Hi! I’m Suzy, a true daughter of the Mediterranean
From a very early age, I was a part of mother’s vibrant kitchen in the Mediterranean city of Port Said, Egypt. I remember sitting at the small kitchen table, rolling grape leaves, forming falafel patties, or shelling nuts for baklava.
Now in my own home, miles across the ocean in North America, I have been cooking the Mediterranean way for decades! And I’m all about easy wholesome recipes with big Mediterranean flavors.
I am forever grateful for my home in Egypt that taught me about the hospitality and love that accompanies the bright, bold flavors of the Mediterranean.
My husband is from Jordanian roots, so we both share a deep love of community built around the table and we strive to raise our two daughters that way.
How The Mediterranean Dish started
After pursuing a career in the corporate world, I made the decision to leave my job and be home to care for my daughters.
Through a series of events, I created The Mediterranean Dish food blog as a way to share my expertise and love for Mediterranean cuisine with others. If I can’t have you all around my table, I can at least share recipes to help you enjoy Mediterranean flavors right in your own kitchen!
Over the past few years, The Mediterranean Dish has grown to a bustling community where I can share recipes, cooking tips and grocery lists to help millions of blog readers and many more social media followers pursue the Mediterranean lifestyle (by the way, you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest; I love to hear from you!)
A few years in, I began working on sourcing top-quality Mediterranean ingredients–things like olive oils, spices, and more–so I could make it easier for you to cook the Mediterranean way!
Our olive oils come from two family-owned olive groves in Greece. The Kotsovolos family in the beautiful mountain village of Christianoupolis provide our Early Harvest EVOO. And their cousins, the Hinaris family in the coastal town of Kyprissia supply our Private Reserve EVOO. Both families have been in this business for more than 100 years and continue to follow the same old methods of handpicking and pressing the olives for best quality.
And I’ve been equally blessed to work with reputable suppliers of all-natural and organic spices, sourced from around the world; couscous; lentils; the best tahini paste and more! (You can see all the products at our online shop.)
Fun Facts!
- I’m bilingual, speaking English and Arabic.
- I was born in Port Said, Egypt. The city stretches 19 miles across the Mediterranean Sea. It serves as Egypt’s main gateway to the Red Sea and the Middle East.
- I consider myself blessed to have grown up in a vibrant part of the world; it’s where I developed my culinary passions that are influenced by many countries in North Africa, Southern Europe and the Holy Land, all tied together with the thread of gracious Mediterranean hospitality.
- For enneagram lovers, I’m a 3w4.
- My husband and I have two daughters who have big Mediterranean personalities and curly hair to match!
- I love to travel, some of my favorite places outside of my beloved Egypt include: Jordan, Greece, Turkey, France, Switzerland, and Germany.
- Do I have a cookbook in the works? Mum’s the word! But for now you can grab a copy of Mediterranean Eating, a special issue I collaborated on with Mother Earth News.
- Currently my family and I live just outside of Atlanta in the state of Georgia. I truly feel more at home living here in the South. I’m all about warm weather and sunny skies. Hospitality is one of the principal Mediterranean values I grew up with, a value people in the South share as well.
- Whenever I feel homesick, I run to the farmers market. I guess you could say the sites and smells of beautiful tomatoes and fresh herbs are home to me.
- I’ve been able to share my healthy, approachable Mediterranean recipes on Today, Buzzfeed, health.com, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping and others.
Please check out the About The Mediterranean Dish page, you’ll find more information about the recipes and more resources to guide you on your cooking journey.
Thanks for being here. You can find all my recipes here, I can’t wait to hear what you end up making!
From the heart,
Suzy
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I’m looking forward to making your tabouli recipe. However, it calls for extra fine bulgur wheat, and all I could find was whole grain red bulgur. What modifications do I need to make?
Hi Cynthia, extra fine bulgur wheat is what you need for this recipe, otherwise, larger size bulgur will be hard and crunchy which is not what you want.
