Serve with your choice of veggies on the side; I liked combining it with Ree's Green Beans and some creamy parmesan mashed potatoes.
Verdict: Although I was jumping up and down because the fish was perfectly cooked and tasted good, it's not like I'll ever swoon over a dish like this. This is health food after all. And I'm still me. So while I'm happy to be giving my jelly belly and thunder thighs a break once in a while with dishes like this, I won't be begging for seconds and thirds. You'll be happy to know though, that DH loves fish, and after having this, insisted that I make this at least once a month. Huh. Whaddaya know. The man never ceases to surprise me.

Afternoon Quickie

Yes, yes, I said "quickie". Go on, go ahead and giggle like the 12 year olds you all really are at heart.

Ok, now get your mind out of the gutter and focus! My title refers to the quick and easy P-Dub recipe that I'll be talking about later in this post.

But first, I wanted to tell you all about this Food Writers' Panel I attended at Yale the other day. It was hosted by the Master of Berkeley College, and featured three fellow food bloggers who have done really well for themselves, out there in the world of food journalism.

Left to right: Monica Bhide, Andrea Nguyen, Kim Sunee

Two things are of paramount importance to Yalies - writing and food. Hence, the packed house!

I was really impressed with all three lovely ladies. They were so well-spoken and funny - I enjoyed everything they had to say, from how they got into food writing, to their feelings on being pigeon-holed as one type of writer. Their accomplishments could take up more than one post from me, so let me just say that all three have published books, appeared on various TV channels, including Food Network and Travel Channel. Plus, you may have seen their articles in a variety of popular food magazines. They go around the country giving talks like this one, and are all wonderful cooks in their own right. Check out the dishes they created for the Master's Tea.

Left to right: Saffron-almond cake by Andrea; Banana cake by Kim; Savory cheesecake with red pepper and tomatillo chutney by Monica (my FAV one of the three!)

You can look through Monica's recipes, and catch her at one of her appearances, by going to her blog A Life Of Spice. Kim will take you on an amazing culinary journey in her own blog. And if you love Asian food (and let's face it, most of us do!), check out Andrea's blog Viet World Kitchen.

So, dear readers, do I wish I had what they have? Hell. YES.

One of them said something that I know will stick with me forever. It's very simple, but really important for people striving to be good writers (emphasis on "good"). They said, "don't be fake, because readers will see through it soon enough, and that will ruin your credibility so fast that nothing will bring it back".

I actually think that's a good mantra for all our lives in general. Just don't be fake. Be true to yourselves. We all have something interesting to say and share with the world, so let's not pretend to be something we're not. It's the key to happiness I think - being content and confident with who we are.

Too bad I can't segue that satisfactorily into my recipe for today! The deadline to submit a P-Dub recipe for the next FFPW round-up is today, and I was desperately looking for a recipe I could throw together without running out to the store - not easy when you have a 3 month old to consider. Seriously, why do I feel like we have to pack a suitcase every time we take out this tiny wee thing? And I absolutely hate lugging around that infant car seat of his - weighs a ton! So luckily, Ree always has simple recipes that I can count on. This one, however, was one that she tried from her Tasty Kitchen contributers. More on what I thought about it a bit later.

Coffee-Toffee Bars (original recipe by nhsweetcherry and blogged by Ree, found here)

Makes 9 squares

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp instant coffee powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup Heath Bar Toffee bits

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8" x 8" baking pan.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together for 2 mins till light and smooth.

3. Mix in the vanilla, coffee, baking powder, salt and flour till you have a soft dough. Pat it into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the chocolate and toffee over the top. Bake for 20 mins. Cool on a rack, then cut into squares and serve as is, with coffee ... or better yet, coffee ice-cream!

Verdict: These definitely had a lot of potential. I'll admit that they were pretty good on the first day, but didn't fare too well after a night in the fridge. Still, ice-cream covers a multitude of sins, and after nuking the bars for 15 secs in the microwave, they were almost back to normal. I was experimenting with the toppings, and made the mistake of adding in the pecans - take note: don't do that. These bars aren't that sweet to begin with, and the pecans simply take away more of the sweetness. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll be making these again, but they're perfect when it comes to putting together something in a hurry - just in time for the Foodie Fans of the Pioneer Woman deadline!

