If there is one thing the viral Japanese cheesecake teaches you, it is that joy doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s the quiet revelation that a treat can be assembled, not laboured over. That a few thoughtful ingredients, layered with a little patience, can feel like a small luxury.
January always feels like a liminal month to me. Not a clean cut, not a full beginning, more like a soft corridor between worlds. Even though the calendar insists we are already well into the new year, energetically we are still shedding the skin of the Year of the Snake while slowly sensing the hooves of the Horse approaching.
Some recipes arrive quietly and stay. This roasted beetroot with ginger, chives and a peanut lime dip is one of those dishes for me. It is simple, earthy and deeply satisfying, yet layered. The sweetness of beetroot, the warmth of ginger, the freshness of chives and the calm richness of peanuts come together without forcing anything. When I made it again recently, I realised how closely it mirrors the guiding word I have chosen for 2026: Yutori.
Deconstructed here but when it all comes together, it trully is a decadent chocolate bar. The Dubai Chocolate Knafeh Pistachio Bar somehow went viral and I was keen on giving this my own homemade twist.
"Jump to recipe!" After my last post, I thought, why not offer something new to the blog to help those of us who are keen to get straight to the recipe without much fluff around a post.
I recently stumbled upon a hilarious Instagram REEL that jokingly poked fun at the habit of bloggers writing long intros before sharing a recipe. Guilty as charged!
Family traditions are the threads that weave the fabric of our shared experiences, binding generations together with cherished memories. These are the rituals we do on a regular basis - whether it's the annual holiday gatherings filled with laughter and love, or the simple Sunday dinners where stories are exchanged over homemade meals, these traditions create a sense of continuity and belonging.
