EID MUBARAK!

Wishing all our fellow Halal Foodies a very happy, blessed, and peaceful Eid. May this special day be filled with joy and yummy treats!

Check out some of these Eid Cakes.

Via Fungur.com

Via Rabbya's Sweet Treats

Via Squidoo

Via Shiasisters

This doesn't really have anything to do with Eid, but it looks really cool!

Muslim Couple from Alabama Discuss Ramadan

Via AL.com

A Muslim couple helps build awareness of Islam, Ramadan, and Turkish food in Alabama.

In south Alabama, as in their native Turkey, Ümit and Gülcan Gunebir observe Ramadan with prayer and fasting.   

For the past six years, Gunebir, 32, has lived in Mobile, working as executive director of Peace Valley Foundation, a Turkish-based nonprofit with the stated mission to foster cultural and educational ties between the U.S. and Turkey. 

In Mobile and other parts of the state, he says, he is involved in interfaith relations.

Gunebir’s territory is Alabama, and he has led area civic leaders on several educational exchange trips to Turkey. 

For example, he is a participant in Spring Hill College’s Trialogue, which brings together Christians, Jews, and Muslims for reflective interchange....

...With sundown comes the time for breaking the fast — known as “Iftar.”
The couple, with guests at their table, sit and pray silently. They begin, Ümit Gunebir says, by reciting “In the name of Allah, the most merciful and the most compassionate.” After prayers, it is time to eat.

First comes lentil soup, then chicken shish kebab and rice pilaf.

Next Turkish meatballs, called kofte. Melon and nuts — the meal continues.

The Gunebir table is filled with Turkish dishes and flavors.

The stuffed grape leaves are spicy; one condiment, called Turkish delight, is spongy and sweet.

Near 9 p.m., Ümit Gunebir glances at the clock — time for another supplication.

The couple excuse themselves from their guests and go to a room where they kneel and pray.

Then they are back at the table, passing around almond cakes, finishing the evening with hot Turkish tea.

Ramadan Cupcakes! Part 2

A few days ago I posted this picture of some homemade Ramadan Cupcakes baked by my little sister.

Looks like a popular New York City cupcakery is also getting into the Ramadan spirit with the delicious looking treats below. It's great seeing businesses like this catering towards Muslims and adopting Ramadan promotions!

Via. Elan

Teaming with Divanee.com, Butter Lane locations in both Manhattan and Brooklyn have designed these one-of-a-kind cupcakes to welcome the Muslim holy month known as Ramadan, the thirty days each year in which Muslims all over the globe fast from sunrise to sunset.

A dollar of each cupcake purchase will also benefit the Save A Mother Foundation, an educational organization aimed at empowering women and connecting them to public health systems in India.  

Mirch Masala - Halal Indian Food in Beijing, China

No, I'm not in China right now (I wish!). But I did recently come across this blog entry/restaurant review about Mirch Masala, a halal Indian restaurant in China. Seems like a place I would definitely check out if I ever found myself roaming the streets of Beijing.

Indian food in China...is there anything the Chinese can't make???

Mirch Masala is a stylish restaurant located on the Chaoyang District. The Indian dishes are made using free-range Halal meat, so the food is also suitable for Muslims. Mirch Masala is now one of the selective favourites of  Tandoori and Curry lovers. 

The ambience of the restaurant was warm and welcoming, and yet hearty and relaxed. The deco was truly Indian, with autumn colours and Indian style paintings. Not only this, but to give it a true Indian feeling, thy even had Indian music playing subtly in the background. The service was warm and inviting which makes you feel right at home. 

Although there was a slight communication barrier, the staff was more then willing to help, and their patience still amazes me. They were willing to always go that extra mile for us, and they always had a smile plastered over their faces. The service was also quick and friendly.  

The quality of the food was truly astounding; it tasted exactly like the Mirch Masla branch in England. You could tell that they used the freshest ingredients in their dishes. The special masalas are prepared from scratch daily so that no food will be carried over the next day. 

Full Article Via ChinaTravelDepot.com

Ramadan Cupcakes!

Another week of  this glorious month has passed and it has been another week filled with family iftars, masjid events, and dinner invites from friends. I've been blessed with a huge family, and this is definitely one of the perks!

On the downside, I still haven't been to a single restaurant these past two weeks, nor have I had a chance to try the Saffron Road products that we've stocked up on.  But a review will come later this week, InshAlllah.

Until then, check out these awsome cupcakes my sister whipped up! Today just happens to be Pakistan's Independence day (see Pakistani flag), but I'm calling them Ramadan Cupcakes. Only about 20 minutes left until iftar, can't wait to dig into these!

More on the Whole Foods' Ramadan Crisis

Via FastCompany

A pioneering Ramadan marketing campaign at Whole Foods has turned into a headache thanks to a handful of vocal anti-Muslim bloggers. The Houston Press leaked an internal company email claiming “it would be best” if Whole Foods did not observe Ramadan in-store, leading to widespread blowback from angry customers who supported the promotion.

The campaign is still taking place and has not been canceled, according to Liz Burkhart of Whole Foods. Burkhart added that it was “business as usual” for the promotion and that the company is excited about the promotion. Lisa Mabe, a spokesperson for Saffron Road, also confirms the campaign is still on. 

Mainstream companies have been trying to target the Muslim-American niche market for years due to special buying needs that show parallels with the purchasing habits of Jewish-Americans and Mormons. The headaches of the Whole Foods campaign constitute a setback. Ibrahim Hooper, spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a prominent Muslim-American advocacy group, tells Fast Company that “it is unfortunate anything to do with Muslims or Islam will come under attack from a cottage industry” of anti-Islamic bloggers and activists.  

Continue reading to see my thoughts...

Halal Sign in Whole Foods

The major rumor against Whole Foods was that management ordered signs promoting their Halal products be removed. Coincidentally, I was in a Whole Foods store last night and took this picture. This shows that they did not remove halal signs (at least as of 7 PM yesterday).