Not Afraid Of Getting Wet

It's Friday night and I'm at home. Blogging. I believe I've graduated to a whole new level of cuckoo today. Because I'm not even perturbed by this. You're allowed to shake your head at me - go on, I probably deserve it.

However, if you're like me, then you won't dwell on my shame for long, and will quickly move on to the real reason you're here. The food! Now, in my previous post, I'd mentioned how the lovely people at POM Wonderful were kind enough to send me a generous sample of their 100% pure pomegranate juice. After chugging down the first couple of bottles (it tasted even better because it was free!), I could almost feel myself getting healthier. All those antioxidants must have worked their magic on my clogged arteries. So with all that blood flowing more freely to my heart, and as a consequence, to my brain, I started thinking about what I could make with the rest of my precious POM.
I've never cooked with pomegranate juice before, so I really had to scour the web for something interesting enough for this first time. And savory - I knew I wanted savory, not sweet, because that would've been too obvious and easy (yes, I like to punish myself sometimes by setting lofty goals and torturing myself over them - but we'll come back to that in another therapy session). That's when I came across this parsi recipe from Asha's blog Fork-Spoon-Knife. The flavor profiles were so unusual, but her pic was so appetizing, that I just had to try it out. I'd never made parsi food before, although had heard good things about it - so I dove right in.
Koresht-e-Fesenjan (find Asha's original recipe here)
Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
Half a chicken, cut into pieces, skinless
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb walnuts, toasted and ground
2.5 cups POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp chilli powder or 2-3 green chillies, chopped (optional)
1-2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder (or 4 cardamom, just bruised to open them up)
2 tbsp lime juice
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tbsp canola oil

Cilantro for garnish

Method:
1. Brown the chicken in 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Then remove from the pan and set aside. Add in the remaining oil and saute the onions till golden. Add in the garlic and saute for another minute. Then sprinkle in the salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and chilli powder/green chillies (if using).

2. Mix the walnut paste into the onion mixture. Add the browned chicken pieces and toss to coat. Stir in all the pomegranate juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for at least an hour - until the sauce has thickened, the walnuts have released their oil, and mixture has reduced to half its original volume.

3. Stir in lime juice and sugar according to taste. Adjust seasoning. Add the cardamom at this point and let it cook for a further 20 mins.

4. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight - this really does taste better the next day, and I'm not just saying that! Best served with hot basmati rice.

Verdict: Since I've never had any version of this dish before, I can only assume that it came out the way it was supposed to. I followed Asha's instructions to the tee, and felt lukewarm about the results. I initially didn't put any chillies in the dish, and I think my palate needs some heat in my savory dishes to feel satisfied, which is probably why I wasn't jumping up and down about this one. Still, that's an easy enough fix - and I've made a note of that in my instructions above. Other than that, the POM juice tastes really good with the chicken and walnuts - not to mention the color of the dish is so pretty! I'm glad I gave this dish a chance. I still have some POM juice left, even after this experiment, so my brain is already going into overdrive to figure out "what next?".

While we're on the subject of trying new things, let me tell you, I finally went to this art gallery exhibition that's been on my to-do list for months. In the past, something or the other always came in the way, but last week I just woke up one morning and decided "today is the day" - no matter how crappy the weather got. And it did. Very crappy. But I prevailed, and I'm glad I did, because the exhibition was in a part of Yale University that I'd never seen before - so saw something new right there. And the exhibition itself, called "Breaking The Veils: Women Artists Of The Islamic World" was really fascinating and impressive. C'mon ... let me give you a small tour.

The Addams Family house. Noooooo, I kid. It's Betts House, currently home to several Yale offices.

The Divinity Quadrangle at Yale, where the exhibition was displayed.

I'm a little obsessed with arches.

The Blue Paradise, by Suad al Attar, an Iraqi painter. My favorite of the lot.

Walls Of Gaza, a collection of photographs by Laila Shawa, of Palestine. Very powerful stuff.

Can't remember who did this - just that she was from Sudan.

This was great - like something out of the fantasy novels I adore. Called The Flying Horse, by Juliana Seraphim of Lebanon.

Another of my favorite paintings from the show - Choices, by Tina Ahmed, from Bangladesh.

So if you're in the area, I highly recommend taking a look at this exhibition. It's completely free, and houses many other poignant pieces of art from a whole range of female artists - from Jordan to Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. I love seeing a woman's point of view celebrated like this.