Ya Meet Marhaba, I’m Mai!
My Grandmother used to welcome us by saying “100 hellos to you.” I cook and write to preserve Palestinian recipes and stories—acts of resilience that sustain and protect our cultural identity, ensuring our heritage lives on.
I’m Palestinian-born and raised, a proud mother of three daughters, and a passionate storyteller and recipe developer. I’m also the founder of an Arabic language and culture program for children in the Chicagoland area, and I’m dedicated to supporting Palestinian communities in the West Bank by helping establish libraries and vibrant community centers through the Seraj Library Project.
Through my blog, Almond and Fig, I invite you into the heart of Palestine. Inspired by my deep longing for home while living in Chicago, Almond and Fig serves as a canvas for a family memoir painted with the strokes of food, history, and storytelling. My cooking and writing reflects my commitment to sharing the history, injustices, and beauty of Palestine, while offering a space to celebrate its culture and resilience.
Growing up in al Quds (Jerusalem) with ties to Nablus, and with a maternal Armenian great-grandparents, my cuisine reflects a rich tapestry of cultural influences. My childhood memories—long family tables, seasonal produce, and Teta’s homemade mouneh (pantry staples), like za’atar, pomegrante molases and fig jam—form the backdrop of my recipes. These influences are intertwined with the wisdom of the women in my family, especially my mother and Tetas, whose culinary legacies continue to shape the way I cook and live my life today.
I hold a master’s degree in advertising and public relations, but it was my love for food, culture, and storytelling that led me to create Almond and Fig. It became my way of staying connected to my roots and sharing the Palestinian experience through the lens of food. In this space, I offer more than just recipes—I share living narratives, stories that answer the question of where we come from. My food is a reflection of my Palestinian identity, heritage, and the people who cultivated and cared for the land. From planting fields of freekeh, harvesting olives for oil, and pickling seasonal produce, to foraging for akkoub and za’atar, making fig jam, rolling maftoul, and straining labaneh for breakfast with freshly baked khoubez taboon—these traditions are the threads that tie us to home.
At the heart of my cooking is the home kitchen, a sacred space where stories and traditions are passed down through generations. The kitchen is where food becomes an expression of love and connection, where seasonal abundance celebrates the land, and where long tables extend in the spirit of karam—generosity—the Arab hospitality that defines our gatherings.
Through Almond and Fig, I invite you to pull up a chair at my soufra table, where every dish tells a story of Palestine. I believe that food does more than nourish the body—it weaves the fabric of traditions and fosters meaningful conversations that transcend borders.
As the Arabic saying that goes,
"Nothing heals the body like a good meal, and nothing soothes the soul like a good story”.
Sahtain,
Mai
