While the culinary component of the A to Za’atar origin story starts when I enjoyed a degustation at Noma in 2013, the story of the brand goes back to the fall of 2015, when I was considering leaving my full-time job at NYUAD to concentrate on my fiction writing. I’d come up with a great name, and knew I needed to do something with the title. Perhaps unique to the market in Dubai, in 2016, on social media, everyone had a gimmick or nickname. So I did too. Because in the world of food, who was Courtney Brandt? In my mind, ‘A to Za’atar’ was much easier to remember. Thus, A to Za’atar was born. Not knowing much about anything in the market or food scene, I started by reviewing restaurants, networking with other influencers and social media types. Before too long, I was receiving invites to different places and…
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So, in case you’ve never heard of The Tasting Class, friend Lindsay Trivers founded the company a few years ago in Dubai. Since then, she’s delivered countless at home wine tastings (I’ve been fortunate enough to attend a few) and professional wine education courses. Obviously, things have changed drastically for her (and everyone) over the past month. She and I had always been talking about working together on a project — maybe a podcast, but something where we would discuss wine, wine tasting, and history, in a longer format. So, near the middle of March, in a world where we have the technology, the idea of the virtual tasting class/happy hour was born. We’ve recorded three ‘episodes’ so far, and it’s been encouraging to see the community respond and engage with us. Overall, we’re looking to be a fun source of edutainment. A virtual place for people to come together…
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Hello, reader! How are you? I realize this post is a bit overdue, and my apologies for keeping you in the dark. And even though you didn’t ask for it, I feel like there should be an explanation. You might have noticed a significant downturn in reviews and posts in general on A to Za’atar. Yes, it’s been on purpose. Why? As much as I love this blog, and how I’ve been able to explore my writing and opinions, the reality is that it doesn’t pay, and I have other demands on my time. Could I have spent more time and energy developing this site to make money? Of course. Am I glad I didn’t? Also yes. As it stands, I’m currently writing for Forbes Middle East, Dining and Nightlife Middle East, Umami Comms, and MenuPages.ae. All of these are paid roles, something that I’m very proud of. I’ve also…
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Today we welcome a collaborative post from a talented contributor. Enjoy, C. With Christmas fast approaching, you’ll likely be thinking about what you can get for your foodie pals! Friends who love food are great fun to buy for because there are so many options out there. Food is the way to many a heart, so let’s take a look at some great gift ideas for your foodie friends. A Cooking Class Sometimes, the greatest gifts can be experiences as opposed to just objects. Why not buy a cookery class experience for a foodie friend this Christmas? Often, those who love food are already great cooks! With this in mind, try to choose a class with a bit of a niche theme so that they will learn something new. It can be a bit tricky to buy for those friends who live further away. A cookery class could be an…
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Even though McSweeney’s didn’t accept this list, I enjoyed creating it! Thought I would share here, as there is really no other place that does lists like McSweeney’s. Feel free to add your own. It’s 2019, why are people using the bathroom barefoot? Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse is an excellent film, and holds up on later viewings. Book Club is borderline unwatchable. I will never get back those 90 minutes (but also, the cast looks incredible). Destination Wedding surprisingly kept my attention, even when I wanted to sleep. I want to be friends with both Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves’ characters. I can recall a surprising amount of dialogue from the second season of How I Met Your Mother. When a baby starts crying, I first sympathize with the parents. After the first hour and the third baby, I just feel sorry for myself. I can be mistaken for South…
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A strange topic, maybe? Real talk: when it comes to butter, are you a snob? Or do you pick up whatever is on sale? Do you consider what is often the first thing to hit the pan, or is it a minor detail you’re not too bothered by? If I told you that I generally (only) purchase gold wrapped butter imported from Ireland, would you think I was a bit too intense about the product? For me, I had a bit of a revelation a few years ago when I picked up Kerrygold, having heard about it on numerous websites. In my mind, butter should have a few specific qualities (and this is from a genuine non-baker and very novice chef). And really, I would imagine this would be my guidelines for any food I bring into my house or order to eat. Sure, there’s always going to be occasional…
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Hi, I’m Courtney. In addition to this blog, I run an Instagram account called A to Za’atar (give me a follow if you haven’t already). Before we begin, ahem, a gentle reminder that I am NOT an Influencer. As part of my remit as a food writer/food personality, I tend to often share my experiences on social media. Most of the time this is not a specific deliverable, but instead, a nice perk for places I’m invited to. Furthermore, in the current market where I currently live and do most of my writing and reviews (Dubai), for reasons I don’t particularly follow, Instagram is almost the only marker that matters. Followers, likes, even the coveted blue tick – all of this can be bought, and as my engagement is currently in the crapper, I find this especially troubling. Mainly, because a) I low key hate Instagram as a platform, and…
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A post that literally no one asked for… But one I still feel inspired to write. This post is part of a larger – sometimes internal, sometimes external – conversation I’ve been having. And a discussion I wish I’d had with myself a bit earlier in the game. As much as I say ‘yes’ to events, I also turn down almost everything I’m invited to (at least initially). This practice isn’t a matter of me trying to be rude, or that I’m not grateful to be invited to many events, it’s more a balance of time/energy/content/money for transportation/not wanting to gain 5 kilos in a week. In general, when considering my calendar on a weekly or monthly basis, I think about the following questions: How is this venue/event a good fit for my brand? What is the opportunity cost (or actual cost) of going? What else am I doing in the week,…
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And no, this isn’t going to be one of those articles where it’s all ‘ha ha, when I said hate, I meant love.’ So, I’m starting 2019 out on a spectacularly negative note, and I hope you don’t mind. As much as I try and love the platform of Instagram, most days, I find myself getting more irritated and less inspired. More JOMO and less FOMO. Maybe having such an opinion makes me officially an Old™, but I thought I’d put some of my major annoyances out into the ether, and see what resonates with you, dear reader. Jumping straight in, shall we? As each point on the list is of equal irritation, I leave it up to do to help me rank these (or point out what I’ve missed). “I just posted a new post // Go give my post some love!” Who started this trend? Why did they do…
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