Shayma launched her blog, The Spice Spoon, when she moved from Rome to Canada. She didn't crave the Italian food that she'd just left behind. Rather, she yearned for the food (and memories) of her family and heritage -- an intoxicating mix of Pakistani, Afghan and Persian cuisines.
When she moved to Canada "for love and marriage," she says, she felt isolated and a bit lonely. She began cooking the foods that reminded her of childhood, like the kulfi popsicles she would eat for a “snackette” after school in Lagos, Nigeria and the Cardamom Almond Cake she baked in 7th grade -- her first ever. There is also a thick, creamy kheer, or Pakistani rice pudding, that seems to have a kind of transportive effect on Shayma.
Though she didn't grow up cooking from them, Shayma shows a talent for writing straightforward and easy-to-read recipes. She learned to cook with her grandmothers and mother who, she says, “cook intuitively, by method of loose estimation—andaaza in Urdu. In our part of the world, cooking techniques and recipes are passed on through an oral tradition.” This is how Shayma still cooks today, except when she needs to record a recipe to preserve and share on her blog.
The Spice Spoon is really as much a memoir as it is a blog. Shayma lovingly recounts all of the foods of her heritage, and pays true homage to her mother and father with beautiful old photographs. It is almost as fun to read as it is to cook from.
Yay, Shayma! What a lovely feature.
Yet another gifted cook and inspiring person I'm happy to have "found" through foo52 - brava, Shayma!
Lovely - so happy to see you featured!
Congrats Shyma! So happy for you!
I love beautiful Shayma and her stunning blog!!! Her stories and recipes are fantastic. Congrats Shayma!
Hi Shayma--so nice to see you and your lovely blog featured.
Congratulations Shayma! I love your blog and cooking style.
I am utterly grateful to Food52 for this recognition- many thanks; it is humbling. And a huge thanks to all of my fellow Food52'ers. Muah Muah, shayma
I'm so glad to see my 'Nigerian sister' being profiled :-). I love Shayma's story-telling and recipes and I'm actually thankful to food52 for connecting us. Way to go girl
This is such a lovely blog - the stories and recipes are all wonderful (we have been particularly hooked on Shayma's kati rolls for a while now)
Bravo to food52 for profiling one of the best food blogs out there! Congratulations to the Spice Spoon - here's to reading many many more of your wonderful recipes!!!
Stunning! So engaging. Thank you for all this inspiration.
One of my favorite blogs...you deserve the recognition!
Congrats on the shout out Shayma....much deserved!
It so wonderful reading about far away places when the writer takes a familiar tone with her readers.
Beautiful blog and beautiful cake. Shayma is amazing and gorgeous ... as are her recipes
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