HI Suzy
I am one of your newest fans and I absolutely love your Mediterranean style. I do have a question…do you do much with Tagine Cooking? Looking to add a “Tagine” to my kitchen. Not sure which one would be the best…Clay tagine, cast iron Tagine or Stainless Steel Tagine?. I imagine that the method of cooking is the same? Any advice or suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
Thank you so much, Sheree! Glad to have you here. I do not personally own a clay tagine, but I’ve adapted some tagine dishes and made them using my Dutch oven though: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/moroccan-vegetable-tagine-recipe/
To start off, everything I’ve ever made from you has been excellent! Thank you!!
I’m planning to make your baked rigatoni with meat sauce and vegetables for my bunco group. It calls for Spanish paprika. when I read about this type of paprika on your website, it said it was sweet. Can I just use regular paprika as a substitute?
Hi Sheryl, Spanish paprika here means sweet paprika (which is really what you are referring to as regular paprika!) Good to go!
Hi Suzy you are beautiful and so are your recipes! My Dad was born in Port Said too. Is there a way to buy from your spice shop from New Zealand? Thanks, Nadia
Thank you so much, Nadia! I am so humbled to hear this. At the moment, we are not able to ship outside the USA. Hopefully in the future.
I love your recipes, thank you! My grandmother was from Lebanon, and I wish she wrote down her recipes before she passed so that I can make the meals she used to cook. I just love watching you, thank you so much!
Awww! Thank you, Jessica! I hope you find some recipes you love!
Aww thank you so much, Jessica! So glad.
Your recipes were my introduction to Mediterranean cooking. I’ve made one of your recipes every night this week, and they’ve all been excellent! I just might have to try them all. Thank you. 😀
Awesome!!! Thank you, Karl!
Love your recipes.
Awww! So great to hear! Stay tuned for more! Thanks, Selena!!!
What are the terms and conditions? I would like to sign up but I don’t know what terms and conditions mean. Am I agreeing to purchase something? I would like to buy your cookbook but I want to know what I am agreeing to. Thank you. Laura Stewart
Our recipes are available on this site for free, Laura. Are you looking to sign up for the e-mail list? There is no fee for that either. And here is a link to our policies: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/privacy/ I hope this has answered your question.
Dear Suzy, Thank U for writing your blog and sharing your recipes with the rest of us. U are a beautiful woman, and your kind heart and generosity of spirit shines though your writings. There are so many lovely and good people in the Middle East. Please, dear God, that there will be true peace there soon. I hope that U and your family have found a welcoming home here in the USA.
All good things to U and those dear to U. Christ is born again in our hearts. Joyous Christmas to U and yours.
Stephan, Arkansas, USA
ps: I shall make your spicy lentil spinach dish this weekend.
Thank you, Stephan! What a kind note. I appreciate it so much. Many blessings to you as well. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The Lamb & Beef kofta kebab recipe is the BEST!!!
This dish is soooo authentiic in flavour and is simply AWESOME, so easy as well.
Must try some of your other recipes in the summer….too cold here in the Great White North to get outside
and grill.
That’s very sweet, Oskar! Thank you!! Stay warm :).
Hey Suzy! What is the delivery time for your products? Just placed an order but didn’t see the times! I live in Maryland!
Hi, Rebecca! Likely 2-3 days to Maryland once the order is processed. You should receive a tracking number as soon as the order ships. Feel free to reach out to the shop if you have any other questions about your order: [email protected]. Thanks!
Hi Suzy-Was looking at your Tzatziki recipe, you left out one of the MAJOR
components, dill weed or fresh dill-I’m Greek so what I suggest is a revision
to this recipe. Home you will consider this as constructive criticism. Was also
a chef till I became disabled in the Army-was going to compete in Master
Chef but they consisidered me a liability. I still love to cook. It has always been my
passionthanks for your time.
Sgt Neuman
U.S Army-Disabled
Hello, Sgt. Neuman! Thanks for sharing! This is just my simplified version. I do list in the recipe notes that dill and mint can be added, if preferred.